- First wash of a double cleanse removes make-up, the second cleans deeply
- Dermatologists and facialists say it helps anti-ageing products absorb
- Claire Coleman recommends products for each step
Do
you really need to wash your face twice? Multiple steps in a woman's
nightly cleansing regime have long been a part of our beauty ritual:
cleanse, tone and moisturise is a mantra most can recite - even if we
don't do it.
Nowadays,
however, there's yet another step: internet forums are full of beauty
devotees extolling the virtues of what is known as the 'double cleanse'.
Brands from Dermalogica to Superfacialist are offering pre-cleanse
products - wipes and oils designed to be used before your usual
cleanser.
But
is it all just a ploy to get us using - and buying - yet even more
products to clutter our bathroom shelves? According to dermatologists
and facialists, it makes perfect sense and most of them will advise this
sort of two-step process.
Don't go to bed with your make-up on: double cleansing rids your skin of sunscreen and make-up
Cynics
may say it's just a new way of telling us not to go to bed with our
make-up on, but experts say there is a lot more to it than that and
explain it thus: You cake your face with daily sun protection (or you
should) and foundation, both of which are designed to cling to the skin,
so before you can get to the skin to clean it, you need to get rid of
whatever is on top of it.
'It's a bit like getting rid of the mud caked on a pair of leather boots before you can clean the leather.
'Make-up is now formulated for its staying power, so it often needs a double cleanse to remove it thoroughly.
'In
double cleansing, the first cleanse removes most of the make-up,
bacteria, and grime and the second can do a deeper clean and remove the
make-up remover,' says Dr Susan Mayou, consultant dermatologist at
London's Cadogan Cosmetics clinic.
But
Harley Street-based therapist, Kate Kerr, who encourages all her
clients to double cleanse, says there's more to it than that.
'It's
not just about removing dirt and oil,' she says. 'It's about softening
the skin to make sure that anything you use subsequently is properly
absorbed.'
And, when you're applying anti-ageing products, in order to get the best from them, clean skin is a must.
Research
shows that skin which isn't properly cleaned not only looks dull,
thanks to a build up of dirt and dead skin, but that this surface layer
can prevent active ingredients getting to where they need to be.
Claire Coleman recommends this cleansing oil
A
study by Lancome showed that women who cleansed their skin properly saw
results from an anti-ageing product twice as fast as those who didn't,
while similar analysis by Olay found that 30 per cent more anti-ageing
product was absorbed into the skin when it was cleansed properly
compared to when it wasn't. So if you are using two cleansers, what type
should you be going for? Opinions differ, but it's about finding what
works well for your skin.
For
step one, when it comes to removing make-up, I'm a big fan of cleansing
oils or balms - they're particularly good if you suffer from dry skin
and some can even be used in the eye area, too, so you don't need a
separate eye make-up remover. I like ones that emulsify with water. I
then follow with a muslin or face cloth, to make sure my skin is clean.
Try Superfacialist Vitamin C+ Skin Renew Cleansing Oil (£10.99, boots.com) or Ren Rosa Centifolia No.1 Purity Cleansing Balm (£24, renskincare.com).
However,
facialist Kate Kerr says that if you're prone to breakouts, you should
avoid using anything oily. Instead, she recommends using eye make-up
remover to get rid of mascara and products around the eyes, and then a
cleansing milk - try Nivea Daily Essentials Sensitive Cleansing Milk
(£4.07, nivea.co.uk) or - La Roche Posay Physiological Cleansing Milk (£12, lookfantastic.com) and cotton wool to remove make-up.
But
she also advocates the use of a face cloth afterwards. 'You can't
splash off a foundation,' she says. 'Even if you've used cotton wool,
you should rinse the face afterwards, and use a cloth to make sure you
have removed everything.'
As for the second step, again, it is entirely personal. My preference is to use a skin brush - I like Philips Visapure (£75, boots.com) - in conjunction with a gentle gel cleanser, such as Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser (£15, kiehls.co.uk) or Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser (£8.35, feelunique.com).
'I
like the second step of cleansing to be something that deep cleans,'
says Kate Kerr. 'Using a cleanser that contains glycolic acid is a way
of gently exfoliating on a daily basis.' If you want to try an acid
cleanser, try Mario Badescu Glycolic Foaming Cleanser (£13.50, beautybay.com) or Elizabeth Arden Pro Gentle Facial Cleanser (£26, skinbrands.co.uk) which contains lactic acid.
But
those with sensitive skin should avoid exfoliating daily - whether with
a brush, or with an acid-based cleanser - instead alternate with a
simple gel cleanser massaged in without a brush.
The good news is that most experts agree you don't need to bother with a double cleanse in the morning.
However,
Kate recommends finishing every cleanse -morning and evening - by
pressing a warm face cloth into your skin before applying your serum or
moisturiser.
So,
wash away your scepticism about the benefits of cleaning your face
twice. It's not just an attempt to get us to part with more of our cash,
but a quick and easy way to make your anti-ageing products work even
harder - and more effectively.
And if that's not worth rinsing twice for, I don't know what is.
Read more:
- Superfacialist Vitamin C Skin Renew Cleansing Oil 200ml - Boots
- REN Skincare - Rosa Centifolia™ No.1 Purity Cleansing Balm
- NIVEA® Daily Essentials Sensitive Cleansing Milk 200ml - Boots
- www.lookfantasti...
- Philips VisaPure SC527510 Facial Cleansing Brush - Boots
- Ultra Facial Cleanser, Skincare & Body Care | Kiehl's Since 1851
- Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser 236ml - feelunique.com
- www.beautybay.co...
- Elizabeth Arden PRO - Skinbrands | the professional choice
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