Washing your face seems like the first-line-of-defense solution to many skin-based problems. If you’ve ever suffered from acne, then you know washing your face is so important. But it doesn’t always fix everything—why? Well, washing your face doesn’t always mean it’s clean. There’s still a chance for leftover makeup, dirt and oils to be left behind, and all of that leads to breakouts.
Now, meet the double cleanse! It’s a two-part cleanse taken from K-Beauty routines that includes using an oil-based cleanser, followed by a water-based cleanser. Washing your face two times to avoid pesky breakouts? Yeah, it may just be that easy.
The details on double cleansing
The double cleanse is the heart of a 10-step Korean beauty routine. K-Beauty has some of the most innovative and transformative skincare practices that are just gaining popularity right now. In K-Beauty no ingredient is off limit, a 10-step routine is the bare minimum, and there is a reason for every step and product you use.
Washing your face two times in a row seems extra, especially if you don’t wear makeup, but it’s the first step to clearer skin. If you’ve ever washed your face after using a makeup wipe, you’ll know how much excess product stays on your skin. This is why double cleansing is so important.
The double cleanse includes an oil cleanser as the first step followed up with a water-based cleanser. Oil cleansers help to remove debris off your face, like oil from makeup, SPF and pollution. Water-based cleansers can’t do this because water and oil don’t mix. Instead, water-based cleansers work best at removing impurities like sweat and dirt. The two in combination together work to remove all the dirt, makeup and oils which leads to fewer breakouts and clearer skin. Bless.
The difference between oil and water-based cleansers
An oil cleanser is usually a makeup removing type of cleanser. Think cleansing balms, cleansing oils, micellar water or anything that emulsifies. These clean your face, remove makeup and often leave your face feeling hydrated after use. Oil cleansers remove makeup, pollution and SPF so it’s important to use one even if you’re not wearing makeup.
Some oil cleansers I seriously love:
A water-based cleanser is a foam or gel cleanser that will remove dirt and sweat from your skin. They’re the second step of double cleansing that will remove any impurities that your oil cleanser didn’t pick up.
Here are some water-based cleansers:
- Cosrx Low PH Cleanser ($12)
- Bliss Rose Gold Cleanser ($11)
What if I have oily skin?
Putting any type of oil-based product on oily skin sounds terrifying. But oil-based cleansers will break down impurities, and some can actually help to dissolve sebum and excess oils which cause acne and blackheads. Following up with a water-based cleanser will eliminate any type of oily feeling and will leave you with a cleaner face and a clearer complexion.
When to double cleanse
The best time to double cleanse totally depends on your skin. We all sweat during the night, so you can double cleanse morning and night. Regardless of whether you wear makeup or not, you should still double cleanse to remove dirt, oils and SPF. If you have dry skin, you may want to opt out of a morning wash if cleansing can make your skin dry. I have really dry skin so I only double cleanse at night and this works well for my skin!
You’ll know if you’re over-cleansing because your skin will feel tight. If this happens to you, stick with double cleansing as the beginning of your nighttime routine.
At the end of the day, skincare is always about finding what works for you before following every rule out there. Double cleansing is a fantastic way to remove almost all impurities and excess product or dirt off your face which is why it leads to clearer skin. I do it! Will you?
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