If Your Cleanser Doesn’t Pass the ‘Bubble Test,’ It Might Be Time for a New One

Before COVID-19 (an era that we're calling B.C.), you could book a luxury facial appointment at the click of a mouse. Even as the country slowly starts to open back up, things aren't going to exactly be business as usual for all things... facial spots likely being one of them. But even the top estheticians have pivoted their strategies, offering video consultations and virtual facials and treatments that you can do from your own bathroom.

To investigate just how a FaceTime or Zoom-style facial checks out, Ella Dove is on the task. In this week's episode of What the Wellness, Well+Good's YouTube series that looks into all sorts of wellness treatments, Dove video chats with celebrity facialist and skin-care brand founder Renee Rouleau to get a spa-quality facial at home.

Like any facial, this one starts with a really good, really gentle cleanser. To find the perfect product, according to Rouleau, you want to perform "the bubble test." To do this, get your hands wet, put a dollop of product between them, and lather up. If you see bubbles, that means you have a more aggressive cleanser on your hands (click the vid above to see exactly what a gentle cleanser looks like), which can be more drying. People with sensitive and dry skin, in particular, want to use non-foaming cleanser, because removing too much moisture can result in dry patches, rosacea, and other skin conditions. However, even those with oily skin can benefit from using a gentle cleanser, because by over-stripping the skin of its natural oils, the skin can create more sebum to compensate, resulting in acne for oilier skin types.

As for which skin type you have, Rouleau says, the distinctions go way beyond simply oily, acne-prone, or "normal". She details nine (yep, nine!) different skin types, which you'll hear all about in the video above. Plus, you'll get some insider tips on how to craft and everyday skin-care regimen, how to reveal "baby cells," aka fresh skin cells that are ready to soak up your active ingredients. Oh, and you'll learn why OG skin-care staples always win out against buzzy beauty trends.

For all that *and* to hear the one ingredient Rouleau, herself, uses on the reg, watch the video above to get all of the facialist-approved, radiance-inducing secrets. Your complexion will thank you.

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