Double cleansing is an extra step in skincare that has been long practiced in Korea. And as K-beauty fans, many of us have been applying this to our routines. But it turns out, just like the 10-step Korean skincare regimen, it's not for everyone.
What is double cleansing exactly?
Double cleansing is exactly what it sounds like: It involves washing your face twice, but with two different types of cleansers. The first step is using a cleansing oil or balm. This will help you *melt* every bit of makeup off, as well as excess oil and dirt. (Oil dissolves oil.) Then, you can proceed with using a regular water-based cleanser for a ~deeper~ clean.
Is double cleansing necessary?
The short answer? It depends! "Double cleansing is not for everyone," board-certified dermatologist Dr. Kat Abat-Pablo explained in a TikTok video, as over-cleansing can do more harm than good to your skin, such as dagaming the barrier. "Those who will benefit from double cleansing are those who number one, wear water-resistant or waterproof makeup [and] sunscreen. Number two, those people with very oily skin."
@katabatmd Replying to @Notification Is double-cleansing for you? #fyp #DrKat #kdermatology #kdermatologyph #dermatologist #dermatologistph #dermaph #acne #pimples #edutok #eduph #learnitontiktok #skintok #skintokph #skincareph ? original sound - Dr. Kat Abat-Pablo | Derma
Dr. Kat also pointed out that there's no need to "double cleanse in the morning." She added, "Double cleansing is usually done at night to make sure that you remove all of that oil, gunk, dirt, makeup, and sunscreen from your face so that your nighttime skincare can actually work better. So is there a need to do it in the morning? Actually, no because kung natulog ka lang naman and then the only [thing] you [applied] to your face was your nighttime skincare, there's no need to double cleanse in the morning. In fact, if you have very dry skin and sensitive skin, it's actually acceptable to just wash your face in the morning."
If you're still unsure whether you need to double cleanse or not, here's a tip from another board-certified dermatologist Dr. Katrina Luz (a.k.a. @askyourderma on TikTok): "You can do a test. You can [wash your face using] like a mild cleanser." Then, "[Grab] a cotton pad. Try to see if may naiwan na residue. If meron, then that means you might have to double cleanse that night. If wala, then there's no need to double cleanse na so basically, you have to tailor or adjust cleansing based on what you've applied as well as the activities you had during the day. It's not necessary for you to do it, and it's not necessary to do it daily."
@askyourderma Reply to @kierleigh3 Double cleansing is it a must? #AskYourDerma #AskedMyDermaAndSheMadeMeDoIt #AskYourDermaAnswers #dermatologist #skincare #skincareroutine #doublecleansing #cleansing #cleansingbalm #cleansingoil #cleansingtips #skinbarrier ? original sound - AskYourDerma
