What is Double Cleansing?
Double cleansing is a popular skincare method that comes from Korea. It means cleaning your face twice, using two different types of cleansers. The first removes makeup and sunscreen.
The second cleans deep dirt and impurities.
In skincare, the variety of products can feel overwhelming. There are hundreds of choices, each promising to do something different. This makes it hard to know which routine to follow.
Double cleansing is a great place to start.
The process involves two key steps. First, you use an oil-based cleanser or micellar water. This step breaks down makeup, sunscreen, and oil on your skin.
Next, you follow up with a water-based cleanser to clean away sweat, dirt, and bacteria.
This two-step routine helps your skin feel fresh and clean without harsh scrubbing. Now, let’s dive deeper into why double cleansing works and how to do it properly.
How to Double Cleanse
Many people try to remove makeup quickly with wipes, but this often leaves residue behind. Makeup wipes are convenient but usually don’t clean deeply.
Double cleansing is about giving your skin a thorough cleanse twice in a row.
The first cleanser, usually oil-based, dissolves all makeup and sunscreen gently. Oil attracts oil, so it removes stubborn foundation, mascara, and sunscreen better than water alone.
Using an oil-based cleanser reduces the need for rubbing your skin hard. This means less irritation around the sensitive eye area and less redness caused by friction.
After your skin is free of makeup, you use a water-based cleanser. This cleanser removes leftover impurities, dirt, and sweat that accumulate throughout the day.
Washing with water and cleanser helps your skin breathe.
Make sure to massage the cleanser into every part of your face — around your nose, jawline, and hairline — to reach all areas.
Taking your time allows the product to work better and leaves your skin feeling radiant and refreshed.
When to Double Cleanse
Double cleansing can be done both in the morning and at night. However, it is most effective when done at night. This is because your skin needs to remove all the grime collected during the day before sleep.
At night, double cleansing prepares your skin for treatments, serums, and moisturizers. Using an oil cleanser followed by a water cleanser at bedtime helps restore your skin’s natural balance.
The oil cleanser can also provide antioxidants and vitamins that protect your skin while you sleep. It works well with overnight moisturizers, allowing your skin to rejuvenate during your beauty rest.
In the morning, a lighter cleanse is often enough. Many people use just a gentle water-based cleanser or micellar water to refresh their face.
Benefits of Double Cleansing
Double cleansing offers many advantages, especially for people living in cities with pollution. It removes dirt, makeup, and sunscreen more thoroughly than one cleanser alone.
An oil-based cleanser cleans gently without stripping the skin’s natural oils. This is important because sebum, the skin’s own oil, protects and moisturizes your face.
The second cleanse removes dead skin cells and any leftover grime. This leaves your skin looking brighter and feeling smoother, reducing dullness.
If you have acne-prone skin, double cleansing can be a game changer. It helps remove bacteria and impurities that cause breakouts. This method cleans your pores deeply without irritating active acne.
Double cleansing is also great for those who wear heavy makeup daily. It ensures nothing is left behind that could clog pores or cause skin problems.
Can You Over-Cleanse?
While cleansing is important, it’s possible to over-cleanse your skin. Your skin naturally produces oils, and stripping these away too often can cause problems.
It’s best to double cleanse only once a day, usually at night. Overdoing it can dry out your skin, causing tightness and irritation.
Sometimes, dry skin reacts by producing more oil, which leads to shine and breakouts.
In the morning, opt for a gentle cleanser or just splash your face with water to wake up your skin. This keeps your skin balanced and comfortable.
If your skin feels dry or sensitive, try skipping the second cleanse occasionally or use a mild exfoliating scrub once or twice a week. This helps remove dead skin without harsh effects.
Choosing the Right Products
Not every cleanser suits all skin types. When picking your oil cleanser, choose one that matches your skin’s needs.
If you have dry skin, a creamy cleanser might feel more moisturizing. For oily or combination skin, a lightweight oil or micellar water could work better.
Always avoid cleansers that irritate your skin or cause excessive dryness. If a product causes redness, itching, or breakouts, stop using it.
Sometimes, your skin may break out when you first start double cleansing. This happens because the method pulls impurities out of your pores.
If blemishes persist after a week, reconsider your products.
Makeup Wipes: When to Use Them
Makeup wipes are handy for travel or quick fixes, but they should not replace a proper cleansing routine.
Wipes often just move dirt and makeup around instead of removing them fully. They are also rough on your skin since they are made from fabric or wood fibers.
Using wipes regularly can cause irritation and dryness. For thorough cleaning, stick to double cleansing with proper cleansers.
Dos and Don’ts of Double Cleansing
Here are some tips to get the best results from double cleansing:
Do take your time. Cleanse for at least one minute per step to let the cleanser dissolve impurities fully.
Do cleanse your face twice daily, but only double cleanse at night.
Do use products suited to your skin type.
Do focus on areas that collect makeup or get oily, like your forehead, nose, and chin.
Don’t use harsh scrubs or cleansers if your skin is sensitive or dry.
Don’t keep using a product that causes irritation or breakouts after a week.
Don’t rely solely on makeup wipes for everyday cleansing.
Summary
Double cleansing is a gentle yet effective way to deeply clean your skin by using two different cleansers. It removes makeup, sunscreen, dirt, and pollution that build up daily.
This routine is especially beneficial at night to prepare your skin for rest and repair. It suits all skin types but requires choosing the right products and not overdoing it.
If you live in a city, wear makeup, or struggle with acne, double cleansing can improve your skin’s health and appearance. Try different cleansers to find what works best for you.
Remember, skincare is personal. What works for one person might not work for another. Experiment, listen to your skin, and enjoy the glowing results of a clean, refreshed face.
DQH Knowledge drop: In your 20s, your skin cell turnover decreases. (Cell turnover is a key component in keeping your skin youthful.) You know what else slows down? Your collagen production. Starting in your 20s, collagen decreases by about 1 percent per year. Should you want to prevent fine lines and wrinkles, start by eliminating behaviors that contribute to premature aging. “If it’s bad for you, it’s bad for your skin,” says dermatologist Michel Somenek.
“Cigarette smoking reduces blood flow to the skin and causes premature wrinkling and a dull skin texture. Making the repeated pursed motion to inhale can also cause smoker’s lines. Alcohol and recreational drugs are toxins for the skin that damage its cellular structure and DNA,” Somenek tells us. “The faster you eliminate vices while you are young, the better chance your skin and body have to recuperate.” Also, adopting an anti-aging routine in your 20s is key. After all, the best offense is a good defense. We spoke to Somenek and experts Joshua Ross and Audrey Kunin to find out more.
Keep reading for the best anti-aging products for your 20s, according to skincare professionals.
Sunscreen
“We all know that the sun is the number one cause of skin aging and starting the prevention in your 20s is very important,” Ross says. “The majority of your sun damage won’t start to appear until you’re in your 30s, so don’t wait until you see it surface or you’ll be behind the curve. Stay ahead of it with a good-quality zinc-based sunscreen worn daily.”
Farmacy Green Defense Daily Mineral Sunscreen
An invisible sunscreen with SPF 30, plus botanical extracts meant to protect skin with tons of antioxidants. Bonus: It’s clean and fine to use under makeup.
Bareminerals Complexion Rescue™ Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30
Although we recommend you use your SPF and moisturizer separately, we also understand moments when you don’t have time or energy for that extra step. For those times, this bareMinerals moisturizer is a great thing to have on hand.
Vitamin C Serum
“A great introduction to anti-aging is to start with a vitamin C serum in your morning skincare routine,” Ross says. “It’s a powerful antioxidant that will neutralize free radicals and brighten the skin.” He adds that it’s a great way to counteract the effects of the sun’s harmful rays, which, as previously mentioned, are among the biggest causes of premature aging.
Drunk Elephant C-Firma™ Vitamin C Day Serum
The Drunk Elephant C-Firma is a lightweight serum that promises to give skin a glow by combining the brightening powers of vitamin C with ferulic acid, l-ascorbic acid, and vitamin E. The included sodium hyaluronate is meant to replace hydration loss, so you shouldn’t have to deal with any irritation.
Sunday Riley C.E.O. Rapid Flash Brightening Serum
This potent serum is jam-packed with vitamin C (15 percent, to be exact), which means it’s a potential superstar at both brightening skin and dousing it in antioxidants.
Peptides
Using peptides on your skin has many benefits, says Somenek. “The skin barrier is what defends the body against pollution, UV rays, bacteria, and toxins. It can be damaged by several everyday factors. Using topical peptides aids in building a stronger barrier,” he says. “Peptides comprise elastic fibers, which are a type of protein. These fibers help to make skin appear taut and firm. Peptides can also help repair damaged skin, relieve inflammation, and even out skin tone. Some peptides can kill acne-causing bacteria that is common in 20-somethings.”
Kunin agrees, saying, “Peptides are an excellent entry point for supporting collagen.” She recommends looking for face and eye treatments that contain these collagen-boosting powerhouses.
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Eye Rescue Cream
This Charlotte Tilbury super-emollient eye cream has a base of coconut oil and shea butter (read: it’s incredibly hydrating). Botanicals plus peptides are meant to help reduce dark circles and boost collagen, respectively.
This creamy moisturizer serves up potent collagen-boosting peptides and pycnogenol, and antioxidant-rich vitamin C. “Instead of sitting on top of the skin, peptides penetrate the outer layer so they go deep. The ‘signals’ they send tell the cells to produce elastin and collagen, which are needed for youthful-looking skin,” explains Somenek.
At-Home Peel Pads
Remember that skin cell turnover fiasco we talked about earlier? One way to help support it is by exfoliating. “Exfoliation is important to help keep skin fresh and luminous,” Kunin says. She recommends using at-home peel pads as an easy and effective way to exfoliate.
“The goal in your 20s is to fight the slowing pace of cell turnover. It is wise to use products that gently exfoliate, yet still remove oil and other impurities. Products that have Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA) or Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHA) are a good choice.”
According to Somenek, you should only exfoliate two to three times a week. “People of all ages are guilty of over-exfoliating and that can be too much of a good thing,” he says.
Dermadoctor Kakadu C Intensive Vitamin C Peel Pad
A few swipes of this Derma Doctor powerful peel pad promise to leave your skin glowing and smooth, thanks to the seven (yes, seven) types of chemical exfoliants, including AHA and BHA. It also contains vitamin C via Kakadu plum extract for added brightening and antioxidant protection.
KEY INGREDIENTS Kakadu plum extract is sourced from the Kakadu plum, a fruit grown in northern Australia. It contains vitamin C, which restores the skin’s natural barrier, increases collagen production, and soothes irritation.
Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta® Universal Daily Peel Pads
These are the gold standard of peel pads, with a cult following and over 900 five-star reviews on Sephora. They’re easy to use and contain a blend of anti-aging exfoliating acids.
Emollient Night Cream
“In your 20s, you need to start upping the hydration in your skincare routine. You may have been cautious of over-moisturizing because of acne in your teens, but as you enter your 20s, your skin transitions and becomes drier,” Ross says. “I recommend an emollient night cream added into your evening skincare regimen.”
“Twenty-somethings need to make sure that they are not using creams that will clog their pores and cause excess oil production,” says Somenek. Opt for non-comedogenic products.
Cerave Skin Renewing Night Cream
One great choice is the CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream, which is a non-comedogenic night cream that leaves skin soft and glowy. It combines the moisturizing powers of ceramides and hyaluronic acid.
RoC Retinol Correxion Max Hydration Creme
“The best night cream ingredients contain retinol, benzoyl peroxide, and/or salicylic acid or hyaluronic acid. The goal is to moisturize, yet remove excess oil,” says Somenek. This Roc Retinol Correxion cream fits the bill as it contains both hyaluronic acid and retinol so it promises to moisturize while also being non-comedogenic.
