The Excellent Benefits of Double Cleansing Your Skin Daily

Ask any skincare devotee, and they will say double cleansing should be a necessary, no, a non-negotiable, essential step of your daily skincare routine. An effective double cleanse will remove oil, sebum and grime from your skin, as well as thoroughly cleansing and/or exfoliating your skin, leaving it feeling suitable cleansed and nourished.

What is double cleansing?

Double cleansing essentially means cleaning you face twice. But no, not with the same cleanser twice, it’s using two separate products. Typically you start with an oil-based or balm cleanser and then you follow that up with a milky or gel cleanser.

The purpose of the first cleanse is to clear away all the SPF, makeup, grease, dirt and other pollutants. And then you come in with your second cleanse, the purpose of which is to actually cleanse your skin.

To make it even more clearer, think of double cleansing like when you’re cleaning your house. You first sweep all the floors and wipe the surfaces from dirt and debris. Then you take the water bucket, fill it with water and cleaning solution. And then here, you only really start to actually clean your floors. Now, imagine just sweeping your floors, and skipping the washing part. Would your floors be clean? No, not at all. In the same way, our skin would not be properly cleansed if we didn’t double cleanse.

RULE OF THUMB:

FIRST CLEANSE:
Oil-based or Balm Cleanser

SECOND CLEANSE:
Milky or Gel Cleanser

Can I use micellar water as my double cleanse?

Micellar water contains micelles which are like tadpoles, with an oil-loving tail, and a water-loving head. Consequently, as you move the micellar water across your face, the oil-loving tail will get attracted to the dirt, oil, and makeup on your face. Furthermore, micellar water can even draw out the oil from pores. The water-loving head will clean impurities from your face. Therefore, it’s a very gentle and hydrating cleaning solution. Given that it’s a process that doesn’t require water, it can be useful if you live in a place with hard water that be be very harsh to the skin. It is also useful if you are travelling and have no access to water.

Micellar water can be used as your first cleanse to take off your makeup and clean your skin. However, it doesn’t feel thorough enough for me. I need that first step of an oil or balm-based cleanser to melt away the dirt. I also enjoy the massage aspect of a buttery balm with an aromatic smell that transports you on a delicious sensorial ride.

Do I need to double cleanse?

It is absolutely necessary for you to double cleanse if you do things: 1) wear an SPF and 2) wear makeup.

There are exceptions. For example, if you have been sitting inside all day, and have neither makeup nor SPF on, you can skip the double cleanse. Although, in all other cases, you should be double cleansing to wash away the makeup, SPF and other dirt and pollution off your face.

How often should I double cleanse?

Once a day. Typically in the PM, to take the day off your face. No more is needed than that.

In the AM, as you haven’t been wearing any SPF or makeup, you can give your face a quick splash with water or use a gentle cleanser.

Benefits of double cleaning

The benefits of double cleansing can be summarised in one sentence. Double cleansing ensures that you take off the surface level grim from your face as well as cleaning deeper into the skin – leaving your skin clean, balanced and nourished, ready for the next products you will apply.

The correct way to double cleanse

1. First cleanse: Grab your favourite oil-based or balm cleanser, take about half a teaspoon, apply on your face and start to massage the cleanser in an upwards motion.
2. Add some water to emulsify the product. Some products turn into a milky texture.
3. Remove the cleanser with lukewarm water, or if the product is a little thicker or greasier, a flannel.
4. Second cleanse: Next, apply your water-based milk or gel cleanser.
5. Massage the product in a upwards motion. Add water to emulsify if needed.
6. Cleanse off the product with water or a flannel.

And that’s it!

Now, with your damp skin, it’s time to apply the next steps to your routine. A word of caution, don’t apply your Vitamin A/retinoid to damp skin, but all other products will benefit from being applied on damp skin.

Once you start double cleansing with a balm or oil-cleanser, you will be converted – your skin feels properly cleansed, hydrated, nourished and prepped, ready to absorb all the goodness from your night time serums or retinoids.

Great products to use for a Double Cleanse

Here are some first and second cleanse product combinations to start you on your double cleansing journey:

EXAMPLE 1:

First Cleanse: THEN I MET YOU Living Cleansing Balm

Second Cleanse: MEDIK8 Clarifying Foam

The runaway success, multi-award winning Then I Met You, Living Balm Cleanser, by Charlotte Cho. If you want to fall in-love with double cleansing, start with this, the TIMY The Living Balm Cleanser. The texture is light and buttery, the balm emulsifies perfectly to remove makeup and dirt from your face. Undeniably, it’s a beautifully, luxurious product that delivers an amazing sensorial, aromatic experience, leaving no residue on your skin.

Medik8 is perfect for you if you have slight blemish prone skin. It’s a lightly exfoliating AHA/BHA foaming cleanser, designed to visibly decongest and purify skin to reduce the appearance of imperfections. The tea tree aroma is soothing but it serves as being antibacterial and anti-inflammatory, and helps to keep complexions clear and blemish-free.

EXAMPLE 2:

First Cleanse: JANE SCRIVNER Nourishing Cleanser Luxury Cleansing Balm

Second Cleanse: DR LEVY 3Deep Cell Renewal Micro-Resurfacing Cleanser

The Jane Scrivner cleanser is an award winning cleanser for good reason. We have written and raved about it before. It’s a fantastic first cleanser to remove makeup and grime, without stripping the skin. Particularly great at nourishing the skin with essential fatty acids and repairing and regenerating damaged skin cells. An absolute pleasure to use!

Dr Levy Cleanser is fantastic at gently sloughing away the uppermost layer of dulling dead cells and debris using AHAs and rice micro beads. You can leave it on for longer, 3-5mins more, for a deep and effective mask treatment. The Dr Levy cleanser stimulates cellular renewal and restore skin’s youthful glow.

EXAMPLE 3:

First Cleanse: THE ORDINARY Squalane Cleanser

Second Cleanse: KATE SOMERVILLE Goat Milk Cleanser

At first glance, looking at the texture of each, these seem like an unlikely pairing. However, The Ordinary’s Squalane Cleanser is an oil-based cleanser that will dissolve away the impurities of the day, like stubborn makeup, whilst Kate Somerville’s Goat Milk Cleanser will make light work of your second cleanse. The Ordinary cleanse is a firm favourite amongst many beauty insiders for its affordability and effectiveness. The Ordinary changes from a balm-like texture to a clear-oil like consistency when rubbed between the fingers before application.

Follow it up with The Kate Somerville Goat Milk Cleanser for your second cleanse – a personal favourite of mine. The smell is gorgeous! It glides beautifully over the skin and is an absolute dream to use, reminiscent of a visit to a luxurious spa. This gentle, creamy formula is enriched with goat milk. The proteins help soothe dry and sensitive skin, while vitamin rich Manuka honey provides intense nourishment without irritating or drying the skin.

EXAMPLE 4:

First Cleanse: VOTARY Cleansing Oil Rose Geranium & Apricot

Second Cleanse: TATCHA The Rice Polish

This Votary Oil is a luxurious cleansing oil that tackles excess oil and will gently remove impurities, dirt and makeup. It glides effotlessly across the skin. Containing a blend of rose, geranium and apricot oils, as well as grapeseed, sunflower and chamomile oils, it softens and soothes skin while working to restore skin tone.

Tatcha The Rice Polish is is a beautiful water-activated exfoliant. Consisting of nourishing Japanese rice bran and silk protein that transforms to a creamy foam for a smooth polish and healthy glow. The powder is not gritty at all, and even in dry, sensitive skin the powder-to-foam exfoliate is not tight and stripping. Feel like a geisha with this luxurious, ritualistic treat!

EXAMPLE 5:

First Cleanse: JORDAN SAMUEL The Aftershow Treatment Cleanser

Second Cleanse: OSKIA Renaissance Cleansing Gel

This Jordan Samuel Cleanser is a gel-to-oil texture which melts into the skin brilliantly. Adding water, it emulsifies into a milk that melts away make up and SPF while lifting any dirt and grime. Always leaves skin feeling soft and smooth.  

OSKIA Renaissance Cleansing Gel is a unique gel-to-oil cleanser which purifies and revitalises skin, and effortlessly removes makeup and impurities. It starts off as a pink balm, and then turns milky white and rinses cleanly away. The skin feels cleansed, without feeling tight and baby soft. It has a lovely smell, similar to rose and geranium.

EXAMPLE 6:

First Cleanse: REN Perfect Canvas Clean Jelly Oil Cleanser

Second Cleanse: TATA HARPER Regenerating Cleanser

We love REN Perfect Canvas Clean Jelly Oil Cleanser! It’s a rich jelly facial cleanser that transforms from jelly to oil to milk. Additionally, it’s clinically proven to gently, yet effortlessly dissolve makeup, (even waterproof makeup), pollution and SPF, whilst working to replenish and restore the skin. Grape seed oil helps protect against free radicals, while sunflower seed oil helps protect the skin’s moisture barrier and prevent dryness. Meadowfoam seed oil helps replenish the skin’s natural barrier with essential fatty acids.

Tata Harper Regenerating Cleanser is a daily BHA cleansing & exfoliating treatment. Due to the inclusion of apricot seed powder and pomegranate enzymes, it buffs and polishes your skin beautifully – leaving radiant, healthy looking skin. Best for dull, uneven, or congested skin. This cleanser is fantastic, but you can’t go wrong with any of her cleansers, they’re all terrific!