When you don’t know how to double cleanse your face properly, it can leave you with skin that is dull, dehydrated and acne-prone. Therefore, introducing a double cleansing routine every night is a must! This 2-step nighttime cleansing routine will leave you with glowing and moisturised skin the next morning. And if you’re wondering what is double cleanse, here’s your guide on double cleansing at home and everything you need to know.
What is double cleansing?
Double cleansing is a technique that involves cleansing your skin with two types of cleansers. In the double cleanse routine, first all the makeup and skincare products on the face are melted off the skin using an oil-based cleanser. It is then followed by a foaming cleanser to get rid of the dirt and the makeup that is broken down by the oil.
Benefits of double cleansing
1. Wipes off every last bit of makeup
Makeup and oil don’t go well together. Oils break down makeup and separate the components in the formula. Hence, when you use oil as the first step of your makeup removal process, it manages to dissolve every last scrap of foundation, blusher and even mascara on your skin. Whether it’s powder, liquid or cream, oil works spectacularly at getting rid of them all. This technique helps to sweep away the most stubborn products as well. And the best part about this? You don’t end up pulling and tugging on your skin to wipe off your makeup. This is gentle, effective and easy to use.

2. Leaves skin extra clean
Factors such as heat, pollution, grime and makeup take a serious toll on the health of your skin. So it’s important to cleanse your face thoroughly using either face wash, cleansing balm or micellar water at the end of the day. If you wear makeup every day, then including this step in your daily skin care routine is crucial. Double cleansing will hence leave your skin feeling extra clean.

3. Helps moisturise skin
Makeup wipes and micellar water can get abrasive on the skin. They’re especially harmful to people struggling with dry skin and they can end up severely irritating the skin. However, with double cleansing, the oil works as a mild moisturiser while it breaks down the makeup. And, even after using a cleanser, the skin doesn’t feel stripped of its natural oils.

How to double cleanse
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Take an adequate amount of facial oil in your palm and rub it between your hands. This will disperse the product on your palms evenly and thin it a little more by warming it ever so slightly. We recommend our tried-and-trusted product Lakmé Absolute Argan Oil Radiance Rinse Off Cleansing Oil for this. Its lightweight consistency gets the job done without feeling too thick and heavy on the skin.
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Rub the oil all over your face and you will see the liquid turn opaque in tints of the makeup you’re wearing. Massage it in the crevices using your fingertips and don’t forget to get your hairline and jawline.
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You may wipe it off with a tissue or directly wash it off with a face wash.
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Finally, wash your face with a foaming cleanser aka your regular face wash. If you have a lot of oil on your skin, you might need a little more face wash than usual, but the results will be noticeable.
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For a thorough second cleanse, we trust the Lakmé 9to5 Vitamin C Facewash With Microcrystalline Beads For Refreshed & Glowing Skin. It gently exfoliates the skin to clean your pores and adds a fabulous glow with vitamin C in the formula.
How to pick the best cleansers for your skin type
It is crucial to determine which facial cleanser formula is right for you based on your skin type, which can vary based on the season, changes in hormones or the environment. In addition, you can choose between a variety of facial cleanser options depending on your preferred texture.
Dry, sensitive skin
The signs: Itchy, flaky, or tight skin.
What you need: A cleanser that removes dirt and grime without depriving your skin of its oils. You should use a hydrating face wash that contains glycerin or essential oils, and whenever possible, avoid soap-based formulas.
Products to Try:
1. Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Cleanser Face Wash: This is a light, creamy cleanser that contains BioReplenish Complex to remove impurities while actively nourishing dry, depleted skin. it has an emollient, lipid-enriched formula that cleanses skin without stripping skin of vital proteins and lipids that defend against dryness.

2. Simple Kind To Skin Moisturising Facial Wash: This thoroughly washes away make-up, dirt, and other impurities from your skin, without leaving it feeling dry or dehydrated. Its gentle formula and moisturising properties deliver the perfect amount of hydration to your skin, leaving it cleansed, soft and smooth. It is a perfect moisture-balancing face wash enriched with Pro-Vitamin B5, Vitamin E, Bisabolol, and carefully blended with the purest possible ingredients and multi-vitamins.

Oily, acne-prone skin
The signs: Visible, large pores and shiny skin within minutes of cleansing.
What you need: A deep-cleaning oil-control face wash (charcoal ones are highly effective), and one that regulates oil production without drying your skin. Additionally, pH-balanced formulas will help prevent breakouts by slowing bacteria growth.
Products to Try:
1. Dermalogica Clearing Skin Wash For Oily & Acne-prone Skin: This foaming cleanser is part of the Active Clearing range that helps tackle acne, clear skin and reduce visible skin aging. Powered by prebiotic technology, this formula helps preserve skin's protective barrier and microbiome, while keeping skin clear. Encapsulated salicylic acid helps to clear clogged pores and smooth away dullness, while rice-derived antioxidant phytic acid helps to brighten skin. Menthol and camphor create a cooling effect, to leave skin looking radiant, healthy and balanced.



2. Dermalogica Clear Start Breakout Clearing Foaming Face Wash: This breakout-fighting, foaming wash deep cleanses and purifies the skin, and clears away dead skin cells, dirt and excess oils that clog pores and cause breakouts. It contains salicylic acid that penetrates deep into pores, clearing dead skin cells and trapped oils to help banish existing and future breakouts. It is also formulated with eight botanicals including tea tree, lavender and camellia sinensis, known for their abilities to gently soothe and calm irritated skin.

3. Simple Daily Skin Detox Purifying Facial Wash: This is uniquely formulated with a detoxifying blend of thyme, zinc and witch hazel to deeply cleanse dirt, oil and make-up while being gentle on the skin. It results in visibly clearer, fresh skin and instantly controlled shine from Day 1.

Combination skin
The signs: Oily skin on your T-zone (chin, forehead, and nose) with drier cheeks.
What you need: A formula that cleanses thoroughly while hydrating. It should remove dirt and oil without drying out the skin, just like a cleanser for dry skin. It’s ideal to use a face wash that hydrates skin while removing surface oil and protecting the lipid barrier.
Products to Try:
1. Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel Face Wash: This iconic cleanser, which contains naturally-foaming Quillaja Saponaria, gently rinses away toxins and debris to leave skin feeling smooth and clean. It has a refreshing lather thoroughly removes impurities, without disturbing the skin’s natural moisture balance.

2. Simple Kind To Skin Refreshing Facial Wash: Simple Kind To Skin Refreshing Facial Wash thoroughly washes away make-up, dirt and other impurities leaving your skin feeling clean, fresh, and revived. It helps to remove that extra oil without drying out skin, to help retain skin’s moisture. It contains triple purified water and vital vitamins such as Vitamin E and allantoin to help replenish, nourish, and soften your skin without irritation.

Normal skin
The signs: Even skin tone with no redness, flakiness, or shine, and only occasional breakouts.
What you need: Basically, anything that doesn't bother your skin. Cleansers with powerful (but non-drying) ingredients are a major plus. Ingredients that reduce ageing, tone, and hydrate provide major benefits.
Products to try:
1. Dermalogica Daily Glycolic Cleanser Brightening Face Wash: This brightening and conditioning cleanser renews dull, uneven skin tone and helps remove buildup caused by environmental factors. It contains glycolic acid that brightens by ungluing dulling dead skin cells for radiant, healthy-looking skin. It also contains a blend of soothing calendula extract and nourishing jojoba seed oil to help condition and replenish skin while maintaining the skin’s lipid barrier.

2. Lakmé Blush & Glow Strawberry Freshness Gel Face Wash With Strawberry Extracts: This gives your skin a gorgeous strawberry-kissed glow, every day. The face wash has fruit antioxidants and beads that deeply cleanse your skin, washing away dirt and other impurities.

FAQs
Is double cleansing necessary for everyone?
Although double cleansing isn't essential, it may prove beneficial for certain skin types. People with oily skin are a good example. Generally, using two gentle formulas combats excess oil better than a strong formula that could dry the skin out.
Should you double cleanse if you don’t wear makeup?
The truth is, that oil cleansers can do a lot more than just remove makeup. They also help lift away oil-based impurities on our skin such as excessive sebum (which we all produce), and various other pollutants that are deposited on our skin during the day or at night.
Oil cleansers help to break down SPF in the sunscreen, which you should always wear. Once the oil-based gunk on the surface is removed, your water cleanser will be able to penetrate deep into pores and eliminate deep-seated impurities. The benefits of oil cleansers go far beyond just getting rid of your makeup, so it doesn't matter if you wear makeup or not.
Now you’ve got all the info you need on how to double cleanse, why not try this for yourself? Let us know how you get on in the comments...
Written by Kinnari Ashar on 14th Jul 2022