Is Double Cleansing Necessary?
Washing your face with a gentle face cleanser is the basic step to any skincare routine, but what about the technique known as “double cleansing”? Is it necessary or just a waste of time and money? While it can be helpful in some situations, double cleansing is not absolutely necessary for everyone. It depends primarily on your skin type and the type of makeup or sunscreen you wear.
We’ll help you decide if double cleansing is right for you.
What is Double Cleansing?
The concept behind double cleansing is to use a cleansing oil, cleansing balm, or similar products to first remove your makeup and sunscreen. You follow that up with a regular water-based face cleanser. The initial emollient cleanser clears the way for your regular face wash to cleanse your skin instead of having to work its way through the different layers of other products, resulting in a more thorough cleanse.
Double cleansing is not for everyone. Today’s best face cleansers are already formulated to easily break through and wash away makeup, sunscreen, dirt, pollutants, and other surface debris. However, those who wear tenacious sunscreen and/or transfer-resistant/ waterproof makeup may find double cleansing helps break down those formulas more easily for a thorough removal.
Double cleansing is also helpful if you have very oily skin and find that your regular face cleanser doesn’t remove enough excess oil, but a stronger single cleanser leaves your skin feeling tight and dry. It’s far better to use two gentle cleansers than one harsh, drying cleanser.
The bottom line, double cleansing is a personal choice based on your individual needs.
Is Double Cleansing Healthy?
Double cleansing is completely safe and healthy for your skin, assuming the products you’re using are gentle, fragrance-free and well-formulated. While there’s no universal “best” face cleanser for double cleansing, good options include oil-based liquid cleansing oils, cleansing balms, or gentle cleansing face scrubs with dissolvable beads, followed by a regular water-soluble cleanser that’s suitable for your skin type.
Do Dermatologists Recommend Double Cleansing?
While some dermatologists recommend double cleansing, there are others who tread more cautiously due to concerns that people may end up over-cleansing, leaving skin sensitised, stripped and uncomfortably dry. This is why the gentleness of the skincare products you use really matters. If you're using non-drying, non-irritating face cleansers, most dermatologists give double cleansing the green light.
Can I Double Cleanse with the Same Face Cleanser?
Double cleansing with the same face cleanser (as in washing with it twice in a row) is acceptable if the formula is completely gentle and non-drying. But generally speaking, it’s best if the first cleanser in the double cleansing process is more emollient (think oils, balms, cream style formulas), so as to not over-strip skin, followed by a water-soluble gel or foaming cleanser as the second step to whisk all debris away.
Do You Have to Double Cleanse if You Wear Sunscreen?
It isn’t an absolute must for everyone who wears sunscreen, but double cleansing can be helpful in certain circumstances. For example, mineral-based sunscreen (those with active ingredients of titanium dioxide and/or zinc oxide) and water-resistant formulas tend to adhere more tenaciously to skin. Double cleansing helps ensure complete removal.
Do I Need a Special Cleanser to Remove Sunscreen?
No, you don’t need a “special” cleanser to remove sunscreen. To reiterate, normal use of your regular face cleanser may do just fine in this regard. However, some people find double cleansing helps ensure that the sunscreen is completely removed.
What Happens if You Don’t Wash Off Sunscreen?
If you don’t wash off sunscreen it can lead to clogged pores, breakouts, and generally dull-looking skin. It can also end up irritating your skin and eyes, which is why cleansing before bed is always recommended.
Do I Need to Double Cleanse if I have Dry Skin?
Those with dry skin can double cleanse. Just like with any other skin type, it’s not a necessity but merely a matter of choice based on your needs. For dry skin, you need to pay extra special attention to ensure both of the cleansing formulas you use are gentle and on the moisturizing/hydrating end of the spectrum.
How to Double Cleanse
Most people will find double cleansing is most beneficial when done at night, as you have makeup or sunscreen to remove. In the morning, you can skip the extra step and just wash your face with your regular face cleanser.
Here are the double cleansing steps to follow:
- Apply your fragrance-free cleansing oil or cleansing balm to wet or dry skin. Massage in gentle circular motions, including around the eyes, for 30–45 seconds. You will likely find you do not need to use a separate eye-makeup remover. Make sure your cleansing products are fragrance-free because fragrance may be problematic when applied around the sensitive eyelid skin.
- Rinse or gently remove the cleanser using a soft, wet washcloth.
- Dispense a nickel- to a quarter-size amount of your regular facial cleanser and apply it on damp skin while massaging it in gentle circular motions.
- Rinse away the second cleanser with lukewarm water, and pat your skin dry with a clean, soft towel.
Should I Double Cleanse Every Day?
Double cleansing isn’t necessarily something you have to do everyday. You can choose to do it as needed. For instance, there might be some days when you wear heavier makeup, in which case the double cleanse proves helpful. On other days, you may not need to. Simply put, it’s ok to double cleanse every day if you want to, but it isn’t a necessity.
Does Double Cleansing Cause Purging?
Double cleansing is not known to cause purging, yet some people report experiencing a breakout-like reaction when using pure oils when double cleansing. This isn’t truly skin purging, but it’s possible that pure oils could be to blame.
Modern cleansing oils and cleansing balms have an edge over pure oils because they contain emulsifiers, which allow the oil to mix with water and form a milky emulsion, making it easy to rinse from the skin, instead of leaving a greasy residue as pure oils can.
Learn more about double cleansing and shop for the right face cleansers, cleansing oils, and cleansing balms for your skin type on Paula’s Choice Singapore.
References for this Information
- Indian Journal of Dermatology, January-February 2011, pages 2–6
- Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, January 2020, pages 180–184
- Dermatologic Therapy, 2004, pages 16–25
- International Journal of Cosmetic Science, December 2014, pages 606–612
- Journal of Oleo Science, 2013, pages 803–808
