What is double cleansing and should I be doing it?

I thought we’d go back to the very beginning of our skincare routine and talk about THE most important step, cleansing. Double cleansing to be precise. If done incorrectly, any products you apply afterwards will be completely ineffective and nobody wants that! So without further ado…

What is double cleansing?

Double cleansing quite literally means cleansing your face twice in the evenings to create the perfect base for the rest of your routine. There are numerous ways in which you can do it and we’ll cover them shortly.

Why should I double cleanse?

Many people still cleanse just once in an evening, but by doing so they’re potentially jeopardising the rest of their routine. One cleanse alone simply ‘smooshes’ everything around your face as opposed to actually cleaning it and the extra rubbing required can lead to redness and irritation.

If you’ve ever had a facial, you’ll notice that the professional providing the treatment will always do two quick cleanses instead.

The first cleanse breaks down makeup/SPF/daily grime etc. and the second one actually washes your face. By completing both steps, it provides a deep and thorough cleanse of your skin and a clean base to apply further products. This allows the rest of your skincare routine to be fully absorbed into your skin and generate the best results.

How do I double cleanse?

There are a few different ways to do this which I’ll explain below for you. You can double cleanse by using…

1. A cream cleanser twice. This is one of the reasons I created our Proactive Age Hot Cloth Cleanser, so that it can be specifically used for double cleansing.
2. Micellar water to remove makeup followed by a proper second cleanse with a face cloth.
3. Eye makeup remover followed by 2 separate cleanses.
4. An oil/balm cleanser followed by a cream/gel cleanser. 

My top tips for double cleansing:

• Firstly, you don’t need to do it in morning…unless you’ve slept in your makeup?! But I know you’d never do that 😉
• Makeup wipes should never be involved. They do not clean your skin effectively and don’t count as a first or second cleanse…ever.
• If you’ve not been out and haven’t worn makeup or SPF during the day, you can just do one cleanse in the evening.
• Always cleanse your skin at the sink. The water in the shower is too hot for your face and can damage your skin barrier.
• If you’re using a micellar water first, make sure your second cleanse is really deep and thorough. SPF is designed to stick to your face like glue, so make sure you remove it properly.
• Don’t forget to clean your hairline or, behind your ears!

And that’s all there is to it! Double cleansing isn’t an extra step in your routine - It’s there to work more efficiently and hygienically to provide the perfect base for the rest of your routine. Make sure you do it every night and your skin will thank you for it…I promise.

Amy x