HOW TO: Properly dry your face

Did you know that the way you dry your cleansed face is as important as your whole cleansing routine? In fact, it is very much a part of your cleansing routine, only the climax of your cleansing routine. You've paid importance to the kind of water you are using, the right cleanser, the right cleansing tools and the right cleansing method to wash your face, but do not forget the way you dry your face has an impact on the way your face feels after cleansing and it has far reaching effects on the texture and delaying fine lines and wrinkles on your face too.

Of course, I cannot make you follow what works for me, so I will lay down the ins and outs of the various methods.

1. Cloth towels/ napkins: By far, the most common method to dry up and most of us take it for granted. It is the quickest way to dry yourself up, but have you given it a thought? The material of the towel could be soft or coarse. Coarse towels are great for exfoliation, but if you use it on a daily basis, you might end up with chaffed skin. It could be a terry towel or a plain cotton/ muslin one. Terry towels take up a longer time to dry and they are bulky and heavy too, whereas pure cotton towels are so light and soft and they absorb brilliantly! They are my personal favorites. It could be a face towel or a body towel; something that you use all over your body. In that case, have you wondered about the transfer of germs from the body to the face? That could lead to some serious acne breakouts. But it could get pretty cluttered having one towel for the face and another for the body and having them both dry and making a storage space for them, etc.

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2. Paper towels/ napkins: These are pretty convenient to use and pretty sanitary as well as they are use-and-throw kinds. They are lot stronger and thicker than regular napkins. Just blot over a wet face and they absorb the moisture and then just dump them. Easy peasy! Since they are fresh, there are lesser chances of getting acne. If you've got that nasty habit of rubbing your face to dry it, then it will help you kick that habit since the only way to use it is patting skin dry. But if the paper ain't that thick or there is too much moisture on the face, they can get soggy and stick on the face and get very messy.

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3. Air drying: It is the safest method if you are looking for sanitary ways to dry your face as there is no contact with anything else, and no medical history has ever recorded pimple breakout by contact with the air. However, most people say that it makes the face feel slightly sticky after air drying. You must remember that air evaporates and the only thing that is left on the face are traces of the soap residue which does feel sticky! Toweling can get rid of that residue, and so can using a toner! Basically, the very purpose of a toner is to get rid of residue cleanser. But air drying is also great for all skin types. Dry skin benefits from air drying by not getting overly dry by toweling and oily skin also gets agitated when touched or rubbed by a towel. You will also experience a new kind of freshness as the water evaporates from the face and cools it down slightly. However, it takes time to dry depending on your room temperature and might take seemingly forever in cooler climates.

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4. Blow drying: You've probably blow dried your hair and nails, so why not blow dry your face too! Uh-uh, not with your hair dryer, sweetie! But with a table or mobile fan. Depending on its speed, it can get the job done quicker. It has the same effect and benefits of air drying at a faster speed. If you've got no sweet time to spare, then sit in front of a fan and talk like a robot! That is super fun!  It is also be so refreshing in the summer or hot days to sit in front of a fan. But using a fan can be dreary in cold weather.

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So, there you go guys! Your choice. But just remember that the method you like and choose will impact your skin too. Hopefully, this article has inspired you and you might wanna try out a new method and see if you like it!