For as long as I can remember, I have dutifully washed my face every evening and then slathered on moisturizer. That exact routine for years. It was only recently that I started to get a little, well, wild with my skincare. (Can you tell, thanks to the million posts I’ve written about it recently, like this one and this one?)
Double cleansing has been a big game changer for me. And I think it can be a big game changer for you too.
What is double cleansing?
It sounds intense, but it’s actually very simple. Double-cleansing is the process of using an oil cleanser first (such as micellar water), followed by a foaming, cream, or gel cleanser. From Bustle:
“The theory is that cleansing oil removes the initial layer of dirt and grime and dead skin cells from your skin, pulling those nasty bits out of your pores and allowing the face wash you normally use to really get in there and do its job more effectively.”
Sounds wild, right? It’s a process borrowed from Korean skincare, which is sweeping the beauty world right now.
What I use
For my oil cleanser, I currently am using up my last bottle of Garnier Micellar water. (Garnier tests on animals, so in my attempt to make my beauty product entirely cruelty free, I won’t be repurchasing.) After doing some research and actually calling the brand information line, I’ll either be purchasing Simple brand micellar water or Sephora Collection’s Micellar Water & Milk. (Micellar water is an oil suspension in very soft water! If you want to go more intense, there are cleansing oils out there too.)
For my regular cleanser, I use Ole Henriksen’s Find Your Balance Oil Control Cleanser. (I reviewed the whole line here.)
Has it helped?
Firstly, has double cleansing changed my skin? Honestly, yes. I feel like my face is much cleaner after I wash now. By using oil, you get all your make up off first thing; then, the second cleanser basically gets off any stubborn bits. I always struggled to get my eye make up off, but using an oil cleanser for my eye make up really changed things.
The thing about having oily skin is that we produce more oil because our skin is actually dry. It’s just how our skin responds to hormones and dryness. There is a misconception that if you have oily skin, you shouldn’t moisturize. This is categorically false; you can take yourself from excessively oily to very dry really quickly.
So not only did my skin feel cleaner, I felt like I was finally starting to produce less oil by using oil. In combination with my other skincare, I felt like the texture of my skin totally changed.
Would I recommend it?
Yes! If you want to take the plunge, there are lots of affordable micellar waters and cleansing oils out there. I like the looks of this cleansing oil from Sephora Collection. It’s an easy first step to add to your routine. If you’re using make up remover wipes to start your nightly skincare, this is a great way to reduce waste too.
