How and Why I Double Cleanse

Happy New Year!

And what better topic to chat about on January 1st than cleansers? Today I'll be telling you all about why I double cleanse, how I double cleanse, and which products I use.

I've been double cleansing for several years now and it's become so much a part of my regular skincare routine that any other method of cleansing seems strange to me. There are a few different ways that you can double cleanse: washing your face with one foam, gel, or milky cleanser, then following up with a second cleanser, such as a foam or gel cleanser or cleansing milk to get the benefits of both cleansers and to be sure that you've thoroughly cleansed your face; or using an oil or balm cleanser and then a gel/cream/liquid cleanser. The latter is what most people are referring to when they mention double cleansing, and it's also what I'll be talking about here today.

I was first introduced to the idea of double cleansing by an esthetician, who explained that the basic premise behind double cleansing is that with the first cleanse you remove anything sitting on the surface of the skin such as makeup, dirt, or sunscreen, and with the second cleanse you treat the skin and prepare it for the rest of your skincare routine. This made a lot of sense to me, and I already had everything I needed, so I gave it a go. For the first two or so weeks I used a gel cleanser followed by a cream cleanser. This was too drying for my skin, but I did feel like my skin was cleaner and I enjoyed the process even though it took a bit longer than I was used to. Around this time, I received the Julep Bare Face Cleansing Oil and konjac sponge in one of my monthly boxes, and I began to use these for my first cleanse, along with whatever gel or cream cleanser I happened to have at the time. I would start by applying the cleansing oil to my dry face to remove makeup, sunscreen etc., then wetting the konjac sponge and gently massaging my face with the sponge, especially in areas such as the crevice of the nose where makeup tends to gather. Then, I rinsed my face with lukewarm water and patted it dry. Cleansing oils are formulated with emulsifying ingredients that help them to rinse cleanly from the face, leaving no oily residue behind. This means that you won't feel like there's a film still sitting on top of your skin, and it won't cause clogged pores. They're also beneficial for all skin types because they don't strip the skin of moisture like other cleansers can sometimes do, and they help to remove excess sebum from the skin, so people with oily skin may find that their skin is more balanced after using an oil cleanser. I used to have very, very oily skin (it's now oily-dehydrated) and I credit oil cleansing to keeping my more oily areas in check, while helping me to avoid aggravating my dry areas.

I've gone through two bottles of the Julep Bare Face Cleansing Oil, but I'm currently using the Sephora Supreme Cleansing Oil simply because I wanted to see if there was a big difference between them. I'll have a more detailed review of both of these up on the blog next week, but spoiler alert, they're pretty similar. I've also recently tried the Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm and really enjoyed that as a first cleanser, possibly even more so than either of my cleansing oils because the texture felt so luxurious. I still have a little bit of my sample left, and I have to keep slapping my hands away from it because I'm saving it for a few overnighters I have coming up since balms are more travel-friendly than oils. I've got my eye on a few other balm cleansers, including the Sunday Riley one and the cult-classic Banila Co. Clean It Zero. If you've read my post all about my skin, then you'll know I'm a bit of a Sunday Riley fan girl, and so help me god if one more person raves about that new cleansing balm, my will power will go out the window.

I no longer use a konjac sponge, simply because the one I had needed to be tossed and I haven't gotten around to buying a new one. I'm on the hunt for a new second cleanser because I'd like to see if using a 5.5 pH cleanser improves my acne and dryness, but the one I'm currently using is the Garnier Balancing Daily Exfoliator for Combination Skin. The exfoliating particles are very sparse and gentle, and it seems to keep my skin softer than any of the other cleansers I currently have.

To review: I massage the Sephora cleansing oil onto my face for a minute or two to remove my makeup, rinse that off, then follow up with the Garnier cleanser, taking the time to work it into the skin, rinse, and then pat dry. It may seem like a bit of a chore at first, but when you begin to realize how much better it makes your skin feel, it will be worth it.