It seems simple at first. But there’s more to this skincare trend than meets the dermis, which is why you may want to read this guide before you try it for yourself.
When it comes to purifying your face, myths and methods abound—and sometimes the beauty industry is complicit in reinventing the playbook to sell you more products. You may have heard that a clean face should be as taut as a snare drum and squeak to the touch. Neither is true. In fact, your face should never feel tight; if it does, it’s a sign that you have stripped away all of its natural and necessary oils.
Double cleansing is a popular skincare trend that helps support your skin’s barrier. It’s easy to learn how to double cleanse, and it’s important to learn why we double cleanse. The answer might surprise you, and it will definitely teach you something you didn’t know about your skin.
What is a double cleanse?
Maybe you’ve seen a double cleanse tutorial on Instagram, or maybe you heard your friend mention it but forgot to follow up. We’ll spell it out: The definition of a double cleanse is to wash your skin twice. Most skincare guides recommend using a single cleanser; a comprehensive one, published in the New York Times’ T Magazine, helps define different varieties of cleansers, from balms to oils.
A double cleanse breaks this step into two. The first step is to prepare the skin to be fully cleansed, and usually involves taking off makeup, or surface-level impurities, using a lightweight cleanser. The second step focuses on washing the skin itself, and usually involves a heavier formula that can cleanse and nourish the skin’s deeper layers.
Using two cleansers when one is sufficient may seem counterintuitive, or excessive. But imagine a one-step cleansing routine applied to a full face of makeup—how much force would you need to effectively wash off the product and the skin underneath? The American Academy of Dermatology Association advises against “scrubbing” the skin, due to potential irritation, in favor of gentle applications and techniques. A double cleanse may “double” the product, but it makes your overall routine easier, by working twice as hard.
What is the origin of double cleansing?
Without detailed records of skincare throughout the ages, it’s hard to pin down exactly where double-cleansing originated. But most reports trace the trend back to Asia. In Japan, the Kyoto Cleanse—also known as the Double Cleanse—is the two-step protocol favored by geisha and now throughout the country, and is already part of your ritual if you purify with oil and polish with enzyme powder. Those two steps not only remove surface debris, sunscreen, and makeup, but also unclog pores and prep skin for hydration.
The practice has endured, and the term “doubles” is used to describe J-beauty routines involving two cleansers or two moisturizers. Double cleansing as we know it today may have been popularized by Korean beauty videos in the 21st century, according to a recent Vogue story, but it’s widely understood that double cleansing originated among Asian women, before the trend was exported to the Western world via social media.
Why should you double cleanse?
It’s difficult to think of a reason to not double cleanse. The practice has benefits for all skin types, and can help your skin look and feel better in the long run.
- It’s more effective. Here’s the easiest answer: Two washes are simply better than one. Most double cleanse routines use different formulas—an oil followed by a balm, or a micellar water followed by a cream. The first product cuts through surface-level impurities; the second product cleanses and conditions the skin. Sure, it’s one more step than a normal routine, but you would be hard pressed to find a single product that cleans better than two.
- It’s gentler on skin. A longer skincare routine isn’t always a better one, according to a recent report in Allure. But because the double cleanse method prioritizes gentle formulas, it’s a safe bet for sensitive skin types who are wary of irritating products and techniques.
- It’s just good skincare. The University of Tennessee’s Medical Center says it best: “Daily moisturizing is vital for healthy skin.” It’s not just to make skin look plump, but keeping your skin hydrated means giving it the nutrients it needs to create new proteins and sustain itself over time. While some face washes are known for stripping and squeaky-cleaning, double cleanse routines actually help the skin retain necessary moisture, while ensuring it is effectively and regularly purified.
Should you double cleanse once or twice a day?
There is no hard and fast rule for how often we should wash our faces, and the answer often depends on a variety of factors, from skin type to skin goals. But a double cleanse is most effective after a period in which our faces have accumulated makeup, sweat, dirt, or grime—in other words, after a long day.
A dermatologist at the Cleveland Clinic doesn’t use the term “double cleanse,” but recommends completely removing makeup before starting the rest of your routine at night before bed. In other words, if you double cleanse once, make it in the evening.
Of course, if you sweat while sleeping, or if you wear a lot of skincare products at night, you may want to start your day with a double cleanse. Proceed with caution. A 2022 British Vogue story quoted dermatologists who recommended only a light cleanser in the morning, and advised against over-washing skin. As always, chat with your dermatologist before setting into a particular skincare routine.
Do you need to double cleanse if you don't wear makeup?
Since the first step of a double cleanse is meant to wash off makeup, is it necessary if you don’t wear any? You may want to give it a try. Even if you don’t wear makeup, a double cleanse can help your skin feel cleaner than it would after a traditional single cleanse.
As some skincare-savvy Reddit users have pointed out, some sunscreens require a little more muscle to effectively wash off—a double cleanse could come in handy to get the job done. All in all, adopt the skincare routine that helps you look and feel your best.
What makes for a good double cleanser?
There are many formulas that make for a good double cleanse, but one of our favorites is oil. Washing your face with oil sounds counterintuitive, especially if your skin veers toward shiny both in the morning and at the day’s end. But water-based products and foaming cleansers can’t break down the natural sebum our skin produces—or the oils found in your makeup, particularly waterproof mascara and eyeliner. Like dissolves like, which is why oil works. So even your best soapy scrubbing effort at the sink won’t remove makeup residue and stubborn sunscreen if you’re not cleansing with oil.
What do you need to double cleanse?
We saved the easiest question for last. All you need is two products, two steps, and nothing else.
Step 1: Wash off makeup
For this step, you can use any product that dissolves makeup—like a micellar water, or biodegradable face wipe. The double cleanse routines descended from centuries-old Japanese skincare utilized oil-based formulas that could melt even the most stubborn makeup products clean off, so it’s no surprise that most double cleanse devotees advocate an oil cleanser for your first step. It’s wise to choose a product that expressly works on waterproof makeup, like the Camellia Cleansing Oil, which is crafted with tsubaki, or Japanese camellia oil— a featherweight botanical oil prized in Asia for its superb moisturizing activity—or the Indigo Cleansing Balm, which distills skin-soothing indigo into a makeup-melting balm. Remember: Every stitch of makeup should be removed before Step 2.
Step 2: Cleanse your skin
Many face cleansers promise to deliver ingredients that nourish the skin, but they can’t get there with junk in the way. Your skin has been washed: Now, unobstructed, it is ready to be cleansed. Choose a cleanser that’s matched to your skin type. Drier faces might like a creamier formula, like The Rice Wash, which is made with hyaluronic acid and Okinawa algae that bind water and replenish ceramides. Tatcha’s own double-cleanse protocol, known as the Kyoto Cleanse—named for the geisha beauty routines that inspired it—follows the Camellia Cleansing Oil to removed makeup with The Rice Polish to gently exfoliate. The beauty of double cleansing is that it works for all skin types. How many other skincare fads can make that claim?
