What is double cleansing?
It basically means cleaning your face twice. Now it can be with different products which is what the trend is or it could also mean using one single cleanser twice. It’s as simple as that.
People usually get confused or sometimes don’t understand the whole concept of double cleansing. I get asked these kinds of questions on a daily basis like do I need to double cleanse and if yes what cleanser should I use. To answer these questions you first need to see what you use on your face on a daily basis. If you apply makeup what kind and if not then what kind of skincare do you use and also the most important where do you stay. Living in the city or staying in a small town can make a lot of difference. In this post, I am gonna break down all these questions and answer most of your queries and also recommend products accordingly so read till the end.
Double cleansing is done at night time: Fact
Double cleansing is done at night because that’s when you are cleaning off the whole day’s dirt and grime
Double cleansing is compulsory for good skin: Fiction
No, it’s not. You can have good skin even without using fancy cleansing products. You can always just use one cleanser, but just see too few important things like clean your face properly the one time you do it also use one good cleanser. It can be foaming or non-foaming but it needs to be able to clean your face thoroughly.
You need to use an expensive cleansing oil/balm for the double cleansing to be effective: Fiction
The cleansing oil or balm or whatever the product doesn’t have to be expensive for it to work so just relax your wallet and just get whatever is in your budget and also what you feel will work for you according to your skin type.
 Skin type is very important in choosing the right cleanser: Fact
Your skin type plays a really important role in deciding which cleanser you would prefer more Like if you have oily acne-prone skin you may think the cleansing oil will be too heavy and it will break you out which could happen but it’s not always the case so you have to be careful on what your choosing but it doesn’t have to constraint only because you have oily skin.

You can use coconut oil to remove face makeup: Fiction
Yes, coconut oil breaks down makeup faster and makes your skin feel nourished but the oil is comedogenic and it will break you out if you use it on a regular basis especially long term. You may not see the effects immediately but it will get worse later so please a humble request do not use coconut oil on your face even if you love it and your granny said it’s amazing for your skin.

You can use oil to remove makeup: Fact
Now if you replace coconut oil with other oil like sweet almond oil or olive oil it does work but I would suggest not using oil on your face on a daily basis. Even though oils like marula and moringa are very nourishing on the skin it doesn’t completely clean your face of all the dirt and pollutants it only gets rid of the makeup on top. For deep cleansing, you need a proper cleanser.
Cleansing Balms are meant for dry skin: Fact & Fiction
Yes, it does work better for dry skin but it works the same way for oily skin too. You just have to use the one that works for you the best. Since you are gonna wash off after the cleansing balm anyway{the whole point of double cleansing} it doesn’t matter if you are dry skin or oily skin type.
If you use heavy base makeup double cleansing is a must: Fact
Yes definitely if you are someone who uses makeup every day you need to clean that off before you go ahead with a face wash. Face wash later will take care of the residue but it won’t work for full makeup so use a good oil-based remover it can be cleansing oil or balm or any other remover that works for you.
If you use sunscreen you need to double cleanse every day: Fiction
Well at this one a lot of you are gonna scream at me and say oh idiot you have to double cleanse otherwise your sunscreen doesn’t come off. Actually it does come off, if it doesn’t that means you are using the wrong cleanser {which is too mild} or you are not cleaning your face thoroughly. You need to massage the face wash and use your fingers to completely clean it or you can do what I do I use a massager/cleanser {the Bronson one} and that helps me get rid of the sunscreen of the day in one cleanse.
Double cleansing is important if you travel every day in a polluted city: Fact
That’s completely true, now even if you did not apply heavy makeup but you travel out in the pollution then you need to double cleanse that’s the only way your skin is gonna clean. Your pores tend to attract dirt and grime and they get stuck there so you need to remove that with extra effort but see that you don’t strip your skin from your natural oils in the process.
Micellar water works on a daily basis if you use only sunscreen: Fact
Well if you use a heavy sunscreen and you think your one face wash isn’t doing it then just use micellar water. This way you can clean your skin without the fear of overdoing it.
Foam cleansers are an important part of a double cleanse: Fiction
Well I do love my foam cleansers but I have dry skin and not all foam cleansers make me feel hydrated but all of them make me feel dry so if you have the right kind of foam cleansers then perfect for you but if you don’t wanna use one you can always use a regular face wash which doesn’t foam as much but does clean your face thoroughly.
You have to follow double cleansing every single day: Fiction
You can obviously skip double cleansing on days you don’t have base makeup on or on days you stayed indoors. Basic moisturizers or physical sunscreen do not need a heavy oil-based cleanser.
You should double cleanse because everybody else is doing it: Fiction
You do double cleanse because your skin needs it and not because its a trend otherwise you are just spending money on fancy products but don’t know how to use it right.
Types of cleansers:
1. Oil cleanser:
Now if you are someone who uses heavy makeup like foundation a lot of concealers and eye makeup and all of it waterproof then you need a heavy cleanser and only an oily based cleanser can be the most effective since oil breaks down the waterproof makeup faster. But if you have acne-prone skin be careful and use a cleanser which doesn’t have comedogenic properties especially oil like coconut oil.
Oil cleanser works great to remove waterproof mascara too without much tugging and pulling. I don’t use oil cleansers personally, I prefer balms more since I add and subtract cleansing steps according to how much makeup I have put on. But according to a lot of reviews the Face shop bright cleansing oil is the best so if you want to try it out you can start with that.
2. Cleansing Balms:
These are quite the trend right now and something I prefer using myself since they are easy to use and one tub of any cleanser lasts you a long time so no constant repurchasing. When you rub some between your palms it melts into oil which when comes in contact with water it emulsifies. my fav is the clinique one since I have used that for quite some time now and it doesn’t burn my eyes but the cleansing balms from The Earth Rhythm are really good and they have a lot of varieties my only problem with the one I’m using is that it does burn my eyes maybe because it has natural AHA so I have to use something else for my eyes and that makes an extra step for me. Also, Dot&Key has one cleansing balm and a lot of people say its good, I still have to test that out.
3. Micellar water:
This is something that all of us have heard about and used at some point in time. Micellar water came into the trend as a quick way of cleansing your face and skipping steps but that’s not how micellar water works. This helps in breaking down your makeup quickly but you have to follow it up with a face wash afterward. This is great to use if you apply light makeup which isn’t waterproof like BB cream or just some blush and bronzer. If you apply sunscreen every day and you feel a face wash doesn’t do a good job then you can use some micellar water before. Everyone’s fav is the Garnier one but I prefer the Bioderma or the Simple one since it does a better job and doesn’t stink my eyes.
4. Bi phased makeup removers:
Its basically Micellar water but infused with oil. This is better if your makeup is light but waterproof and you want something stronger then plain micellar water. There are a lot of Bi phased makeup removers available in the market but the famous one right now is the Garnier one which I’m okay with on the face but for me, this doesn’t work around the eyes as it stinks my eyes and makes it red.
5. Eye and lip makeup remover:
This is better for those of you who only apply eye makeup like kajal or liner and lipsticks. This way you can use a targeted remover and then proceed with your face wash. This helps in cutting down the steps on a regular basis. This is also good when you apply a lot of eye makeup which a cleansing balm can’t clean off. So you can use this before and remove your eye and lip makeup then proceed with your cleansing oil or balm to remove your base makeup. I always use a separate eye and lip remover because most of the days I just apply some liner, mascara, and lipstick and for a lot of waterproof mascara you need a separate remover. My all-time fav is the Body Shop one but the clinique and simple ones are good too
6. Cleansing pads or reusable makeup remover cloths:
Now, this trend is something I’m totally behind because this is more pocket-friendly and good for the environment. These pads are easy to use since all you have to do is soak them in warm water and then wipe it on your face but see that you don’t tug too much or too hard. This removes your makeup without any use of cleansing balms or oils and can be washed with water easily.
Now my personal experience I have used the mini eraser and I hated it. It didn’t remove any makeup for me and make my skin around my eyes red so I don’t use that anymore but you can check out a similar type available in Miniso that works better then the makeup eraser and it’s much cheaper. I haven’t used the Halo it’s a little out of my budget. My favorites are the Eath Rhythm ones especially the charcoal ones. I tend to use cleansing balm beforehand to soften the makeup but if I have light makeup or just sunscreen just the cotton pad with water works fine for me. It even removes makeup from around my eyes like stubborn mascara without pulling out my lashes. I have stopped using cotton small pads (disposable ones) to a great extent because of this. These are also great to remove face masks. I’ll be doing a detailed review of these very soon.
7. Cleansing wipes:
I wouldn’t be recommending these anymore since the biodegradable versions aren’t available in India. If you are in a hurry or on the go then wet wipes are okay but on a daily basis it’s not good for your skin nor it’s good for the environment. But if you do want to get wet wipes for some reason I would suggest the simple ones.
8. Cleansing Milk:
Basically this works the same way as the oil or balm. These were in trend a few years ago but have been wiped out because of the use of cleansing balms. If you are more comfortable with cleansing milk you can always just stick with that. I’m pretty sure L’oreal still has cleansing milk. Cleansing Milk is more gentle on the skin so if you have very sensitive skin you would prefer this more.
9. Face Cleansers:
Now, this can be foam cleansers or just plain regular face washes. This is something you use after you have used one of the above-mentioned products or you can just use this by itself. It totally depends on your needs. Cleansing your face thoroughly at the end of the day is the main goal. Your face wash can be foaming or non-foaming totally depends on what your skin prefers. I like using foaming ones at the end of the night because I usually follow it up with hydrating serums and creams. But I also really like the Vilvah honey cleanser which doesn’t foam up but does clean my skin really well without stripping away the natural oils.
You can also use powder cleansers which are known as powder buff I just have the Body shop rice one and I haven’t really done a lot of research on them yet so that’s why I’m not talking about them in detail. I have used the Kama one which wasn’t my fav since it broke me out but if you like powder cleansers do try out the skinvilla ones.
10. Face tools:
Now, these are something that you can use with your face wash if you are not much into double cleansing and just wanted to stick to one face wash but are worried its not completely cleansing off your face then you can use any one of these tools. I prefer the Bronson one but there are others which I have reviewed up on my blog. I’ll link the reviews. CLICK HERE
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