According to one study, the average woman spends around 22.5 minutes getting ready every morning. That includes all of the time it takes to fix your hair, wash your face, and apply makeup.
You’re on a mission, and you need a routine that’s concise yet effective. This means eliminating any process that takes too long or doesn’t deliver any real value to your final look.
If you’re currently double cleansing, it’s time to give this step a second thought. As its name implies, this is the process of washing your face two times: once with an oil-based cleanser and then again with a water-based cleanser.
While this is a popular and much-loved method for keeping your skin clean, the reality is that you don’t have to do it every day.
Regardless of your specific skin type, double cleansing is a step that you can perform on occasion when you want a deep clean. It can help remove makeup and other impurities that have built up and settled onto your skin throughout the day.
However, if you’re finding that it adds too much time to your schedule, you can skip it on a regular basis! Today, we’re diving into why you don’t need to double-cleanse each day so you can stop feeling guilty for the days you forget.
No, you don’t need to double cleanse each day
There’s an inherent reason why we’re made to believe that double cleansing is the way to go. Brands know how to market to our unique motivators, luring us to save money without sacrificing quality, if possible.
Despite the rise in premium, luxury skincare products, most shoppers continue to prioritize price point when it’s time to stock up on their favorite products.
According to one report, 26% of consumers shop for skincare at big-box retailers, and 11% go to the drugstore. While many of these products can be effective in their own right, they’re usually not as potent or powerful as a higher-end alternative would be.
That’s why manufacturers and retailers can afford to offer them at a lower price.
As a result, you might find that you have to use them more frequently or back-to-back to really feel as though you’re getting your face super clean.
This is why double cleansing seems like such a smart idea. If there’s any makeup or debris that the first cleanser missed, then the second cleanser can complete the job.
The only issue? When you’re using twice the amount you need each day, you run out of these products quickly and have to replace them sooner. This is why it’s smart to consider other factors beyond dollar signs when making a purchase.
If you’re willing to spend a little more for a premium skincare brand with a proven history of success, then you’ll discover that double cleansing every day no longer feels as necessary. Your face will feel clean and fresh after just one iteration, and you’ll be ready to continue with the rest of your routine.
But, you might want to double cleanse in the evening.
If you do want to double cleanse on a daily basis, then at least eliminate one round per day. This means only double cleansing in the morning, or only at night.
Of those two times, we recommend the nighttime. Here are three reasons why.
Your face is dirtier
It’s simple: You have more grime on your face at the end of the day. This is especially the case if you wear makeup, which can cause oil and dirt to accumulate in your pores over time.
In the morning, there are fewer irritants clogging your complexion. While you could technically double cleanse then, think about what you’re trying to remove. Though there might be some oil on the surface, that’s about it. Plus, you’ll usually rinse away any surface-level grit in your morning, shower.
Don’t waste your valuable skincare products by stripping away any beneficial remnants of your nighttime routine. Stick to a basic morning cleanse that makes it easy to remove impurities without drying out your skin.
You have more time
Let’s face it. Most of us are doing well to get out of the door on time. Add a busy household to the mix, and it can feel nearly impossible to juggle it all.
If your morning routine is already stretched to the max, double cleansing could be taking up valuable minutes. Most of the time, you have to be completely awake and completely out of the house within an hour or two of waking up, and this is a risk you can’t afford to take.
Now, consider for a moment the true luxury that a nighttime skincare routine can afford. When you aren’t pressed for time, you can really dive into the most luxurious parts of the practice. The act of layering your products one by one becomes a sort of ritual, and you’ll find yourself looking forward to it each evening.
While some people have long cherished their nighttime wind-down rituals, these practices became even more popular in 2020, at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, 40% of skincare shoppers say they use their products more frequently today than they did before that year.
When approached strategically, you can incorporate your skincare routine into an even greater, more relaxing set of steps. For instance, cutting out the extra double cleanse gives you more time to relax with a book, watch television, or engage in a relaxing craft before bed.
If there are certain areas of your face that tend to break out easily (say around your nose), then removing all traces of makeup beforehand will help keep those blemishes at bay by allowing for better absorption when applying moisturizer later
Helps products absorb better
Finally, let’s compare the power of absorption. You want your skincare products to work their hardest when you’re asleep. This is the time that their active ingredients can get to work, helping to restore and rejuvenate your complexion.
If there are certain areas of your face that break out more easily (for example, along your T-spot or beside your nose), then you want to ensure that your specialized night treatments can sink deeply into those areas.
This means completely removing all signs of makeup, so you can apply your skincare products onto a clean slate. In addition to cleanser, serums, and oils, this also includes your moisturizer, which can make your skin soft and healthy and keep blemishes at bay.
Oils are an important part of the double cleansing process
For years, skincare experts heralded the importance of exfoliation, in both its chemical and physical forms. While it is beneficial to remove dead skin cells from the surface of your complexion, our faces require a significant amount of moisture to glow.
If you’ve ever been dehydrated or simply slacked off on your moisturizer for a few days, then you know what we mean. Dry skin can appear reddened, irritated, or inflamed. While your first reaction might be to scrub it vigorously clean, resist that urge and reach for your favorite moisturizer instead.
When you apply these products on top of your cleanser, you help infuse much-needed hydration into your skin. This can help it look soft and supple, even in the harshest conditions. While your go-to moisturizer can do the trick, don’t be afraid to reach for oils, too.
Contrary to popular belief, oils won’t make your skin oilier. In this case, “like” combats “like”. In other words, oils actually help break down those surface oils, removing makeup and other impurities while also acting as a gentle moisturizer. With regular use, oils can even help reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines, as well as improve other signs of aging.
Knowing all of the benefits that oils can provide, it’s easy to see why they play an important role in the double cleansing process. However, you can still get those benefits by incorporating them every few days, rather than twice a day, every day.
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And sometimes a second wash is needed to really get everything off.
If you find yourself needing a double cleanse each time you wash your face, it’s time to think carefully about the types of products you’re using.
There are certain items, such as waterproof mascara, that will linger on your skin no matter how hard you scrub with a normal cleanser. Even if you begin with an oil-based one and then switch to a water-based one, you might still find that your eyes resemble those of a raccoon.
The problem isn’t that you’re not cleansing enough times. It’s that you’re using the wrong cleanser. You may need a second wash, but it isn’t water.
Rather, you need a premium cleanser designed specifically to remove heavy makeup, even your toughest and most tear-proof mascara. When you use this type of cleanser from the beginning, you’ll discover that one wash is usually enough to remove the gunk from your pores, and you can always add an extra wash if you need to remove thick layers of makeup.
If you need extra help, try an exfoliating mask or scrub.
Double cleansing is a great way to keep your skin healthy and clean, but it doesn't need to be done every day.
While double cleansing is a great way to keep your skin healthy, you do not need to perform this process every day. You can still reap the benefits by practicing it a few days a week, instead.
Depending on your schedule, you may choose to double cleanse as soon as you wake up or right before you go to bed. If possible, try to do so in the evening, so you can prime your face and prepare it for the other skincare products you’ll apply. This helps remove stuck-on makeup, along with any dirt and grime from the day.
Once you’re finished, you can go to bed feeling more refreshed! You don’t have to worry about removing your makeup again with a separate product before bedtime. If you require physical assistance with your routine, this is a major plus.
In the morning, stick to your oil-based cleanser (or a foam/gel cleanser if you have acne-prone skin) to avoid over-again washing and drying out your face.
Scale back on double cleansing and notice the results
If you’re used to double cleansing on a daily basis, consider reserving the practice for certain nights each week. Or, perform it only when you’re preparing your complexion for a special occasion.
In this post, we hope we’ve cleared up some of your questions about double cleansing. As with any beauty routine, we recommend that you do what works best for your skin and lifestyle. While you’re certainly welcome to try double cleansing, don’t feel pressured to do it every day, especially if it doesn’t work with your schedule.
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