How Often Should You Really Be Washing Your Face?

As we’ve touched on before in this blog, the core of a sound daily skincare routine can be broken down into three parts: moisturizing, applying sunscreen, and washing your face. Everything else is based on preference.

And yet, it seems as though everyone knows someone who knows someone who has never washed their face and still has “perfect” skin. The mere thought of this person seems enough to draw the whole act into question. 

Should I even be washing my face?

Whether your routine has 10 steps or three, whether you have “perfect” skin or you’re constantly tamping down the next breakout or flareup, washing your face is a good idea. 

As for how often, exactly, you should be doing it, the answer lies in your skin type.

For normal, oily, combination, and acne-prone skin

Washing your face clears away all the gunk that can clog your pores and trigger irritation: excess oil, dirt, dead skin cells, and product residue. Believe it or not, it accumulates quickly. Which is why most people with oily, acne-prone, or “normal” skin (meaning not especially oily or dry) would benefit from washing their face twice a day, once in the morning and once at night.

If your routine includes retinol or exfoliating serums, the case for washing your face in the morning is even stronger. That’s because while the skin absorbs most of the product you apply at night, the residue that’s left behind can cause irritation and sensitivity. It could be the result of prolonged skin contact or this residue mixing with ingredients you apply in the morning.

Moisturizer leaves behind a residue, too. This residue could possibly prevent any serums you apply in the morning from being as effective as they should be because their ability to penetrate the skin has been lessened. This is especially true for people who wear heavy moisturizers at night.

Even if you skip all these products, sweat and oil can still accumulate overnight. 

Bottom line: Washing your face in the morning ensures you’re working with a clean canvas, which, in turn, enables any products you layer on in the morning to deliver their full potency.

For dry and sensitive skin

Cleansing just once a day, at night, may be all you need if you have dry and sensitive skin. This is because washing your face twice daily could strip the skin of moisture, especially if it’s lacking to begin with. And that could potentially compromise the skin, increasing your risk of irritation and sensitivity.

However, if you exercise regularly, sweat often, live in a highly polluted area, or use retinol or exfoliants at night, a morning cleanse could still be helpful. In these instances, consider using something gentle, like micellar water or even a quick rinse with water.

Now that we’ve got the cadence down, we’ll help you find the right cleanser for you in our next blog post.