So, what is double cleansing? 

Even though the name may imply it, double cleansing isn’t just cleansing twice. 

Well, it is. But it isn’t. 

There’s more to it than that. 

But the core of the concept is pretty much doubling up on your cleansing efforts. 

Double cleansing stems from K-beauty and the concept is to first cleanse with an oil-based cleanser and then follow up with a water-based cleanser. 

That’s the classic way of doing it. However, you can actually double cleanse with just one cleanser, as long as you use a gentle cleanser, so you won’t damage the barrier of your skin. 

So, why would you cleanse your face twice? Well, there are some pretty good reasons for this.  

Benefits of double cleansing

Although it may seem super obvious, one of the benefits of double cleansing is really just getting rid of everything that’s been building up on your skin throughout the day in an effective and gentle way. 

Not only do we attract all kinds of dirt from the air and the environments that we’re in, but we also pile on with stuff like sunscreen and makeup. And not all water-based cleansers are good at breaking down oil and waterproof makeup.

And that’s where double cleansing might come in handy. Because in our efforts to try and scrub our faces clean, we often tend to go for a harsh cleanser that gets it all off in one go. Instead, double cleansing allows us to effectively give our skin a thorough cleanse, while also being gentle on the skin.

The premise is this: Use an oil-based cleanser first and a water-based cleanser second. 

The oil-based cleanser can be either a liquid oil or a balm. It works to dissolve the buildup sebum (oil), as well as makeup and sunscreen. This first cleanse will clear the way for the second cleanse, allowing the water-based cleanser to actually cleanse your skin. 

Water-based cleansers come in many different shapes and sizes: They can be micellar gels, jelly cleansers, or foaming cleansers. They’re the ones doing the actual cleansing of your face, and having the oil-based cleanser clearing the way before using the water-based ones will increase the effectiveness of the cleanser.  

So, the million dollar question now is this: Should you double cleanse? As in.. Should YOU double cleanse?

Well, double cleansing isn’t for everyone. But if you’re wearing makeup and sunscreen most of the time, we’d recommend incorporating it into your routine (unless you have very sensitive skin or skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, and rosacea). 

Also, double cleansing your combination skin or your acne prone skin can make a huge difference. Here’s why:

If you have oily skin, your skin produces an excessive amount of oil. That oil-production can lead to clogged pores (hello acne) if your skin and pores aren’t properly cleansed. So by starting off your cleansing routine focusing on keeping your pores nice and unclogged, double cleansing can play an important role in keeping your skin balanced and acne-free (well, keeping the acne under control, at least). 

Now that we’ve covered the “what” and the “why”, let’s take a look at the “how”. 

How to double cleanse

The double cleansing method consists of two steps (we’ve pretty much covered this already, but let’s take a look at how you actually do it). 

Step 1:

Massage your oil or your balm into dry skin (your skin can be damp and your hands can be moist, it won’t hurt the process). Massage in the oil (and try to enjoy the ritual of giving your face some lovin’ and some massagin’) and rinse off with lukewarm water once you feel like you’ve given your face a good rub (or when you can visibly see your makeup coming off). 

Step 2:

Go in with your water-based cleanser of choice (no need to dry your face after rinsing off the oil, since most water-based cleansers benefit from a splash of water). Once again give your face a little massage and rinse off your cleanser. Dry your face and ta-daaaa, your double cleanse is done.

And if you’re not into adding an extra product to your routine, double cleansing is possible with just one product. In that case, apply a small amount of product for the first cleanse to loosen the buildup dirt, makeup or sunscreen. Rinse off and once again apply your cleanser, this time massaging it into your face to cleanse your skin. Just make sure to use a gentle cleanser with good ingredients (like humectants) so as to not strip your skin from its natural oils.

Not so bad, right?

Nah. However - if you can’t stand the thought of washing your face even just one single time, don’t sweat it. Double cleansing isn’t a necessity in your routine. But we recommend exploring it if you (based on this beautiful and very thorough blog post) feel like your skin might benefit from it.