SKIN HEALTH
Skin is our most valued biological ‘clothing’ that protect us from harmful elements, such as chemicals, pollutants, harmful bacteria and viruses, from the outside world. This protective barrier needs to be maintained and care for to ensure general health and wellness. Maintaining a good skin health not only preserve the youthfulness of an individual, but also prevent complications associated with poor skin health, such as rashes, itchiness due to dryness and the development of acne. Many factors/habits can affect the skins, some inherent (e.g. genetics) but many others, such as lifestyle choices (diet, hydration, smoking), use of moisturiser and choice of products, can be influenced by us to affect our skin health.
AN APPROPRIATE SKIN CLEANSER IS IMPORTANT FOR SKIN HEALTH
Skin cleansing is an important daily ritual performed to remove dirt, sweat, sebum, oil and unwanted microbes. However, the desire to keep our skin clean can sometimes do more harm than good if a poor quality product is used. Things to look out for in a good skin cleanser, includes a balanced formulation comprising of essential ingredients that are beneficial to skin health, the absence of known harmful chemicals, the correct acidity, and proven clinical test of skin compatibility.
WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR IN A SKIN CLEANSER?
- Skin-friendly cleanser should be soap-free, containing gentle surfactant(s) that does not damage the skin whilst providing a satisfactory cleansing.
- Presence of moisturisers (e.g. allantoin) or hydrating molecules (e.g. ethylhexylglycerin) to prevent and repair dry skins.
- Cleanser should be free from known harmful/allergenic substances, such as lanolins, paraben and phthalate.
- Our skin are naturally acidic (a natural defence against infection). To maintain the natural acidity of the skin, cleanser should have comparable acidity to our skin (known as pH-balanced) to minimise skin irritation and unwanted bacteria growth.
THE ‘IDEAL’ SKIN CLEANSER FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY?
There are many good quality skin cleansers in the market for choice. Major brands for sensitive skins, including esemtan® are gentle, pH-balanced, moisturizer-enriched and dermatologically-tested. Gentle cleanser can also be formulated to be lightly-fragrant to enhance user’s experience especially, in the hot tropical climate of Singapore. Therefore, a gentle wash with all of the above mentioned attributes can be regarded as the ‘ideal’ skin cleanser catering for the different skin conditions and user’s preference of the whole family.