Why should we wash our face?

Motor vehicles, industrial facilities, domestic combustion appliances, forest fires, ozone... exposure to these various environmental pollutants can induce skin damage, whether you live in a large city or not. Indeed, it can trigger physiological changes in the skin such as a disruption of the skin's barrier function, a decrease in pH and the growth of bacteria, thus causing multiple problems: dilation of pores, appearance of imperfections due to pore blockage (blackheads, spots, etc...), skin irritation, skin inflammation, dull complexion, skin dryness, etc...

A study has also reported that particulate pollution has an impact on the premature ageing of the skin (formation of wrinkles and pigmentation spots). Indeed, fine pollution particles penetrate the skin through the hair and sebaceous follicles and are capable of reaching viable cells in the deeper layers of the skin, such as melanocytes, where they induce oxidative stress. The free radicals generated will cause a decrease in collagen synthesis and a degradation of collagen fibres, which accelerates skin ageing.

In an extreme case, pollutants can lead to thedevelopment of skin cancer, by excessively stimulating the proliferation of keratinocytes or melanocytes. Therefore, cleansing your face daily helps to remove these unwanted particles, thereby brightening the complexion and preserving skin health.

It is during the night that the skin repairs, regenerates and renews itself. However, the opacifying layer of makeup, if not removed, can prevent the skin from carrying out this process effectively, resulting in a dull and uneven skin texture. A British journalist experienced this over a month and the result: her pores enlarged, her skin became dehydrated, redness appeared, blackheads and spots formed due to the obstruction of the skin pores. Moreover, with the skin being dry and less elastic, the face ages more quickly with wrinkles becoming more noticeable.

Skipping the makeup removal process can also guarantee poor treatment of your eyelashes. Indeed, mascara, if not removed, can lead to the shedding of your eyelashes in clumps, the deposition of black residues under the mobile eyelid or even eye irritation, as a 50-year-old Australian woman unfortunately experienced. Whether you wear makeup or not, it is therefore important to cleanse your face every evening, as even the SPF in sun creams can be irritating if not removed.

The skin naturally produces and secretes sebum throughout the day, which is essential for skin lubrication and protection against bacteria and other microbes. Indeed, when combined with sweat, sebum forms the hydrolipidic film that covers the skin's surface, thereby preserving the skin's hydration and suppleness, preventing the penetration of foreign substances (irritants and allergens), and defending the skin against all external aggressions. However, sometimes, such as during adolescence, periods of stress, or menstrual cycles, it is secreted in excess. If the skin is not cleaned daily, this overproduction of sebum can clog pores and stimulate the appearance of imperfections. Moreover, sebum is the primary food source for bacteria. Therefore, eliminating this excess sebum can prevent bacteria from proliferating.

According to the ARS (Regional Health Agency), we unconsciously touch our face up to 3,000 times a day. However, our hands are a veritable breeding ground for bacteria, originating from any surface touched. The same is true for any object that comes into contact with the skin of our face: pillowcase, mobile phone, etc... The result: The germs collected on your hands are now lodged there. These bacteria can unfortunately block the pores and create inflammation, thus promoting the appearance of spots, providing a favourable environment for bacterial proliferation (low light, heat, significant amount of sebum which is the main food source). Therefore, cleaning your face helps to eliminate these infectious agents.

During the night, the skin undergoes an intense period of regeneration: cellular renewal, activated cellular repair, boosted blood microcirculation, strengthening of the skin barrier. However, impurities accumulated throughout the day (dust, cosmetic products, pollution particles, allergens, etc...) can hinder the skin's regeneration process at night, if they are not removed. Therefore, cleansing your face every evening allows for the regeneration of cellular tissue during sleep.

A skin that has been cleared of dead cells, debris, excess sebum, pollution, makeup, etc... is ready to receive care. Indeed, the products that you will use afterwards will be much more easily absorbed and therefore, more effective. It's also an opportunity to apply a specific treatment rich in active ingredients to target our skin concerns.

• SEITE S. & al. Pollution and skin: from epidemiological and mechanistic studies to clinical implications. Journal of Dermatological Science (2004).

• CHUNG K. & al. Sebum output as a factor contributing to the size of facial pores. British Journal of Dermatology (2006). 

• KRAMER U. & al. Airborne particle exposure and extrinsic skin aging. Journal of Investigative Dermatology  (2010).

• PURGSLOVE A. What sleeping in your make-up does to your skin: Our shocking experiment exposes what happens when you don't cleanse before bed. Dailymail (2013).

• ZHANG J.-Z. & al. Exposure to fine particulate matter associated with senile lentigo in Chinese women: a cross-sectional study. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (2016).

• ROBAEI D. Subconjunctival mascara deposition. Ophthalmology (2018).