effectively tackle the task of removing mineral makeup, which is not oil-based. They want to get hold
of oil, but there isn’t any. If you are, like me, a diligent user of mineral makeup, you are far better off
with a plain bar soap cleanser.
Bar soap regularly gets a bad rap from cosmetic experts. They claim that solid soaps often contain
pore-clogging fats and harsh surfactants that can wreak havoc on human skin. While this is true about
conventional animal tallow–based bar soaps, traditional olive and coconut oil soaps are not
damaging to skin. They contain natural ingredients, such as saponified olive, coconut, jojoba, or hemp
oil, and none of these is pore-clogging or sensitizing. I especially like the naturally scented French-
milled olive soaps that I purchase online from a small factory in Provence. Another indulgence is
Santa Maria Novella soaps, cooked according to ancient techniques. I also like the feeling when
blackheads and tiny bumps of congested pores are melting under my fingertips as I massage the
lightweight foam into my skin. Call it conditioning, call it Spartan upbringing, but I have it embedded
deep in my mind that only soap can bring true cleanliness.
As for pH, the issue is more complicated. You have probably heard that good cleansers won’t alter
the skin’s natural alkaline balance, or pH. The pH of a substance is a measure of its acid or alkaline
content. Science ranks pH on a scale of 0–14, with pH 7, the natural acidity of water, being neutral.
The further below 7 a pH value is, the more acidic the substance; the higher above 7, the more
alkaline.
Our skin is naturally acidic. The pH of healthy skin is 5.5. This level of acidity helps ward off
certain microorganisms from the skin’s surface. Opponents of soap used to say that soaps, which are
very alkaline (the opposite of acidic), remove too much natural fatty acid from sebum covering the
skin’s surface, thus leaving it tight, dry, and vulnerable to bacterial attacks. However, research dating
back to the 1980s says that our skin has excellent self-protecting capacities that can neutralize even
the most alkaline substances in soaps, but not sulfates and other synthetic chemicals that make up the
bulk of those fragrant bars that we traditionally associate with bar soaps. At the same time, plant-
based soaps formulated without sulfates are proven safe for the most intolerant skins. This is why it’s
very important to check the quality of the ingredients in the cleanser you plan to buy or prepare
yourself: natural ingredients with their naturally balanced pH levels will give your skin all the
protection it needs.
When you have melted the dirt and makeup using oil or soap, rinse your face and apply the second
cleanser. This time you purify your skin, not remove makeup. If you were using oil, you should now
use a gentle foaming cleanser to remove the oil residue. If you were using soap, choose a soft, milky,
nonfoaming cleanser to remove soap residue and soften your skin. The second cleanser may contain
additional benefits, such as oil-absorbing clay, herbal astringents, soothing infusions, or exfoliating
particles that will cleanse your pores and deliver a treatment of your choice deep down where it’s
needed. Work your cleanser in a circular motion for no less than one minute and rinse thoroughly with
lukewarm tap water. Finish with a cool rinse with tap, filtered, or better yet, mineral water with
essential magnesium, such as Volvic,Vichy, or Evian.
After you’re done cleansing, gently pat your face with a facial towel. Don’t use your regular bath
towel. Don’t rub, either—this may cause unnecessary pressure and increase irritation. Be as gentle as
possible.
Most people with acne think that frequent and vigorous cleansing with abrasive or antibacterial
washes will reduce the oiliness and keep skin clear and healthy. However, no scientific evidence
proves that the lack of washing is associated with skin problems or that frequent washing improves