About three years ago, I started hearing this term “double cleanse”. I was a doubting thomas (tracy?) because I actually hate washing my face.
I’m messy. I end up with water down my elbows, all over the bathroom, all over my clothing. It’s a personal issue – let’s move on.
The concept is pretty easy to grasp – wash twice. But for goodness sake WHY? Is this a cruel ploy from makeup and skincare brands to sell us even more product?
Okay, fair question and I can’t confirm or deny it, but I am a convert to the double cleanse and I’m pretty skeptical about marketing.
Here are some points that may wedge your mind open to the double cleanse…at least they worked on me.
- Makeup – whether you wear a little or a lot – I think we can agree that the objective of makeup, if you’re going to wear it at all, is for it to stay put once you finish putting it on. It is designed and formulated to stay on and not move around a lot. If you’re a gymaholic (former gymaholic these days) like me, you wanted sweat proof makeup which means it doesn’t move around with water/sweat/liquids. Waterproof mascara is – well – waterproof. You’re getting my point, right?
- Sunscreen – but you don’t wear makeup. No judgment. But do you wear sunscreen? Guess what? Sunscreen is also intended to set in place. Waterproof, water resistant, long-lasting, sweat proof…formulated to stay on your skin.
It makes sense, right?
Of course you know that sunscreen is the best defense against anti-aging and something we should wear every gosh dang day, right?
Now why the DOUBLE cleanse? One cleanse should be enough if you do it right, correct?
If you’ve ever tried to remove waterproof mascara, you know. Once is almost never enough. And if you think your face is clean – have you ever run a white washcloth or towel over your face? I call it the “hotel test”…I know you know what I mean. The cloth is never completely white, is it? Now, imagine that the VISIBLE make up you see is INVISIBLE sunscreen. Just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean it’s there.
I found myself pre-washing my eye makeup and then washing my face in an attempt to get the visible makeup off. Or I would use eye makeup remover before I washed my face.
Oops! I tripped into an almost double cleanse without even meaning to!
When the facial cleansing cloths emerged (like Neutrogena’s Makeup Wipes), I went straight for them. I didn’t get all sloppy wet and messy – and they seemed convenient. But there were two drawbacks for me. One wipe didn’t get all of my makeup off (and I don’t wear much at all). And…I hated how my skin felt afterward. They SAY no rinsing necessary – but I cannot endorse that statement.
Now that I’ve fully embraced the double cleanse. I am a convert and there’s no going back.
How To Double Cleanse
Step 1. Use an emollient product like an oil, cream, or balm.
This step breaks up and mostly removes the “don’t-budge-waterproof” formulas on your face. Don’t freak out. Oil will NOT make you oily or break you out. It will break down the formulas to get the heaviest of makeup and sunscreen off your face so your next step is really effective.
I’ve tried a lot and have my personal preferences. Clinique’s Take The Day Off Cleaning Balm is favorite of many people but I don’t like how it rinses. I was a fan of Josie Maran’s Argan Cleansing Oil and Tatcha’s Pure One Step Camellia Oil Cleanser until I discovered Farmacy’s Green Clean Makeup Removing Cleansing Balm. It doesn’t have an offensive odor (I quite like it!), it breaks up tough products gently (you want to be really gentle, especially around your eyes) and it rinses easily away with a splash of water. There’s no right or wrong here – just what you like.
Step 2. Use a regular cleanser.
Now that you’ve broken up the “hard to remove” products, your cleanser can actually CLEAN your skin. As much as I hate washing my face, this step prevents breakouts, removed pollutants from your skin and pores and generally helps preserve the youthfulness of your skin. Don’t scrub hard, don’t be too harsh, don’t dry your skin out. The two step process actually allows you to preserve more of the moisture in your skin. You’re not asking this one cleanser to do so much, so you can pick something more gentle. I’ve figured out, for me, that I’m picky about how something rinses. I don’t like things that don’t rinse clean and I don’t like feeling tight or dry. There’s a perfect balance for my skin.
My two current favorites are Glow Recipe’s Blueberry Bounce Gentle Cleanser and Dermalogica’s Skin Resurfacing Cleanser. They work for my needs, but wouldn’t necessarily be right for other people with different skin issues or objectives. Again, the point here is, find something you like that works for your needs.
After you finish your cleanser rinse, gently pat your face dry.
Bonus Tips:
- I found I had better success getting into a face washing routine if I made a bit of a ritual out of it. I like to add in a cleansing tool to use in conjunction with my second step. It feels more luxurious and spa-like to me. I have several but these are my go-tos in order of preference: Foreo Luna Mini 2, PMD Clean Pro Cleansing Brush, and Clarisonic Mia Prima Facial Cleansing and Pore Minimizing Skincare Device. The first two are silicone and easier to clean. The Clarisonic has brushes that need to be cleaned and replaced periodically.
- I also found a tip from a YouTube beauty guru to use a different (clean) washcloth to gently pat your face dry after washing. Patting it dry is more gentle to the skin and the daily rotation of the washcloth makes sure you don’t accidentally introduce bacteria to your skin. I just bought a 12-pack of white washcloths from Target so not only can I rotate my face cloth daily, but I can also see how well I did getting my face clean!
Do I feel pretty “extra” doing a double cleanse and making a ritual out of it? Sure. But I also believe it makes sense and my skin is clear, clean and moisturized. Try it for yourself and let me know what you think!!
BTW – none of the links I provided here are affiliate links. They are just to make your life easier if you want to see what I’m talking about. You can find these products and others like them in a variety of places, so shop around for the best value!
