How to best use cleansers - the chemists' double cleansing guide

How to use a cleanser sounds like almost a silly question. It’s something that most of us have been doing since we’re kids. But! Being mindful in how you approach your cleansing routine can make a huge difference in your skincare routine. After all, a thorough cleanse can help prevent skin damages caused by enironment pollutants, minimize breakouts, and maxmize the efficacy of your active ingredients. So in this blog post, we’ll go over what are the two main staples in your cleansing routine, if you have to double cleanse, differences between balm, oil, cream, and gel cleansers, and some top tips to keep in mind to get the most out of your cleansing routine. 

Two Main Cleanser Types: water-based and oil-based

Of course, there are a lot more than just two main types of cleansers. But the two main types that are most likely your daily staples are: water-based and oil-based cleansers.

Oil-based cleansers are your cleansing oils and cleansing balms. The telltale sign of an oil-based cleanser is that there’s absolutely no water in its ingredient list at all. If you choose to double cleanse, an oil-based cleanser should come first. The oils will break apart allt he dirt, grime, sweat, makeup, sunscreen on skin, then you just rinse everything off with wter.

Water-based cleansers are more traditional cleansers that can exist in every format imaginable. In fact, water-based cleansers just about covers every cleansing format that’s not oils or balms. However, of allt he formats, gel and cream cleansers are the most common. In water-based cleansers, the surfactants (ingredients that have an affinity for both water and oil)will interact with your skin’s dirt & grime, wrapping them up in little packets of oil ready to be rinsed off by water.

Do I have to double cleanse?

To start, one of the top questions we always get is: what is the deal with double cleansing? Should I be doing that? In short, double cleansing is having a two-step cleansing routine where you start by using a balm or oil cleanser followed by the more “traditional” water-based cleanser like a gel or cream cleanser. This is a fantastic way to make sure your face is thoroughly cleansed daily. That said, we wouldn’t say that this is something you absolutely have to do. If you have a reliable cleanser that you’re happy with, and you aren’t using heavy-duty sunscreen or makeup, one-step cleansing should be enough. 

Cleansing Balm vs. Cleansing Oil

If you do choose to go with a double cleansing routine, you should start with either a cleansing balm or oil.  While these are very effective at removing the most stubborn makeup, sunscreens, and dirt, when not formulated well, they can also create a hot, greasy residue-y mess. So one of our top tips for choosing the best cleansing balm or oil is to pick one that leaves little to no residue. A well-formulated cleansing oil/balm should feel like double cleansing is optional. This is true for all skin types, and especially important for those with oily skin to avoid breakouts.

We would generally recommend those with oily skin to stick with cleansing oils as cleansing balms can leave much more stubborn residues that may impact breakout potential of your routine. Dry skin folks can enjoy either type just pending your own personal preference. A couple of greasy luggage mishaps later, we tend to use oil cleaners at home and take cleansing balms on the go. 

Cleansing Gel vs. Cream

Regardless of how many steps are in your routine, a more “traditional” water-based cleanser should be in everyone’s routine. These are perfect as the second step in a double cleanse routine, or as a standalone option. This is also the category that can get the most confusing… fast. 

The top question we have is “I should get a cleansing gel for oily skin and cream cleanser for dry skin right?”. Sadly the world of cleansers is not so straightforward. Whether or not a cleanser is right for you is largely determined by its “surfactant system”. These are ingredients that are responsible for the “cleansing” aspect of the formula. So it’s entirely possible to create really harsh, stripping cream cleansers, really gentle gel cleansers, and vice versa. If you’re interested on this topic check out our comprehensive guide to cleansers pt 1, pt 2, as well as our book Skincare Decoded. 

So if the format doesn’t really matter, how do I pick out a good cleanser? Though cleansing is definitely a subjective category, here are some top tips to keep in mind:

• Foam level: cleansers can range from luxurious thick lather to just a snotty gel sliding around on your face. This is honestly just a preference thing, though lower foam products are often a bit more gentle.
• After feel: it should leave skin thoroughly clean, but avoid that “squeaky” feel, especially if you have dry skin!
• Evaluation time: Other than your own personal use experience preference, you should have a good idea if a cleanser is good for your skin or not in about a week or two. For those with dry skin, this means this new cleanser hasn’t caused you to feel more dry. For those with oily skin, this means this cleanser can keep your skin congestion at a minimum.

What about exfoliating cleansers?

For both gel and cream cleansers, you’ll often find ones that also have ones that have glycolic or salicylic acid to help add a bit of exfoliation power to your routine. These can be great to boost the efficacy of your routine, especially for those with oily acne-prone skin. Your routine may already be packed with other active ingredients - so a cleanser with chemical exfoliants is a great way to add some AHAs and BHA to your routine without adding yet another layering step. 

This can also serve as the second step in a double-cleansing routine. You can learn more about exfoliating cleansers and ones with physical exfoliants in our guide here. 

How to (best) use different types of cleansers?

To get the most out of your cleansing routine, we first have to understand the best ways of applying and using each types of cleansers. 

• Oil/Balm cleansers go first on dry skin. Massage thoroughly then massage skin with water to emulsify the oil/balm to remove dirt, grime, and makeup. 
• Cleansing gels or cream cleansers go second. No need to to aggressively rub face! Gentle circular motion is the way to go here.
• Application time: Take your time! Doing it for at least 30 seconds to a minute can make a bit difference in terms of how thorough the cleanse is. We too are sometimes guilty of casually lathering a cleanser for 10 seconds and hope for the best. But with the sheer amount of makeup removal and sunscreen removal tests we have done, take it from us, taking your time matters. 

Key Takeaways

Double cleansing can be a great way to ensure your skin is thoroughly clean, but it’s not a one-size-fits-all .The key is to listen to your skin and adjusting accordingly. By understanding the role of different types of cleansers and how to best use them, you can ensure that your skincare routine is starting off on the right track each night.