The Proper Way to Double Cleanse
The reason why I love double cleansing and recommend it to all of my peers and facial clients is because it’s a way to get your skin really clean and allow your other skincare items to work their best. A proper double cleanse will clean your skin without unbalancing your barrier or making you sensitive; a double cleanse will help your pores from becoming congested and keep debris from building up.
A proper double cleanse consists of a pre-cleanse balm or oil before using a traditional facial cleanser like a creamy, gel, or foaming product. The first cleanse using the balm or oil will break down and collect unwanted debris like makeup, SPF, sweat, and environmental debris in a gentle way. When you remove your pre-cleanse balm or oil it will take away all that surface debris and prep your skin for your facial cleanser. All skin types can benefit from a pre-cleanse oil or balm before using your facial cleanser, even acneic, sensitive, and oily skin types.
scrub me secret: Another benefit of a double cleanse is that the pre-cleansing portion will also be like a quick circulation-boosting massage for your neck and face. The little circular motions you make on your skin will bring more oxygen and blood flow to your skin cells.
How to double cleanse
Pre-Cleanse:
Using a balm cleanse or oil
Use the pre-cleanse balm or facial oil of your choice and apply it to your face and neck using clean hands.
Manipulate the product around your face and neck using small circular motions. Make sure to get into all the crevices like your nasal folds and around the mouth area. Do these small circles all over for 30-60 seconds.
Oils and balms are safe to use over your eyes and eyelashes, and great for mascara removal!
Dampen your skin and wipe away the pre-cleanse with a cotton pad or tissue.
Now you’re ready for facial cleanser!
scrub me secret: my favorite facial cleansing balm is the Josh Rosebrook Essential Balm Cleanse and I also love using the scrub me nourishing serum facial oil for pre-cleansing.
Cleanse:
Using a creamy, gel, foaming, or facial bar cleanser
scrub me secret: looking for a new facial cleanser? I have a recent blog post where I list all my favorite facial cleansers. The list has a lot of variety for a range of skin types. Read the blog here
Pump a couple of pumps of facial cleanser into your hands, dampen your hands, and suds it up a bit. Or grab your facial bar get that wet and create some suds
Apply the cleanser to your skin and manipulate it around your skin like you did with the pre-cleanse product. Do this for 30-40 seconds.
Time to remove and move on to other skincare.
Remove Cleanser & Follow with Skincare:
scrub me secret: If you need help navigating how to layer skincare items like eye cream, toner, serums, masks, lotions, and retinol visit my blog post “Skin care layering - the proper order to apply your items”
Using lukewarm or cool water, rinse away your cleanser and pat your face dry with a fresh, clean facial cloth or a clean skin club towel
Apply your other skincare like toners, serums, lotions, etc