Medical expert of the article
New publications
Basic rules for facial skin care
Last reviewed: 08.07.2025

All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.

Skin of any type needs to be taken care of. Cosmetic skin care is maintaining its normal functioning, protecting it from unfavorable factors and premature wrinkles. Don't wait until your skin becomes problematic or when age makes itself known.
It is easier to prevent a problem than to look for ways to eliminate it. Sometimes these searches do not give a positive result at all.
Cosmetic care should be carried out according to certain rules, without which you will not be able to improve the condition of your skin. Surely you have heard of skin lines. These are certain directions in which you need to rub in cream or apply masks, and the finger movements should be smooth and light. By doing just that, you will protect your skin from stretching. The direction of the skin lines in the lower jaw area is from the middle of the lips to the auricle. Then from the middle of the upper lip to the upper part of the ear. In the same direction, that is, to the upper part of the ear, movements are made along the side of the bridge of the nose. When affecting the eye area, be very careful. Direct the movements along the upper eyelid from its inner corner to the outer one. On the lower eyelid, just the opposite - from the outer corner to the nose. In the frontal part, everything is very simple. Follow the direction from the middle of the forehead to the temples. The growth of eyebrow hair is exactly the same, and the skin lines in this area repeat this direction. On the nose, smoothly move along its bridge to the tip. Massage the sides of the nose from the bridge down. Remember this basic rule.
Whatever cosmetic product you use, remember that vigorous rubbing of the skin on your face and neck will cause irreparable harm to it, and therefore to you. In no case should you use too hard brushes and washcloths, or towels made of coarse fabric to cleanse these areas. There is an opinion that the skin can be hardened by such treatment. However, this is not true. Women who think so are very mistaken. Without proper care, our skin begins to age and fade. Cracks and folds appear on it. You can preserve the youth and beauty of your skin with the help of the necessary cosmetic procedures, properly nourishing it and protecting it from meteorological factors.
Below are the rules you need to follow every day if you want to have beautiful skin.
-
- First, try to drink about 2 liters of liquid daily, which is necessary to keep your skin firm and elastic.
- Secondly, when you return home from work in the evening, don’t forget to remove your makeup from your face.
- Thirdly, the skin requires daily moisturizing. It is best to do this with a cotton pad soaked in mineral water.
- Fourth, your face and body need nourishing cleansing at least once a week.
- Fifthly, you should take care of the skin of your palms and soles by applying a nourishing or moisturizing cream to them every day before going to bed.
- Sixth, watch your diet. You need to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, but you need to cut down on sweets and fat-containing foods.
- Seventh, be careful when applying makeup. If you do it incorrectly, you can face a lot of problems.
Facial cleansing
Facial cleansing can be done in different ways. For example, washing with water and soap or milk.
You can cleanse your skin with vegetable oils, egg yolk, sour milk and similar products. There is such a skin problem as comedones. These are acne that are typical for teenagers during puberty. However, such a defect can also appear at a later age. It should be treated with regular deep skin cleansing procedures. Now let's talk in more detail about the products that can be used to cleanse your face.
- Water procedures using soap
Cool water is 20-28° C; some people prefer warm water - 28-37° C, and others prefer hot water - 37-45° C.
For best results, use hot water. It promotes blood flow, which in turn makes the skin elastic and fresh. But older people are not recommended to wash their face with hot water, as it promotes dilation of blood vessels, making the skin look unpleasant. Skin tone weakens, pores become enlarged. To avoid this, do not overuse hot water washing - do this procedure no more than twice a week. Whereas for young or oily skin, such washing is very useful. It makes it elastic and attractive.
For people with normal skin, washing with warm water is optimal. However, we do not recommend using it constantly, as this leads to flabbiness of the skin. To improve the tone and harden the skin of the face, it is good to wash with cool and cold water. This first leads to narrowing, then to expansion of the pores, thereby slowing down sweat and sebum secretion. If you constantly use cold water, the skin will become rough and begin to peel. This can also cause dryness and a bluish tint to the skin. It is possible to use contrast washing, that is, alternating hot and cold water. In this case, the upper limit of the water temperature should not exceed 45 ° C, and the lower is 12 ° C. This procedure is very useful for enlarged pores.
Using soap makes cleansing with water more effective, but not every soap is useful. When choosing such products, pay attention to quality, it is better to use soap containing lanolin and nourishing cream. But even the best soap still dries out the skin of the face, especially aging skin, so do not overuse soap when washing, otherwise after such procedures you will have a feeling of tightness of the skin, which goes away only when the natural protective lubrication is restored.
If you want to have firm, elastic skin, we recommend making compresses with salted water (1 teaspoon of salt per glass of water), alternately using hot and cold. The procedure should be finished with a cool compress. If there is no time, then just wash your face with salted water.
In the morning, you can use contrast washing, finishing it with cool water. This will help strengthen the walls of blood vessels. For particularly dry and thin skin, we recommend washing with mineral water. You can also add baking soda to the water, thereby softening it. It is good to use a herbal decoction to rinse your face after washing. The following herbs are suitable for dry skin: parsley, sage, plantain, mint. For oily skin - dandelion and succession.
Dry white wine and dry champagne, when chilled, are good ways to wipe the skin. When washing is complete, apply a rich cream to the damp skin. After the cream has been absorbed, blot the skin with a napkin to remove any residue.
- Washing with milk
Even in ancient times, women learned to use milk for cosmetic purposes. It is a natural valuable product containing many useful components that are necessary for our skin. For example, milk sugar helps moisturize the skin, and lactic acid helps retain fluid in the skin. Other components - milk protein, proteins and fats - make the skin elastic, firm, and maintain water balance. Milk enzymes and vitamin E are excellent support for regenerative processes in the skin and help improve the process of cell renewal. Hence, the conclusion is that milk is excellent at combating signs of aging.
If your skin is very sensitive and dry, washing with milk is ideal for it. However, for this type of skin, milk should be diluted with water by half. The resulting liquid should be at a comfortable temperature for the skin. It soothes the skin and relieves irritation. You can wash your face with whole milk, but after that you should rinse your face with warm water without using soap and, having dried your face with a towel or cotton pad, apply a nourishing cream. The milk washing procedure can only be used for healthy skin that does not have peeling or inflamed areas, and if such defects are present, it is better to dilute the milk not with water, but with a rich decoction of raspberries, linden or chamomile.
- Cleansing with oils
There are a huge number of vegetable oils: olive, corn, cotton, sunflower and others. All of them are used for cleansing procedures. Vegetable oil perfectly removes daytime makeup. If the skin is dry, then using vegetable oils is especially beneficial, especially in the autumn-winter period. Oil of stone crops, for example, peach or nut, is also great for these purposes. One or two teaspoons of oil is enough for the cleansing procedure. The oil should be slightly warmed up in a water bath, soak a cotton ball in it and move it with blotting movements over the face and neck, thereby cleansing the skin. You can simultaneously do a light massage with your fingertips. It is very useful to massage the lips with oil - they will become soft and their color bright. If your skin has been exposed to the sun and wind for a long time and you feel dry and uncomfortable, then peach oil is an indispensable remedy. The bottle of oil should be heated in a water bath to 37° C, soak a thin layer of cotton wool in it and apply to the face, leaving the area around the eyes and nose free. Cover with parchment paper and a terry towel to keep the heat longer. After 15-20 minutes, you can remove the mask and wipe your face with a dry napkin. It is recommended to apply this mask to the skin of the neck. After the procedure, wipe the skin with a cotton swab well soaked in salted water or tea, moving from the bottom up. Salt is added at the rate of 1 teaspoon per 0.5 liters of water. You can also use boiled water with the addition of fruit juice. The components should be mixed in half.
There are many benefits of butter, but we will mention only one: it is an excellent means for softening and cleansing the skin. However, it should not be used by people with such defects as acne and pustules. If you use butter to cleanse your skin, remember that its use should not be prolonged for more than 10 days.
- The cleansing effect of sour milk
This fermented milk product is irreplaceable for the care of the skin of the face, head, and hair. It can be used at all times of the year and for all skin types. It is advisable to use a non-peroxidized product, since this can cause redness and peeling on very sensitive skin. However, oily skin easily tolerates the acidity of the product, and many owners of this skin type prefer whey for the washing procedure. It helps to reduce sebum and sweating. Kefir or sour cream are also suitable for this purpose.
You can wash your face in any way you know - using a cotton swab or simply scooping up sour milk with your palms. After applying sour milk, you can leave it on your face and neck for a while, then wash off the sour milk product with warm water. If you have a feeling of tightness of the skin, lubricate your face with a nourishing cream, which has a soothing effect on the skin and relieves it from the burning sensation caused by the acid. Those with dry skin should wash their face with warm water before applying the cream. If you have oily skin, leave the sour milk product on your skin until it dries completely. This will tighten the pores. In this case, apply the cream to the forehead, neck and area around the eyes. If this method of cleansing irritates the skin, moisten it with tea or a small amount of fresh milk, then again use a rich cream.
- Egg yolk cleansing
This remedy is irreplaceable for oily skin. To prepare the cleansing composition, take 1 yolk, mix it thoroughly with any vegetable oil and add a few drops of lemon juice. The resulting volume should be divided into two parts. Put one in the refrigerator. The remaining part can be used to cleanse the skin of the face. To do this, you will need a cotton swab, which must be moistened in water, squeezed out and dipped in the yolk, then quickly applied to the face and neck. Leave the mixture on the face for a while, then remove and wash with cool water. Do not let the yolk mixture soak into the skin under any circumstances. When the procedure is finished, apply cream to the face. You can use vegetable oil instead. Use the second part, from the refrigerator, next time.
You can make many different mixtures based on the yolk. For skin cleansing, this recipe is suitable: take 1 yolk, add a little sour cream and 1 teaspoon of any vegetable oil and rub thoroughly.
Apply to any skin type, taking a break for half a month. Of course, the mixture should be stored in the refrigerator.
- Cleansing the skin with bran and black bread
The procedure is carried out using any bran that is at hand. If you don't have any, you can use the crumb of black bread, which contains a lot of bran. Or use Hercules oat flakes. Grind them using a meat grinder or coffee grinder.
If you have acne on your skin, add some baking soda or borax to the mixture. Next, mix oatmeal with warm water and apply this paste to your damp face, rubbing it lightly into the skin, especially in areas where acne accumulates. This is usually the forehead, the sides of the nose, and the chin. When you feel that your fingers move easily and glide, it is time to wash off the paste. Do this with cool water. After such cleaning, the skin becomes soft, smooth, and velvety. The procedures should be carried out daily for a month. If you have oily skin, cleanse your face with bran once every one or two weeks, and the rest of the time use yolk or fermented milk products, as well as cream soap.
- Cleansing with soap and camphor cream
The soap cream and salt cleansing procedure is used mainly for oily skin without damage or abrasions. If the skin is peeling, then you should refrain from the procedure. This method is good for comedones. To prepare the soap cream, you will need any domestically produced shaving cream. Add a pinch of "Extra" salt to it, as well as a little baking soda and mix thoroughly. Take a little of this mixture on a cotton swab and apply it to your face in circular motions, massaging the areas with acne. After 3-5 minutes, wash your face with hot water. Finish the procedure by rinsing with cool water.
Camphor cream is also one of the effective means for cleansing the skin. You can make it yourself. You will need baby soap, an incomplete glass of water, 2 teaspoons of glycerin, 1 tablespoon of ammonia, 1 teaspoon of boric acid, 1 tablespoon of camphor alcohol and 0.5 cups of 3% hydrogen peroxide. Grate the soap and add water and glycerin to it. Mix everything and let it stand overnight. Then bring this mixture to homogeneity using steam and mix with ammonia and camphor alcohol. Dilute boric acid with 2 cups of boiling water and pour into the resulting mass, stirring it with a spoon. Let the mixture cool and, before it becomes too thick, add hydrogen peroxide. The mass must be whipped until it has the consistency of a cream.
If your skin is often irritated, camphor cream is prepared in the following way. Take a small piece of soap, half a teaspoon of boric acid, 1 tablespoon of 3% hydrogen peroxide, 1 tablespoon of camphor oil and one and a half glasses of water. Prepare the cream in the same way as in the recipe described above. Camphor oil should be added to the already cooled mass.
If your facial skin is not prone to oiliness, then prepare another composition: instead of soap cream, take 0.5 cups of oatmeal, add 1 teaspoon of baking soda and enough water to make a paste. Then apply it to your face and rinse with water after a couple of minutes.
- Cleansing with corn flour based compounds
To rid your skin of dead cells, cleanse it with corn flour. You should use this method once every two to three weeks. What do you need to do? Pour some corn flour into a deep plate, dilute it with warm water, and stir well to dissolve all the lumps. You should get something like a gruel that you need to apply to your face and wash off after a while (about 10 minutes). It is advisable to lubricate your skin with cream after the procedure.
If there are comedones on the skin, then use another mixture based on corn flour. Add beaten egg white to the corn flour. Mix everything thoroughly and apply to the face. When the mixture dries, it should be removed from the face with a terry mitten. This should be done carefully so as not to stretch the skin, after which it is better to wash with cool water.
Wipe the areas where comedones are located with lemon juice or a weak solution of vinegar (apple, table, etc.) using a cotton swab. Finishing the cleansing procedure, soften dry skin with any vegetable oil or wild mallow decoction, and wipe oily skin with any alcohol lotion.
- Peeling and scrub
There are skin cleansers called scrubs or peelings. These are creams that contain abrasives. The latter can be represented by crushed apricot, peach and other similar seeds. They should be ground very finely. Peeling is a lighter product, but essentially it is the same. Peeling creams contain such components as raspberry seeds, strawberry seeds or the smallest fractions of sand or clay. Peeling has a gentle effect on dry, irritated skin.
The scrub exfoliates dead skin particles. This procedure causes a rush of blood to the skin.
The peeling can be made as follows: take half a glass of any berries you have on hand - raspberries, strawberries, wild strawberries. Mash with a fork in a bowl, add a little sour cream and mix thoroughly. This composition should be applied to the face and neck area with a cotton swab, carefully making circular movements.
While massaging the skin, leave the area around the eyes and lips free of the mixture. After some time, about 10-15 minutes, wash the berry mixture off your face and pat dry with a towel. Apply a nourishing cream.
- Medicinal decoctions for skin cleansing
This remedy is suitable for cleansing oily skin. Decoctions of medicinal herbs wonderfully tighten enlarged pores, cleanse and nourish the skin. They are prepared simply: take 2 tablespoons of chopped collection, which includes mint, chamomile, sage, plantain, pour into a suitable container and pour 1.5 cups of boiling water. The decoction must be infused for 30 minutes.
Then add a little potato starch to make a paste. Apply it to your face and neck with light massaging movements. After 15-20 minutes, wash off the mask.