If you have decided to start taking care of your skin, (and you should!) the first place to start is with a good cleanser. Here are some basic rules to follow when choosing a cleanser:

1. Don't be schizophrenic. Your skin regenerates itself on average, every three weeks, so when you start using a new skin-care product, you don't want to try something different every day. You won't have any idea what a new skin care product will do for you unless you stick with it for about a month. This gives your skin a chance to adjust to the cleanser and to turn over the skin cells that were exposed to the old cleanser. I know we all want miracles, but you have to wait a few weeks for them, okay?

2. In a world of free-range and organic frenzy, don't forget to treat your skin to products that are made with natural ingredients. Product lines that utilize natural ingredients are less likely to cause skin irritation or sensitivity.

3. Only use an "issue" specific cleanser, if you actually have the issues. I know it seems funny to think that someone might go looking for trouble where they didn't originally have any, but it happens all of the time. Your bottle of cleanser is empty, so you grab your teen age daughter's bottle, which just happens to be for acne prone skin. Chances are good that your skin is dramatically different from your daughters and your skin is going to protest at the anti-acne qualities in your daughter's cleanser.

4. Make it a habit. You brush your teeth twice a day (we hope!), and you should be washing your face twice a day. An easy way to make sure that this happens is to keep one bottle of cleanser near your bathroom sink, and another one in the shower. Keeping both locations stocked will ensure that your cleanser is ready when you are.

5. There is often the notion that soap is soap is soap, and it doesn't matter what you use, so long as you get your face clean. Never has that been more inacurate than on your face. Many bar soaps have a pH that is much higher than your skin's pH, so it is drying for your skin, which can lead to larger pores and skin that ages more quickly. Us a gentle cleanser that doesn't leave your skin with the squeeky clean feel and you'll be good to go.

At Ritual, we use and recommend Pharmagel's HydraCleanse. It smells great, is made of good, natural ingredients and leaves your skin feeling clean and soft.

From their website, here is some information about it:

Product Classification: This all natural mild, foaming gel cleanser is formulated with a combination of Oat Extract, Beta Glucan and Panthenol to thoroughly cleanse skin without stripping away essential moisture. A marine extract complex of Seaweed, Algae and Spirulina, plus Aloe Vera, deeply nourishes, moisturizes and calms all skin conditions. Water-rinsable and pH balanced, Hydra Cleanse® benefits all skin types, especially sensitive skin.
Method of Use:Use morning and evening. Massage over face in gentle circular motion. Rinse with lukewarm water and pat dry. Follow with Botanical Tonique.
Benefits:Oat Extract stimulates deep penetrating moisture retention to heal skin. Panthenol is a stable form of pantothenic acid (Vitamin B5). It aids in moisture retention and promotes the regeneration of damaged skin.Seaweed extracts Dulse, Wakame, Sea Lettuce, Algae and Spirulina provide exceptional moisturizing and conditioning properties.Aloe Vera is used primarily for its healing & soothing properties in addition to its excellent moisturizing properties. Lactic Acid is an AHA that occurs naturally in biofermented vegetables. It provides a mild pH to alkaline products and is very moisturizing.

Ingredient Listing & Purpose:
Algae Extract = Moisturizing
Lactic Acid = Humectant
Aloe Vera Gel = Soothing
Methylparaben = Preservative
Beta Glucan = Moisturizing
Oat Extract = Moisturizing
Butylene Glycol = Humectant
Panthenol = Humectant
Deionized Water = Solvent
Propylparaben = Preservative
Dulse Extract = Soothing
Sea Lettuce Extract = Moisturizing
FragranceBotanical = fragrance
Spirulina = Moisturizing
Irish Moss Extract = Soothing
Wakame Extract = Moisturizing