In recent times, many beauty publications have touted double cleansing as a major breakthrough in skin care. If you’re thinking about jumping on the double cleansing bandwagon, wondering how double cleansing differs from regular cleansing or what the real skin benefits are, you’ve come to the right place. Read on to discover the answer to your questions and more.
What is double cleansing?
Double cleansing, like many of our now ingrained skin care methods, originated in South Korea and Japan. Essentially, double cleansing is cleansing your skin twice. A technique that involves using two different types of cleansers after one another to deeply remove all traces of makeup, sunscreen, sweat and other surface debris from your face.
What are the benefits of double cleansing?
1. While cleansing your skin twice doesn’t sound like the kind of party your skin wants to attend because of the “stripping” nature of cleansing, double cleansing really gets to work and ensures that you remove every last bit of surface debris, dead skin cells and impurities that can cause skin break outs, inflammation and irritation.
2. Using two different types of products to double cleanse (we’ll hash this out in a moment) means that you’re not only removing surface build-up and gunk, but you’re also getting deep down into your pores to remove pollutants – making your cleansing ritual far more effective.
3. If you wear makeup daily, then this one’s for you. Double cleansing helps break down your makeup so that you’re not scrubbing at your skin or using an excess of harsh makeup wipes. There’s no more dreading removing your makeup after a long day.
4. As a result of effectively cleaning your pores, another benefit is an overall more radiant, less congested, even skin tone. Clarified pores = healthier looking skin.
Double cleansing method
Here’s the fun part. In order to double cleanse, all you need is: an oil cleanser, a muslin cloth or face towel, and a cream, lotion, gel or foam cleanser that suits your skin type. Once you’ve got all your tools, follow the steps below:
1. Massage 2-3 pumps of your oil cleanser (we recommend our Nourishing Cleansing Oil) onto dry skin including the eye area using circular motions.
2. Next you can either wet your muslin cloth, face cloth or face towel with warm water, wring out the excess water and then place the cloth onto your face gently to swipe away the product. Or as you add warm water to the Nourishing Cleansing Oil once applied - on contact with water - the oil transforms into a rich cleansing milk that hydrates and softens the skin as it removes makeup including waterproof mascara, excess oil, pollution and impurities.
3. After rinsing/swiping away the emulsified oil, it’s time to cleanse with your regular cream, lotion, gel or foam cleanser and rinse off as normal.
Choosing a second cleanser
As always, be sure to choose a cleanser that suits your skin type. Keep in mind with double cleansing, your regular cleansing product isn’t doing all the work alone. Gentle cleansing products will suffice and reduce any unnecessary stripping of your skin. Here are our recommendations:
Dry skin:
If you have dry and sensitive skin, go for our Replenishing Cleansing Lotion. It calms and conditions the skin. Featuring Marshmallow Root and Calendula Extracts, your skin will be clean and soothed.
Mature skin:
Go for an anti-ageing cleanser like our Nutri-Define Supreme Cleansing Foam for mature skin. With its rich and luxurious texture, it’ll be a treat for your skin after your oil cleanser step as jojoba beads gently exfoliate to reveal a youthfully luminous complexion.
Blemish prone skin:
Blemish prone skin is also usually associated with oily skin. So, you want something that balances the skin. Our Revitalising Cleansing Gel is perfect as its key ingredients of Peppermint Leaf Extract and Rosemary Leaf Extract soothe the skin while rebalancing oiliness.
Combination skin:
Combination skin needs to be simultaneously hydrated and balanced. Our Radiant Skin Foaming Cleanser is perfect for all skin types and is the go-to for combination skin. A powerful blend of antioxidant-rich botanicals leaves skin thoroughly cleansed and protected, but not dry or tight.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to double cleanse in the morning?
Yes! You might think your skin is clean enough from the night before, but your skin still produces grime and sweat while you sleep. By double cleansing, you’re creating a clean slate for your morning skin care and/or makeup routine.
Will double cleansing make my skin oiler?
No. While oil cleansers are made from oils, they don’t necessarily add more oil to your face. The purpose of oil cleanser is to lift away skin surface debris – this includes excess oil. This means your skin balances out and the production of oil and on your skin rebalances itself. Also, if you follow up with your regular cleanser, the oil cleaner washes away and doesn’t remain on your skin.
Can I use coconut oil or olive as an oil cleanser?
It would be great to cost-wise. However, coconut oil and olive oil are comedogenic. Meaning they clog your pores instead of cleaning them. Unlike our Nourishing Cleansing Oil which emulsifies, other oils don’t combine with water so they end up sitting on top of your skin. Cleansing oils are specifically designed to cleanse your skin, so it’s safer to steer clear of coconut and olive oil to cleanse.
Double cleansing is a relatively straight forward skin care technique that really gives you noticeable results and improves the effectiveness of the products in your skin care ritual. Shop our botanical enriched, natural cleansers online now to try this technique for yourself.
Image credit: @the.life.of.laura