For many of us, simply washing our face at the end of a long, busy day seems like a feat worth celebrating. Well, get ready to bust out the bubbly, because it's time to start washing your face twice.
Double-cleansing, a Japanese method dating back centuries, involves using two different cleansers: The first removes the top layer of makeup and grime; the second gets your skin squeaky clean. But you can't just grab any old cleansers and lather up twice. There's a method to double-cleansing that will give you radiant, glowing skin. (Bonus: Double-cleansing helps your serums and night creams penetrate your skin better.)
Ready to do it right? Here, we demystify the art of double-cleansing.
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Step 1: Wash Your Hands
Think of all the germy things your hands have touched in just the last hour. Now, think about pressing all those germs onto your face and eyes. Yuck. You want to start with clean, dry hands so you don't introduce acne- and sickness-causing bacteria to your face.
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Step 2: Get Oiled Up
Start with an oil cleanser and a dry face. Be sure to pick a cleansing oil with good-for-skin ingredients, like nourishing coconut and argan oils, which you can find in Burt's Bees Facial Cleansing Oil, $16. Use dry hands (if your hands are wet the oil will emulsify -- you don't want that to happen just yet) to massage the oil over your face, including your eyes. The oil is super effective and ultra gentle at removing makeup and any dirt or debris that has accumulated on your face throughout the day.
Rinse the oil-based cleanser off your face with warm -- but not hot -- water. If your water is too hot, it can dry out and irritate your skin.
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Step 4: Time for Round Two
Wash your face again, this time with a cleanser formulated for your skin type. A general rule of thumb: Dry and sensitive skin types fare best with creamy cleansers. Those with oily skin should look for a cleanser that balances oil levels without stripping skin of essential moisture, like a gentle foaming cleanser.
