The Ultimate Guide on How to Double Cleanse for Clean, Glowing Skin
Gone are the days of simple skincare routines, which apply to how you wash your face. For years, facial cleansing consisted of using one cleanser and some water and calling it a day. But ever since the Koran staple, double cleansing, became a skincare staple, it seems like everyone is hopping on the trend.
Double cleansing is the secret skincare weapon to getting super clean skin without fail. To cut through dirt, oil, makeup, and product residue, the ritual of double cleansing, which uses two different cleansers, is a must.
Table of Contents:
- What is Double Cleansing?
- Why Double Cleansing Matters
- Double Cleansing Suitability for Different Skin Types
- How to Double Cleanse Properly
- Tips for Effective Double Cleansing
What is Double Cleansing?
Double cleansing is a two-step skin cleansing technique that involves washing your face twice in a single setting. Double cleansing your face can help remove impurities, makeup, dirt, and product residue, making clogged pores, irritations, and breakouts less likely. Often, washing the face with just one cleanser doesn’t provide enough of a cleansing effect and plenty of impurities remain on the skin, which can cause skin problems. With a clean canvas, skin is better able to receive the products that come next, meaning they will absorb better and provide more of a benefit.
By double cleansing the skin, the first cleanser, which is usually oil-based or a balm, breaks down makeup, oil-based products, and oil, while the second one, a water-based one, focuses more on getting into the skin to remove everything else from the surface. This double-step approach to cleansing leaves the skin much cleaner so that it’s softer, more glowy, and less likely to break out—and it’s also perfect for removing every last trace of makeup.
Why Double Cleansing Matters
Double cleansing is super trendy, but double cleansing face practices have major benefits. For starters, the main benefit of a double cleanse is that it’s a super effective way to remove all makeup, dirt, and oil from the skin. With less residue on the skin’s surface, pores are less likely to become clogged, and skincare products can penetrate better, so you can reap their benefits. For oily skin types and those prone to breakouts, a deep-down clean leaves the skin at a reduced risk of breakouts and overall healthier.
Some traditional cleansers are not effective enough on their own to thoroughly cleanse the skin, but when used in a double cleansing method, they can be. You should notice improved clarity, tone, hydration, softness, and fewer breakouts by incorporating a double cleansing routine into your nighttime skincare routine.
Double Cleansing Suitability for Different Skin Types
While our skin will survive fine without double cleansing, many people find it worth the extra step. That’s because double cleansing the skin will leave it cleaner, less oily, and feeling soft instead of a single step cleansing routine. But the key to doing a double cleanse is to use the appropriate cleansers for your skin type—opting for two formulas that are too dry or too oily for your skin can cause adverse reactions.
All skin types should always avoid washing with fragrance-heavy or sulfate-based cleansers, which can strip and irritate the skin.
Dry and sensitive skin types will want to always stick with gentle cleansers and avoid oil-stripping cleansers or scrubs as the second step. Instead, creamy, hydrating cleansers with shea butter and jojoba oil are best. Emollient-rich balms with natural oils will help retain moisture in the skin without compromising the skin barrier. An oil-based cleanser or even micellar water will help remove oil followed by a gel or clay cleanser for oily skin. Those with oil-absorbing ingredients like green tea and glycolic acid help balance moisture and regulate sebum production. Normal and combination skin can be washed with any oil or rich cleaning balm first, followed by a foaming cleanser. The key is to leave the skin feeling refreshed but never bone dry or tight. Acne-prone skin should first wash with a gentle, lightweight cleansing oil with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory ingredients so as not to instigate breakouts. Then, a gentle exfoliating cleanser or a gel-based one with salicylic or glycolic acid can help to refine the skin further while brightening it.
Remember that you don’t have to double cleanse every time you wash your face. If your skin isn’t overly oily or you don’t wear much makeup, you may choose to double cleanse only when necessary.
Related Article: How to Determine Your Skin Type—And Why it Matters
How to Double Cleanse Properly
A step-by-step guide on how to double cleanse:
- First, wash the skin with oil or balm to remove dirt, makeup, sunscreen, and oil. Oil removes and breaks down oil-based makeup, sunscreen, and excess oil. Massage the cleanser into the skin and the eyes (it will turn into a milky consistency) to remove eye makeup for about a minute.
- Rinse the first cleanser off the skin.
- With the skin still wet, lather your second cleanser into the skin and wash the face again. Spend more time working the cleanser into a nice lather and the skin to remove the previously used oil entirely.
- Splash and rinse the second cleanser off the skin.
- Pat dry the face with a washcloth or a cleansing towel sheet.
With so many different cleansers on the market today, finding the best ones for a double cleanse can be daunting. These are our favorite double cleansing cleansers for all skin types and budgets.
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Tips for Effective Double Cleansing
To make the most of your double cleansing efforts, you’ll likely want to double cleanse your face daily, particularly if you wear a lot of makeup or greasy sunscreen. You may need to work up to daily double cleansing if your skin initially feels dry or tight.
Double cleansing works best at night and doesn’t serve much of a purpose in the morning. That’s because a morning cleanser doesn’t involve removing makeup and product residue as it does at the end of the day. Washing with a gentle cleanser in the morning is perfect.
Some people think double cleansing will make them break out, but it is the opposite. You won’t cause clogged pores or bring on breakouts as long as you wash with skin-appropriate cleaners.
Elise Minton Tabin is an award-winning beauty journalist, editor, and beauty expert with more than 16 years of experience. She previously held the title of Executive Beauty Editor at NewBeauty magazine, where she reported on beauty, plastic surgery, anti-aging, health and wellness. She was also instrumental in the launch of the beauty supplement brand Hush & Hush. A self-professed beauty junkie and retinol and sunscreen pusher, Elise knows what’s new, what works and who’s the best to go for every procedure under the sun. Follow Elise on Facebook, Instagram, and on her beauty blog, elisetabin.com
