Ask the Pros: How Often Should I Wash My Face?

Does Skin Type Matter?  

Your skin type can play a role in how often you should wash your face. People with oily skin find that they generally have to wash their face more often than people with dry skin. Similarly, if you wear a full face of makeup or high-SPF sunscreen throughout the day, you’ll want to cleanse your face every day to remove the buildup of the product.  

Otherwise, layers of makeup and product residue can build up on the skin, leading to irritation. So if you’re wearing makeup every day, it’s important to wash it away at the end of the day. But if it’s multiple layers like a foundation, powder, and concealer topped with highlighter, blush, and waterproof mascara, you’ll need a pre-cleanse treatment.  

This usually includes cleansing oil that gently melts away makeup and other product applied to the skin so you don’t have to wash your face twice.  The Dermalogica Pre Cleanse is an effective pre-cleanse treatment that cuts through high-SPF sunscreen, waterproof makeup, and product residue. 

Dermalogica Pre Cleanse

 

Now, you’re probably wondering if you could end up washing your face too much, or if it’s best to stick to once a day. Here’s the right answer, according to our beauty pros.  

  

How Often You Should Wash Your Face   

Generally, you should be washing your face at least twice each day: once in the morning and before you go to bed. Since your skin produces oil and accumulates impurities as you go about your day, washing your face at night is important. Otherwise, you’ll end up sleeping with a layer of buildup on your face, which becomes more susceptible to acne.  

 

Can the Weather Affect My Skin?  

When the weather gets cooler and drier during the winter months, you should check your skin to know if you should really wash it twice a day. Usually, the winter months are a good time to cut back on washing our face and sticking to a once-a-day routine. That’s because the skin gets very dry, so it’s great to replace one round of cleansing with the application of moisturizing creams and serums.  

 

Cleansing Oily Skin   

If you’re dealing with oily skin that’s prone to developing acne, you should keep up a twice-a-day routine. You should use a foaming cleanser like Sebium Gel Moussant by Bioderma, which is suitable for combination and oily skin. The formula gently cleanses the skin while reducing the appearance of bumps and irregularities. It contains ingredients like copper and zinc sulphate to absorb excess sebum on the skin. It maintains the skin’s moisture balance and pH to prevent damage due to pollution.  

Bioderma Sebium Gel Moussant Purifying Foaming Cleanser for Combination/Oily Skin 200ml

 

Of course, you should follow up with a gentle moisturizer so your skin doesn’t dry out completely. When oily skin feels dry, the pores release excess oil to compensate. And if you’re worried that a moisturizer will make your skin feel extra oily, you can settle for a water-based moisturizer instead of an oil-based one. Specifically, look for a moisturizer that contains hyaluronic acid so it hydrates the skin but doesn’t leave it feeling oily.   

 

Our beauty pros recommend a product like the COSRX Hyaluronic Acid Intensive Cream, which has a light texture that doesn’t feel too heavy on the skin.   

COSRX Hyaluronic Acid Intensive Cream

 

Cleansing Dry Skin 

Margy’s Azulene Cleansing Milk

 

Dry skin, on the other hand, needs a more gentle cleansing treatment that nourishes the skin while cleansing it at the same time. For instance, you can cleanse milk to clean your skin without using a foaming cleanser. Margy’s Azulene Cleansing Milk is a great example of cleansing milk that can replace your regular water-based cleanser. And on days when you want a deep cleanse, you can stick to a foaming wash like the All About Clean milk facial soap by Clinique  

Clinique all about cleantm liquid facial soap mild

Conclusion  

Generally, it’s best to wash your face twice a day, but this can change depending on the weather and how much product you apply to the skin. If you’re looking for personalized skincare recommendations, make sure to speak to our beauty pros!