Double cleansing is essentially washing your face twice.
This could be extremely useful if we think about how much dirt our faces come into contact with on a daily basis. We are often in contact with different people, objects, door handles, public transport, toilets and the list goes on.
Our phones are often on multiple surfaces and we often do not think twice about putting our phones towards our faces when we get a call. Another cause of concern is air pollution and the hot humidity coming up this summer, we should make sure that we are washing our faces effectively.
The oil and sweat produced from our skin, added with the sunscreen and makeup that we have on our faces, calls for an effective way of cleansing. Oil cleansing essentially means to cleanse our face twice, once with an oil based cleanser and again with a water-based cleanser.
According to M.D and board certified dermatologist Rebecca Marcus, “Double cleansing is a two-step cleansing process that ensures complete removal of all makeup, sunscreen, sebum, and dirt from your skin”.
“The two steps aim to dissolve and rinse away all impurities on the skin’s surface with the first step, then penetrate more deeply into pores with the second step.” Rebecca also explains that one round of cleansing is often not enough and can sometimes lead to clogged pores or breakouts.
Dr Jane Wu from Cleveland Clinic explains that the first step is to use an oil based cleanser as this is perfect for removing waterproof makeup, sunscreen and excess oil from your skin.
Dr Wu provides a step by step guide for the process below.
How to double cleanse:
- Apply an oil-based cleanser to the palm of your hand and gently massage the cleanser into your skin to help break down makeup, sebum and sunscreen residue.
- Rinse your face using a washcloth or you could use your hands added with lukewarm water. Make sure that the water is not too hot or it could make your skin dry.
- Instead of reaching for a towel to dry of your face, keep your skin damp. Then apply a water-based formula cleanser and gently massage into your skin.
- Rinse off the cleanser and pat your skin dry with a soft towel.
Also see: Top black skin care tips
