The Best Cleanser for Sensitive Skin: Meet Our Multi-Calm Cream Cleanser

THE SCIENCE BEHIND IT…
OVERALL CLINICAL DATA ON SPECIFIC INGREDIENT(S) & HOW THEY FUNCTION:

When formulating a cleansing product for sensitive skin, parameters such as the surfactant type, level, and interaction with other vehicle components are critical to an efficient yet non irritating cleanse. Products created for sensitive or sensitized skin should not have high levels of surfactant since these cleansing agents can cause irritation or dryness. Anionic or negatively charged surfactants have the potential to cause irritation and stratum corneum swelling while nonionic or uncharged surfactants can be drying due to their ability to solubilize skin’s natural lipids. Only low levels of surfactant are needed to clean the skin. While many surfactant based products such as shampoos, body washes, and facial cleansers contain upwards of 20% surfactant, only 3-4% of a surfactant is needed to hit the critical micelle concentration and clean the skin. Micelles are spherical balls of surfactant molecules oriented with hydrophobic tails interacting with oily substances and hydrophilic heads interacting with the water. Micelles are responsible for cleansing the skin. Cleansing products typically have higher levels or surfactant in order to achieve foam or lather. Foam does not equate to cleansing. Creating foam consumes most of your surfactant molecules as these individual monomers are at the air liquid interface to reduce surface tension and become part of the bubble film once air is introduced. You need lots of monomers to create bubbles, hence more surfactant than necessary for cleansing. Regarding vehicle components in a cleansing product, one strategy to reduce skin dryness is to add “sacrificial lipids” or oil based ingredients that can not only help solubilize sunscreen, sebum, and makeup but in a way protect skin lipids as the micelles will remove the oil soluble materials rather than strip your natural skin lipids. Cleansing is a key step for those with sensitive or sensitized skin as impurities, pollutants, excess sebum, sunscreen, and cosmetic products can further irritate the skin if they are not removed.

Our Multi-Calm Cream Cleanser gently cleanses, softens, and soothes the skin. This non-foaming cleanser has a low level of nonionic surfactant to efficiently yet gently remove impurities on the skin surface ​​without irritation. It contains squalane and an ester emollient which act as sacrificial lipids protecting the skin’s lipid layer. Our calming cleanser is formulated with a soothing complex of marshmallow root, arnica, niacinamide, and calendula to calm skin. Formulated at a skin friendly pH of 5.00-6.00, this cloud-like cleanser does not disrupt the skin’s natural acid mantle and is ideal for those with dry, irritated, or sensitized skin. It helps hydrate and strengthen the skin’s moisture barrier leaving skin soft, smooth, and supple. It is gentle enough to be used both morning and evening. To further calm and comfort sensitive or sensitized skin, follow with our Naturium Soothing Recovery Lotion and/or Marshmallow Root Barrier Balm.

DISCLAIMER:

Lab Journals are intended to help educate on specific ingredients and skin care topics. Our articles are written to be informative and informational.
Please note any Naturium products with referenced ingredients are formulated for Cosmetic Use Only and NOT intended as replacements for physician pharmaceutical product recommendations.