What is double cleansing and why should you do it?

The number of times one cleanses their skin will differ from person to person depending on their own individual skin type. Cleansing in the morning can be absolutely necessary for some, while non essential for others. Having said that, whether you cleanse once, twice, or thrice, cleansing is definitely a crucial part of our skincare routine. Not only will washing away all the pollutants, debris, dirt and makeup sitting on our skin prevent build up of bacteria, in turn causing acne; but it will also allow for your products to penetrate better. It is however important to note that each time you wash your face, you will disturb the barrier of your skin, causing dryness and the like; which then may bring the need for another product to address this issue.

Now that we have explored cleansing in general, Is a single cleanse not enough? A single cleanse may be sufficient if your face has not been exposed to any pollutants, make up, sweat and the like. However, being exposed to bacteria, pollutants, sweat and much more is almost inevitable. Moreover if one we’re to wear make up, then it is essential to thoroughly remove your make up so as to prevent your pores from being clogged in general. This is when ‘double cleansing’ walks in with a thorough promise to wash away all bacteria, dirt, and pollutants that accumulates on your face throughout the day.

Now that we understand the importance of cleansing, let us understand Double Cleansing and what it really is. Double cleansing originated in Japan and South Korea before the rest of world. Yes, they were doing it before everyone else.

Double cleansing, a two step process, in simple terms, is really just cleansing twice, only that it isn’t done with the same product or cleanser. So how do you double cleanse? You would generally cleanse with an oil-based cleanser a balm, or even a cloth or cleansing wipes first; however, oils and balms are most effective. Why oils, and balms? Well, massaging this on to the surface of your skin will effectively remove any build-up, by penetrating deeply to absorb grime, and excess dirt beyond the surface of your skin barrier. While, yes note, while still protecting and hydrating your skin barrier. These formulations don’t disturb the lipid barrier the way a regular cleanser would. Using the balm or oil cleanser first will really help hydrate the skin in turn supplementing the drying effects of a cleanser.

Pro tip: Always use a cleansing balm or oil that has been formulated with an emulsifier, emulsifiers work to allow oil and water to mix, hence making it easier to rinse off. Plain oils, while they are great, without the emulsifiers, may leave residue behind – what ingredient would you look out for to know it has an emulsifier? Look for Polyethylene glycols.

You would then rinse off your oil or balm based cleanser and follow this step with a gel or foam based cleanser.

Pro tip Instead of rinsing your oil based cleanser off, use cotton pads soaked in water or miscellar water to wipe this off your skin, this will ensure deep removal of anything sitting on your face without allowing it to run through the rest of your face. The process is pretty simple and something you can complete in just a few minutes.

Step #1 Apply oil based cleanser or balm directly on to your skin after a long day and lightly massage the product on to your entire face and neck in circular motions. You will immediately see make up, grime, pollutants and the like starting to dissolve.

Step #2 Rinse your face, or wipe cleanser off with a cotton pad.

Step #3 Take a small amount of a foam or gel based facial cleanser (If you’re confused about the amount of face wash you should be using, check out our post on Instagram to give you a visual How much product should I be using?) on your palms or fingertips and again massage the face gently, in circular motions [yes, gently, never pull your skin towards any direction] then rinse off.

Step #4 Pat, always pat, your skin dry with a soft cloth or facial towel, and continue with the rest of your skincare routine.

Notice your skin evolve in a few days! Moreover, if you cleanse really well at night, then you may not even need to cleanse again in the morning, allow your skin to breathe, a quick rinse, or applying your toner directly is enough to prep your skin for the day’s products. Yes! You can get those five extra minutes of sleep in the morning because you’ve double cleansed!