What is double cleansing and should you be doing it?

It’s the methodical skincare craze you need to know about

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The cornerstone of every good skincare routine, cleansing is essential when removing every last trace of makeup, sunscreen, and pollutant at the end of the day. Otherwise, it will be swimming in toxic chemicals and unable to repair and regenerate.

But if you thought simply reaching for a face wipe would suffice, you’re wrong because this could leave your skin looking tired, dull and prone to breakouts.

Enter double cleansing, which is exactly what it sounds like. You simply wash your face twice.

The more cynical among you might think the double cleanse has been whipped out of thin air by well-heeled beauty buffs in a bid to get you to part with more money, but actually there’s a lot more to this method than a mere marketing ploy.

An extension of your normal routine, double cleansing tackles two different types of impurities – makeup and the build-up of grime, which evidently require two different types of product.

Firstly, you need something oily to attract greasy dirt from the skin - make-up and sebum – and then a water-based product to eliminate other obstacles like sweat and environmental muck.

Oil cleansers have proved a real beauty hit in recent months and tend to be gentle enough to use on your eyes but be prepared for some serious panda eyes. Generally quite thick, they help to re-balance combination skin types and elimate residue without leaving skin feeling parched.

Simply massage a small amount onto your face, working with your fingertips to melt all the makeup before emulsifying with warm water and rinsing.

Secondly, you can take your pick from a milk, gel or even a clay-based formula depending on your skin’s needs and repeat the same technique. For a deeper cleanse, you can recruit the help of a gizmo like Foreo’s Luna Mini 2 which will help maximise the products efficiency.

If you have sensitive skin, you might only want to double cleanse on days when you’ve worn a lot of makeup and select your products with caution. Always use gentle cleansers and never use anything that makes your skin feel tight or sore.

A methodical cleansing ritual that promises to prove double the trouble for stubborn makeup and give you a pre-bed deep clean, this is the beauty craze you need to start now for softer, brighter and healthier looking skin.