BACK TO BASICS - WHY WE 'DOUBLE CLEANSE'

Models coming from another show generally get at least two cleanses, especially if there was no skin specialist at the previous show. MUA use wipes and micellar water. And they have no time. Their job is to apply the makeup, not make sure the skin is pristine. It's not uncommon to see three different levels of colour/makeup in a hairline during fashion week.

SEPTEMBER IS HERE and for those of us with smalls in the house, that means it's the start of the actual year, forget January, September is when I regroup. The house has been cleaned within an inch of its life, the cupboards are stocked like bunkers and my head is clear after all the 'how do we entertain the kids for all this time' and my subsequent, very real, writers block.

Over the summer I saw numerous questions/statements from others/posts about double cleansing and about why it’s potentially ‘overkill/unnecessary/a waste of time/damaging. My last update re: double cleansing was over three years ago so I thought an up-to-date, extremely top line recap would be helpful.

Double Cleansing literally means cleansing your face twice, in the evenings, but in numerous, potentially different, ways.

Eg: micellar water to remove your eye makeup or top layer of makeup, followed by a proper cleanser all over, removed by a flannel
balm cleanser followed by cream/gel cleanser
cream/gel cleanser used twice (you don’t need 10 different cleansers, they’re just nice to have)
makeup remover on eyes, any other cleanser on afterwards
You do not need to double cleanse in the mornings.
You do not need to double cleanse if you’ve been at home and aren’t wearing makeup or SPF.
If you’re wearing makeup, the first cleanse/micellar water removes makeup and the second cleans your skin.
If you’re wearing SPF, the first cleanse loosens and partially removes the SPF, and the second cleans your skin.
If you’re wearing makeup AND SPF, the first micellar water/cleanse loosens your makeup and SPF, and the second should be a really good, deep cleanse to make sure it is all off. Makeup and SPF in particular are designed to stick to the skin like glue, especially a high factor.
If I’m on holiday and wearing makeup and SPF50, I remove my eyes with eye makeup remover, and then do a first and *gasp* a second cleanse. This is not overkill. It’s what any facialist would do if you went to them for a treatment. If your skin is not clean, everything you do afterwards is pointless. Clean skin is the first step in the rest of your routine.

The reason we (facialists) do two cleanses are fairly obvious but in short: we (in general) believe it is better to do two quick, gentle cleanses than one long one. Think about it, if you have a face full of product, and you only cleanse once, firstly: you’re asking that cleanser to do an awful lot.
Secondly, you have to rub longer and harder to get it to remove everything. You’re moving the product/SPF all over your face and potentially aggravating it when you could simply and quickly break it down and remove the first layer of dirt/makeup/SPF and then go in actually wash your face.

It’s not ‘extra’, it’s quicker, more hygienic and better for your skin.

Just don’t forget your hairline. 🙂