P&G beauty scientist Laura Goodman reveals FOF skin cleaning secrets including the soap you should use and the toner you shouldn't.

• FOF: What's the best way to cleanse FOF skin?
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  • Laura Goodman: Your skin’s natural barrier of oils is your first line of defense. Many women over cleanse, stripping away oils and causing a host of problems, including adult acne and dermatitis. At P&G we make some very strong cleansers--with exfoliating beads and everything—but you don’t need to use those both morning and night.
  • In the morning, use only a gentle cleanser or even just water, because what did you really do at night? Your skin was rejuvenating. You didn’t have makeup on; you weren’t exposed to environmental stress, smoke or pollution. Try a cream cleanser versus one that foams. I use our Nourishing Cream Cleanser. You feel clean but not stripped. Then at night, you can use a foaming cleanser—like a gel— or an exfoliating wash to remove makeup, dirt and pollution.
• Is it better to use a cream cleanser that wipes off, or one that rinses off?
  
  • It doesn’t matter. Use what makes your skin feel best. 
• Should I use a toner? Or is that just for teenage, acne-prone skin?
  
  • Toners help to further the cleansing process. They open up pores to accept whatever serums, anti-agers and moisturizers you’re going to use. 
• That’s all it does? It doesn’t tighten the skin? 
  • It can. Toners can contain astringents, which give you the feeling of tightening the skin. For someone who is a little older and therefore has less estrogen in her system, I recommend using a gentle, moisturizing toner without astringents. As I’ve gotten older, I don’t use an astringent toner anymore. I prefer toners such as DDF Aloe Toning Complex and also the SK-II Clear Lotion. Both are very gentle. In Asia, where a dewy look is very popular, they actually call these “clear lotions” rather than toners.

Links:

Aargh! What is happening to my skin?
Dream Creams: Moisturizing FOF skin 
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