Cleansing is a huge first step in keeping your skin fresh and healthy. Other than 'which cleanser is right for me,' a question we like to answer in person when we can see and analyze your skin, these are the top questions we get around the act (and art) of cleansing.
WHY CLEANSE EVERY DAY?
We're going to throw four reasons at you. We could come up with many, many more, but these big ones should convince you to cleanse (or make you feel great that you already are):
You cleanse the rest of you, right? We all cleanse our bodies every day in the shower, so cleansing your face should be considered just as important a part of your daily routine. Yes?
Throughout the day, the skin on our face is subjected to an environment that includes city grime, pollutants, dirt, sweat, and bacteria. All of that settles onto our face – the part of our body that’s most exposed to the world (which is why, consequently, it ages first and tends to need more care than other skin on your body).
You don't need New York City grime on your pillowcase. Take that environmental stuff and add makeup and products. By night, what’s left on our face is a cocktail of things you probably don’t want on your pillowcase, let alone sinking into your pores while you sleep. Cleansing every night is one of the most important ways to prevent breakouts, blemishes, and maintain overall skin health.
You want to get your money's worth out of the rest of your products. Think of your cleanser as the foundation for seeing successful results from the rest of your routine. A clean canvas helps your moisturizers, serums, and oils absorb properly and work more effectively.
Want smaller appearing pores? Cleanse. Pores that go uncleansed and become clogged will appear larger. If that’s not taken care of by a pro on a regular basis, they can remain enlarged. Consistent cleansing helps keep this at bay.
WHAT SHOULD MY MORNING CLEANSE LOOK LIKE?
At least a light cleanse in the morning is important every day, as your skin sweats and detoxes while you sleep. You also want to remove any product sitting on your skin from overnight and start with a clean canvas for daytime products to absorb effectively.
And at night?
Our favored evening cleanse is a double cleanse: start with an oil cleanser (goes on dry, emulsifies with wet fingers, and rinses off), then follow with your gel or cream cleanser. With the right selections, this won’t overdo things — it helps keep blackheads at bay and preps your skin for the rest of your routine.
I’M PRETTY TIRED. HOW INVOLVED DOES MY EVENING CLEANSE NEED TO BE?
Hopefully we gave you enough reasons to motivate you for two minutes before bed!
Think of it this way — cleansing your skin thoroughly takes about 90 seconds, but you can do a “lazy cleanse” in just 60. A nightly double cleanse takes maybe 2–3 minutes total. Worst case scenario, a quality facial wipe is better than no cleanse at all.
If you enjoy the products, you’ll build a night-ending habit and make a ritual out of it. You can even massage your face a bit and use it as a moment to destress. Treating cleansing as both the start and finish of your day comes with calming benefits far beyond your skin.
WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON CLEANSING MISTAKES?
1. Not cleansing. Enough said.
2. Cleansing inconsistently or skipping nighttime cleansing. The grime adds up every day — you have to manage it every day!
3. Using an ineffective cleanser. Your current cleanser may not actually be removing the buildup of bacteria and debris. You could be cleansing consistently, but the cleanser formula itself isn’t doing the job or isn’t right for your skin type.
4. Using too harsh of a cleanser. Harsh formulas (like medicated acne washes, sulfate-heavy cleansers, or bar soaps) can cause irritation, breakouts, and increased blackheads by stripping your barrier.
