I had never found a morning cleansing regimen that I really liked or stuck to. I hated washing my face in the morning. I have sensitive, combination skin prone to both oily breakouts and dryness, and I have eczema.
But I just found a cleanser that leaves me glowing throughout the day with no irritation and it absolutely has changed my morning routine for the better.
I used to seldom, if ever, wash my face in the mornings. I would usually wake up feeling all pretty and glowing from whatever various night creams I have in rotation, or I’d wake up seeing a just-calmed-down breakout and I wouldn’t want to disturb it with anything more than cold water.
But my nice morning skin never lasted more than a few hours at best, and for so long, this routine left me regretting not washing my face in the morning, but I never had a solution because every other product I ever tried washing my face in the mornings with seemed to accelerate my skin clogging just as much as if I didn’t wash my face at all.
A few hours later, I’d find myself in a place far away from my products, usually at work, feeling my pores choke on dust and debris, and I’d be anxious and helpless… and breaking out.
I knew I needed to start washing my face in the morning, but I was never sure what was worse for my skin: exfoliating in the mornings before makeup with my nighttime acne cleansers that make me even more photosensitive than I already am, or not washing my face at all and using minimal makeup. So I alternated between the two, until I found a fantastic, luxurious gentle cleanser that is actually affordable: Mario Badescu Enzyme Cleansing Gel.
Mario Badescu Enzyme Cleansing Gel is a super-refreshing, gentle, non-foaming cleanser that I find perfect for morning. I love it so much it actually motivates me to wash my face because I see a better complexion all day.
It’s great for everyone because it’s formulated for all skin types and enhances your complexion with alpha-hydroxy acids and natural fruit extracts: energizing grapefruit and soothing papaya. I find it helps my skin keep smooth and balanced. Most importantly, I don’t get a greasy clogged face at noon anymore. It’s even made in the USA and not tested on animals!
The only downfall of the Enzyme Cleansing Gel is that it’s not an appropriate eye-makeup remover, but if you use it in the morning, that isn’t really a problem at all. I remove my makeup religiously every night and usually use an acne treatment or a night cream, or both. When I wake up, the Mario Badescu Enzyme Gel just melts anything on the surface of my skin away, giving me a clean canvas to start my day. I’m convinced it’s improving my skin overall.
All you do is apply a quarter-sized amount to a wet face, massage in circular motions for a minute or two, rinse thoroughly and pat dry. I like to rinse with warm water and then cold water afterwards.
Mario Badescu Enzyme Cleansing Gel has a consistency like Cetaphil, but the alpha-hydroxyl acids actually help lift and dissolve dead skin without any vigorous scrubbing mechanism needed--a plus for sensitive faces.
I will definitely repurchase because it keeps me fresh-faced all day. What more could I want from a morning face wash?
What’s your morning cleansing routine? Do you have one?