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What Is Situational Cleansing (And What Do You Need to Know About It)?

So... there's a different face wash for every kind of skin situation?
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If you're always keeping an eye out for the latest in beauty trends and fads, then you'll be excited to know there's yet another great beauty trend out there for you to try... situational cleansing.

"Situational cleansing" is a term coined by Emily Parr, the founder of US-based skin care brand HoliFrog — and it's really catching on in the beauty world. It's particularly great if your skin is unpredictable, or if you're going through a stressful period (ahem) where your skin is not coping as well as it should be.

In short, situational cleansing basically comes down to using different cleansers depending on your skin's "mood." It's about taking care of your skin's needs as they come up; as opposed to the usual one-size-fits-all approach.

Image via RUNSTUDIO/Getty

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So where do I start?
Well, first, start with your skin type: Is it dry and dehydrated? You might want to try a creamy cleanser like the CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser, $10.99. On the other hand, if your skin is oily and breakout-prone, you might want to try a gel-based cleanser, such as the Biossance Squalane + Tea Tree Cleansing Gel, $29.

Now, if you've worn a full face of makeup that day, or had a really sweaty workout, we'd recommend double cleansing (aka starting off with an oil cleanser and finishing up with a cleansing foam). Confused? Holifrog has a handy breakdown on which cleansers should be used with which skin types.

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When should I cleanse?
Parr tells FabFitFun that in the morning, you should take about 60 seconds to cleanse your skin, whereas in the evening you should take about two minutes. This is because, well, your face is dirtier after a long day than it is after a good night's sleep.

Image via RUNSTUDIO/Getty

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Do dermatologists approve the method?
Huffpost spoke to several derms who say situational cleansing makes sense to address particular skin concerns in a good way and emphasizes skin health and general hygiene, but others point out that it can also be very expensive and confusing.

Basically, it comes down to this: Do you want to have to work out a special cleansing system? And do you really want to have to remember which face wash to use after a long night out? There are pros and cons.

Image via felixhug/Getty

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Should you try it?
There is no evidence of any negative side effects of situational cleansing — so why not? After all, we tend to regard skin care as self care... plus, your skin is the largest organ you have... and we all know that if your skin doesn't feel great, you don't feel great.

If it's something you're interested in trying, there are so many options — you can keep it more affordable with budget-friendly cleansers... or, if you're feeling fancy, you can put Parr's luxurious HoliFrog cleansers to the test! (We're particular fans of the Kissimmee Vitamin F Therapy Balmy Wash, $42, and the Superior Omega Nutritive Gel Wash, $36, for starters.)

Image via @holifrog

BY CARMEN WILLIAMS | MAY 2, 2020 | SHARES
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