Igor MarcikicDo you ever get that, almost unpleasant, feeling of tightness in your facial skin right after you’ve washed it? I used to think this was a good thing… because my facial skin is excessively oily, I thought that removing all that extra oil meant I was doing a good job.
Luckily for me, I quickly gave up on this poor habit as it later turned out I was doing more damage than good.
Why Does Your Face Feel Tight After Washing?
The top layer of your skin is an oil-based protective barrier which safeguards the skin. Excessive washing will strip your skin off this protective barrier, result in loss of moisture and make your skin feel overly dry and tight.
Why Does Your Face Feel Tight After Washing?
The most common reason your face feels tight after washing is because you've washed away your essential natural oils. With the loss of moisture and this protective oil barrier, our skin may start to crack (at a microscopic level).
Another thing you might be doing is washing your face more than once a day (this is sometimes a necessity but something to keep at the back of your mind). If you wash your face often, your skin never gets the chance to produce these protective natural oils.
Limit your cleansing to once a day and cleanse as quickly as possible. If you’re scrubbing your face slowly, the product will remain on your face longer, which is might further irritate your skin.
There is one more piece of information I'd like to get across, something I found out quite recently. Washing your face with hot water may damage your skin.
Why?
Well, hot water promotes water loss from the skin, leaving your face red, blotchy and slightly irritated.
You might think "Cold water is the answer then!," Not quite... Cold water is not as effective in washing away the dirt off your skin.
So, it's best to go for middle ground and wash your face with lukewarm water.
Is Tight Facial Skin Bad For You?
Having a tight facial skin is a sign that you’re not using products right for your skin type. So the answer is yes, it’s bad for you. I know that when you have that natural oily skin, you feel like having a complete opposite is good. But as it turns out it's not.
Yes, I know, dry skin is less prone to acne, less likely to develop blackheads, and it just looks better; and whoever has oily skin wants a dry one (I'm one of those people). The grass is always greener on the other side...
But think about it, are those micro cracks in the skin normal? Aren't we suppose to feed our skin as we feed us? Yes! It should breathe, and it should have its naturals oils on it. What happens when we dry out our skin from washing is it retaliates and overcompensates for the dryness - pumping out even more sebum!
How Do You Moisturize Your Face After Washing It?
If you have dry facial skin after washing, chances are you need to get a better moisturizer; buy a product designed with your skin in mind, don't just go for whatever's on the shelf.
But this is only half of the story. Next, you need to find out how well a moisturizer suits your skin. For example, you can take the first month as a trial period. If you notice your skin is getting better, retaining more moisture and improving in both look and feel, you can go on and continue using it. On the other hand, if you don't spot any significant changes, you might want to try a different kind (brand).
Another top tip I can give you is to go for a moisturizer with added SPF of at least 30. The sad truth is we apply sunscreen only when we hit the beach, but the sun is always there! And, though it does a lot of good for our skin, prolonged exposure is its number one nemesis.
How Do I Get Rid Of Tight Skin On My Face?
In most cases, we are the number one reason our facial skin is tight in the first place. We use harsh, fragrance rich soaps which strip the natural sebum and cause tightness.
Not only that, through the day we go through a number of wet-dry cycles (frequently bathing), pampering ourselves with hot showers and end up with what? Dry skin! We act as though our face is a stovetop, scrubbing and being aggressive with it. This has to stop, be gentle with your face and it will reward you with glowing, flawless skin.
Now that we've covered your skin's fragility (sorry if I was a bit harsh, but someone had to say it), it's time to check your toner; I hope you are using one.
When choosing your toner, make sure it does not contain alcohol. Alcohol will irritate and dehydrate your skin even further. And if you have sensitive skin, it might be a good idea to choose an only product that contains 10 or fewer ingredients; this way, it will be much easier to check the ingredients and avoid those that might harm your skin.
Now that we've covered the outer surface of our skin, it's time to dig deeper. Your diet will also affect the way your skin looks and feels. A fat-rich diet, which is consisted of good, healthy fats that contain fatty acids, such as salmon, avocado, chia seeds, olive oil, coconut oil (and the list goes on) - keeps your skin moist from the inside out. Also, it is highly recommended to take supplements, such as omega fatty acids, vitamin E and D.
What Should I Use To Cleanse My Face To Avoid Tightness?
Two things you need to know about your skin - it's smart, and it's a living organ. What does this mean? Well, it means it will exfoliate dead skin cells on its own, for example; it does not need you to run and direct these processes, but you can certainly help. And the first step in the correct direction is identifying your skin type.
Only after you've identified your skin type is it time to start thinking about your skincare routine and the product you should buy.
And as for the product, make sure you study the labels. In addition to telling you which skin type is the specific product designed to address, the label will also show you which are the main ingredients used.
I'm a huge advocate of natural, organic product, so my advice to go for the ingredients of higher quality.
Some of these ingredients you will want to look for are Glycerin, Sorbitol, Urea, Hyaluronic Acid, Aloe, Oats, Honey, Plant Oils & butter.
On the other hand, the ingredients that might cause dryness are SLS, BHA, Benzoyl Peroxide, Astringent, Mineral Sunscreen.
Once you get a handle of your skin type and the right products you should use, it is time for the next step. And the best one I've tried so far was a face massage.
It's free, you can do it in the comfort of your own home, and you can do it by yourself. Massaging your face is a fantastic way to increase microcirculation, bring more nutrients and oxygen, and speed up waste removal from the skin tissue.
