Cleansing 101: Why You Need to Wash Your Face

As a teenager, it can be pretty tempting to take the lazy girl (or boy) route and skip the whole "washing your face" thing altogether. So many other things are way more important than washing your face as a teenager. Plus, your skin is young, healthy and in good shape. So why do you have to spend two minutes on daily washing?

We get it. It's tempting to hit the snooze button in the morning and go straight from bed to class (or to the mall, the movies or wherever your day takes you). But the truth is, if you skip washing your face daily, you can make matters worse and even put your skin on the path to problems.

For starters, washing your face (especially at night) removes the excess oil, dirt and makeup that can sit on the skin's surface. If you don't cleanse the skin from all that gunk, it can clog the pores and lead to pimples. And who wants that?

Besides taking off the day, washing your face can also eliminate a thin layer of sweat or invisible pollutants the skin may have come into contact with during the day. These things can irritate your skin and lead to inflammation, so washing them off is vital before you go to bed. Plus, clean, freshly-washed skin feels better.

So, it's time to face the facts: washing your face is a must. It only takes a few minutes of your day, and it can make a big difference in the health and appearance of your skin. Plus, you'll feel fresher and more awake (in the morning) after you wash your face, and that's always a bonus.