Bringing My Mug Together

So, the previous three posts covered the basic 3-step facial cleansing process: cleanse, tone, and moisturize. In this final post of the “My Mug” series, I thought it might be useful to “wrap it up” and basically summarize how all these steps work together now that I know what they are individually. Some of this will rehash what’s just been covered, but it might be useful to see it all together, too.

A proper, daily cleansing routine looks like this:

1. Steam your pores open (i.e., in the shower or with a warm steamy towel).
2. Massage cleanser into skin and pores.
3. Rinse off cleanser.
4. Close pores with toner.
5. Moisturize.

Now, most facial skin problems are caused by too much or too little oil. Too much and your pores get clogged up with bacteria and dirt and grime, resulting in comedogenic problems like black- or white-heads. Too little and your skin ends up flaky, chapped, and prone to redness, rashes, or other forms of irritation. Since oil control is governed by your pores, the cleansing part of the equation makes logical sense: open them up, get in there, flush ‘em out.

The pore closing part of the process, however, is more important than it sounds. For one thing, it prevents dirt and crap from getting into your just-cleaned pores. For another (and one that I didn’t really cover in previous posts), it restricts oil generation. This works on two levels. One, your pores have constricted and, well, that naturally reduces the amount of oil a pore can release at a single time. (Regular use will also mean that you will end up with naturally smaller-looking pores over time.) Two and perhaps more importantly, it gives you the chance to apply moisturizer without getting greasy as well.

Think of toner as a stop-gap between cleansing and moisturizing. By closing your pores, your skin temporarily generates little-to-no oil. You then apply moisturizer to soothe your skin, and so when your pores reopen during the normal course of the day, they naturally generate less oil than they would if you hadn’t moisturized, because it doesn’t sense its own dryness quite as starkly. This is how the process, all together, can help prevent future breakouts.

For cases where your skin type is dry and you don’t have as many problems with oil, toning helps clear residue off your skin, balances your skin’s pH levels, and then moisturizer can do its job that much more efficiently by being absorbed more quickly by your skin.

Cutting out one of these steps will eventually lead to the whole process falling short.

Without cleanser, you’re basically only doing a surface clean with toner and keeping your skin hydrated without addressing problems with build-up on or in your pores.

Lots of people will tell you that toner is optional. They certainly told me this, too! But from the research I’ve done, it looks like toner is just as necessary a step because it makes both the preceding and following steps more effective. You may not always need a separate product for toning, but you should ensure that its functions are covered in either the cleansing or moisturizing steps of the process (such as using astringent oils in your cleanser). In addition, if you moisturize without toning, using a common, comedogenic moisturizer will cause your open pores to clog up and thus cause breakouts. And if your skin is going red or drying out from the toner you’re using, that’s not because you don’t need toner or because toner is bad for you; it’s because you’re using the wrong type for your skin!

And, of course, without moisturizer, you’ll end up with either very dry and chapped skin or super duper oily++ skin!

So for tips on how to choose the right products for your daily cleansing routine, here are some things to consider:

• What’s your skin type? Remember that having oily or dry skin will impact on the types of products needed at each step!
• Do you have sensitive skin? Sensitive skin will mean you need gentler cleansers and alcohol-free toners. If you have this and oily skin, you might need to look at toners with oils that have astringent effects as well.
• Should you use different products for morning and night? Not everyone needs different stuff for different times of day, but night creams tend to pack extra effects that help heal and refresh your skin overnight!
• How much time would you prefer your routine take to do? If you’re strapped for time, little things about your routine will shave seconds (minutes, even!) off the whole thing, such as using a mist toner instead of a regular one, saving you not only time but money in not needing cotton pads! If you use the oil cleansing method, some astringent oils may mean you don’t need a separate product for toning!
• How much are you looking to spend? Cheaper cleansers/toners/moisturizers tend to be harsher/alcoholic/comedogenic, which can be okay if your skin can deal with all that, but for more delicate or sensitive skin, that might not be the best combination. Consider working one high-end product into the mix, such as getting a fancier moisturizer to counter-act the drying effects of an alcoholic toner.
• Don’t get caught up in sticking to the same brand. Clinique’s and Proactiv’s 3-step cleansing systems are two of the most popular and well-known packaged systems, but don’t think that you have to stay within the same brand to get the “best results” (no matter what the back of the bottle tells you). Pick and choose what will do the job that needs doing the best and most affordably for you, and don’t be afraid to explore different brands to do this!

And with that, we come to the end of the My Mug series. I hope you enjoyed it! Any and all feedback and comments are more than welcome!