How do you wash your face? It's something most of us do every day, morning and night. So it's a bit of a shock that experts say we may have been doing it wrong for all these years.
For starters, face wipes are about as good for our skin as they are for the environment – although, we already kind of knew that one. But even those of us who are wedded to our creamy cleanser or micellar water could be making the same common mistakes that mean we're not getting rid of all the grime effectively, or worse, are causing unnecessary damage and stress to our skin.
Now Hailey Bieber has also left us scratching our heads after revealing that she skips the morning cleanse.
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Should we be doing the same? Those and other questions are answered below, alongside tips that everyone needs to know for their daily cleansing routine.
1. When you should cleanse in the morning
Two important questions to ask yourself before starting: when and how often should I wash my face? Twice a day – once in the morning and once at night – has been the accepted advice for years when it comes to maintaining clean and healthy skin.
But a growing number of experts now believe that there are benefits to skipping the morning cleanse. Celebrity facialist Angela Caglia is a big advocate of the no AM cleanse, even going so far as to take to her Instagram stories to advise people to stop doing it.
Her argument was that our skin produces natural beneficial lipids overnight. These keep it hydrated and supple and our skin barrier strong – so why remove these good-for-skin oils as soon as you wake up?
In many ways, it makes sense – especially if you have dry skin that already has a weak skin barrier or sensitive skin that is easily riled by any products that touch its surface. Not only that, but you are left relying purely on skincare products to replace the skin's natural moisture that you've just stripped away.
There are a couple of caveats though. If you have oily or acne-prone skin, it's still best to cleanse morning and night with a targeted cleanser to prevent blockages in your pores and a build up of bacteria. Also, if you've used retinol or strong acids overnight, you'll want to gently cleanse away the residue in the morning to avoid irritation.
2. Remove all your makeup
What skin experts and dermatologists can agree on is the importance of your night time cleanse to wash away the day.
An oil-based cleanser can be your best friend when it comes to melting off your makeup, but if you have oily skin you may want to avoid them and opt for a cream cleanser instead. Avoid cleansers that are heavily perfumed/scented or foaming, especially if you have sensitive skin, as this can cause further irritation.
Double cleansing – first with an oil- or cream-based cleanser, followed by micellar water – is often necessary for those wearing full coverage foundation or long-lasting mascara, but be careful not to agitate the skin too much, especially around the eye area which is more delicate.
Use your hands or a clean, damp cloth to apply the cleanser of choice and gently remove any residual makeup and debris. A Q-tip is a handy tool for cleaning around the lashline. Make sure you never ignore your neck or hairline; leaving out these parts can cause bacteria build-up and a break out of acne.
3. Never use hot water to wash your face
You’ll be forgiven for not knowing this as it’s a common misconception, but washing your face with hot water should be avoided. Never wash your face in the shower! Instead, use lukewarm or cold water to properly cleanse. Hot water, saunas, and steaming the face can dry out your skin and even cause dilation of blood vessels and breakage of the delicate tissue.
4. Always spend 60 seconds cleansing
Most people are not cleansing thoroughly enough to properly remove all makeup and debris. Experts recommend giving this step for at least 60 seconds to allow the cleanser to do its work. It's a lot longer than you think so set a timer on your phone and give your face (and neck!) a mini facial massage while you're at it.
Once you’re done, gently pat your face dry with an antimicrobial towel – designed to inhibit the growth of bacteria that you don’t want anywhere near your face. Using a towel instead of letting your face air dry, will avoid drying out your skin.
5. Add an exfoliator into the mix
Exfoliating is great for removing any dead skin cells and helps your skin to better absorb topical products. 2-3 times a week is recommended, but this may be more or less depending on how sensitive your skin is. If you’re noticing tightness, redness, irritation, or stinging during your routine, you are likely exfoliating too often.
Try to avoid exfoliants with large beads or harsh scrubbing textures as these can cause micro tears in the skin and cause permanent. Chemical exfoliants (AHAs or BHAs) will do the same job in a non-abrasive manner, but check that your cleanser doesn’t already contain them first.
6. Don’t forget a serum
To be used after an exfoliant and before your moisturiser, serums help to restore the acidic pH of the skin (to help balance the bacterial flora on the skin surface), and to deliver acid-pH antioxidants (such as vitamin C) to the skin surface.
With many options to choose from, the simple choice is a hydrating serum, your best friend for giving your skin extra moisture. Best applied to damp skin to reap the rewards, hyaluronic acid is the most popular choice for its soothing, plumping, and fine line-reducing properties.
7. Lock it all in with a moisturiser
You’re almost there! Now that you’ve done all the hard work properly cleaning your face, be sure to top it all off with a moisturiser to keep your skin healthy and hydrated. If you’ve got sensitive skin or find that it needs a break, you might want to skip the serum step and go straight to moisturising once you’re done with cleansing.
How to choose? A combination of both personal preference for skin texture and skin types, those with oily skin will prefer a lightweight moisturiser while drier skin benefits from a thicker, richer formula. Overnight creams, which usually fall into the latter category, can be a great way of soothing and healing your skin while you sleep.
