Whether you work in the beauty industry or are interested in skincare, you’ve likely heard of the beauty world’s new rising trend: double cleansing. It’s not hard to deduce what this term means—simply put, it’s washing your face twice before practicing your regular skincare routine. But learning how to double cleanse for maximum benefit or what products to buy for your beauty line or routine is more complicated.
Read on to learn the multiple ways you can incorporate double cleansing into your routine for clear, flawless skin, plus the science behind why this trend really works.
The most effective ways to double cleanse
To be clear, double cleansing is just the act of washing your face twice. Whether you’re using the same cleanser for both washes, two different cleansers, or any other combination, you are technically double cleansing as long as you wash your face twice. However, it’s not a given that every double cleansing method will yield the maximum benefit.
To get the most out of your double cleanse, we recommend starting with a product that addresses makeup, oil, and grime. Remove this cleanser with a damp cloth or disposable wipe. Next, follow with a different cleanser to take care of any leftover impurities. The essential feature of this follow-up cleanser is that it needs to be effective at removing any residue left behind by your first cleanser.
Your first cleanser should be something oil based, like a cream cleanser, or a carrier oil. You can also use micellar water, as it’s wonderful for tackling makeup and excess oil. While these options will all be wonderful grime, oil, and makeup removers, they have a tendency to leave residue behind that can weigh your skin down. That’s where the second cleanser comes in. This one should be water based, preferably a foaming gel, a foaming cream cleanser, or micellar water depending on your first cleanser.
Don’t forget that no matter your skin type, your skin needs moisture! Always follow a double cleanse with a serum and moisturizer of your choice.
Why double cleansing works
As a science forward beauty brand, we tend to be skeptical of trends as they enter and fade out of the beauty market. However, we do get pretty excited about trends like this one, because there is a simple, scientific reason why it works. Even better, science-backed trends are always a great bet for your beauty business. Anything that truly works has staying power, keeping your trend-inspired products relevant to your customers and on the market for good.
This trend is so effective because oil based cleansers are especially skilled at dissolving makeup and drawing out your skin’s impurities. This is because oil naturally attracts oil. When you rub a carrier oil or cream cleanser on your face, it blends easily with the sebum, sweat, etc. built up throughout the day or night, letting you easily wash all those impurities away. Because the micelles in micellar water cling to oil and dirt, it works in a similar way. Just be sure to use micellar water with a cotton pad for best results.
The downside of all these cleansers (aside from micellar water) is that they can be difficult to wash off. That’s because oil and water don’t mix, and is consequentially why your second water-based cleanser is so vital. The surfactants in your gel cleanser will cut through any oil and grime your first cleanser missed while being easy for water to dissolve and rinse away.
Double cleansing tips and tricks
Convinced? If you want to try double cleansing, we’ve got lots of recommendations of combos that will work well for you and your skin. To start, we have a breakdown of general combinations that we think work well together, in case you want to try this today with the cleansers in your cabinet.
If you’re a beauty business hoping to add a double cleansing combo to your line, keep reading for perfect double cleanse matches that you can purchase here at Essential and sell under your brand name.
General pairings
- Oil cleanser + micellar water (ideal for oily or blemish prone skin)
- Cream cleanser + gel cleanser (good for normal to dry skin)
- Micellar water + gel cleanser (good for oily skin, or normal skin if your gel cleanser is hydrating)
- Oil cleanser + gel cleanser (oily to normal skin)
- Cream cleanser + micellar water (normal to dry skin)
Essential double cleanse pairings
- Green Tea Facial Cleanser + Green Clay Facial Cleanser (normal to combination skin)
- Hemp Seed Oil + Micellar Water (blemish-prone skin)
- Gentle Milk Facial Cleanser + Gel Facial Cleanser (sensitive skin)
- Jojoba Oil + Vital Skin Cleanser (oily skin)
- Multi-Tea Facial Cleanser + Micellar Water (dry or aging skin)
Didn’t quite find what you were looking for? We’ve still got plenty of cleanser options available for you! Shop cleansers and find the perfect double cleanse combo for your beauty brand.
