3 Key Differences Of Facial Scrub & Wash
Should I use a face scrub or a face wash? If you are asking this to yourself, then you have come to the right place. To maintain healthy, soft, and glowing skin, you need to keep it clean. This means that you need to get rid of oil, grime, and dead cells, and for that, you need to use a good scrub and face wash.
The confusion is understandable as both of the products do the same thing - cleaning a face. However, both are still different from each other. And we are to discuss this elaborately. Although both products are designed to cleanse your face, there are differences in skin type, texture, skin concerns, etc.
The Difference Between Facial Wash And Facial Scrub
We have sorted out the differences in 3 categories: The purpose of the products, the ingredients, and the texture.
The purpose of the products
Face Scrubs: Face scrubs are used to scrub away dead skin cells from our faces. We call it exfoliation. Exfoliating our skin not only removes dead cells but also unclogs pores and deep cleanses our skin. Face scrubs contain fine insoluble particles or beads that gently scrub our skin. As a result, we get an instant glow and softness to our skin. Most scrubs contain abrasives (microbeads, chemicals), and therefore they shouldn’t be used daily, or you may experience breakouts or irritated skin. How often to use a facial scrub? Using scrub on your face 2-3 times a week is recommended.
Face Wash: Face washes only clean the face externally and not deeply. This means it can only remove dirt and oil and, to some extent, makeup from your skin. Most face washes can’t deep clean compared to the face scrubs. They are gentler and mild so that you can use them twice daily.
The ingredients of the products
Face Scrub: Face scrubs usually have microbeads as exfoliating agents. The finer microbeads, the better as they pose lesser threats to the skin. There’s also an ongoing debate about microbeads posing threats to the environment by polluting rivers and sewer systems. That’s why more and more skincare brands are opting for natural exfoliators.
Sugar, ground coffee, etc., are some natural exfoliating agents that work best. The pH of brown sugar is optimal for your skin; therefore, brown sugar is also an excellent exfoliating agent. According to the dermatologist, apricot scrub is a no-no because the scrub is way too harsh for the skin’s pH levels; as a result, it may irritate your skin.
Face Wash: Face washes contain sulfates which can cause skin dryness. They strip our skin’s natural oil, which makes our skin dehydrated and irritated. Therefore, if you choose to pick a face wash, picking a sulfate product is always better. Pick facial wash with natural or herbal extracts to keep your skin clean but also moisturized. If you have dry and dehydrated skin, opt for a creamy facial cleanser or face washes containing hyaluronic acid.
The texture & consistency of the products
Face Scrub: As face scrubs mostly contain beads, the texture is gritty and thick. The consistency is creamy so that it’s easy to apply to your face. Simply wet your face first before you apply your scrub. For acne-prone skin, you should stay away from using face scrubs. Once a week is enough! You can use chemical peels like AHA or BHA to exfoliate your skin.
Face Wash: Face washes generally come in many textures and consistency as they are aimed at different skin types. If you have oily and acne-prone skin, you should use a water-based cleanser or face wash. For normal to combination skin, you should choose foaming face wash or cleanser. If you have dry skin choose creamy face wash or facial cleanser.
The Benefits Of Using Both The Products
There are endless benefits of using both face scrub and face wash. Here is a list of advantages.
Benefits of face Scrub
1. Removes dead cells and dirt
The scrub exfoliates the skin and removes toxins and dead cells. Face scrubs are designed to deep-cleanse your skin, clear clogged pores, effectively remove blackheads, and prevent acne.
2. Improves blood circulation
The microbeads and your fingers gently massage the skin, which promotes blood circulation to your face; as a result, your skin gets a healthy boost. This improves your skin’s texture and makes your skin look younger.
3. Removes deep-seated grime
If you have read the article at this point, you know by now that face washes can’t effectively cleanse deep-seated grime from your face. While facial wash can be used to take care of oil or surface dirt, you will still need a scrub for deep cleaning.
Benefits of face wash
1. Removes build-up
Washing your face consistently helps get rid of oil and dirt that accumulates throughout the day. This means that simply using water to clean your face isn’t enough. Also, we don’t live in the old era so you shouldn’t use soap too! You can’t scrub daily, but you can wash your face with a face wash. Therefore, invest in a good facial wash that suits your skin type.
2. Hydrates skin
Sure, you want to wash off the accumulated oil from your face, but you should also keep your skin equally hydrated and moisturized. Using face wash regularly helps maintain the proper pH levels of your skin and doesn’t dry your face.
3. Vast ranges of face wash to target your problem areas
Face washes come in many ranges and target different skin concerns. For example, if you have acne, there are face washes with salicylic acid. If you suffer from dehydrated skin, there are sulfate-free face washes with hyaluronic acid available as well. If your skin produces oil, you can also find oil-controlling face washes. The variety is wide when it comes to the face wash department.
