The Right Way to Wash Your Face: 11 Tips for the Perfect Cleanse

woman washing face with sudsy cleanser

Stocksy

When washing our face, we tend to fall into two camps: the quick scrub and hop into bed camp, or the 10-step Korean skincare routine that we have to plan our entire night around camp. Proper cleansing is anything but basic but also doesn't have to involve seven different types of cleansers and exfoliators. There is a right way to wash your face and achieve healthy, clear skin, so we’ve outlined a routine on exactly how to do so.

We reached out to two dermatologists who detail how to wash your face, what ingredients to avoid, and when to apply skincare products. From washing off the day to prepping your skin for nighttime, keep reading for the best guide on how to properly cleanse your face.

Meet the Expert

  • Rachel Nazarian, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist at Schweiger Dermatology Group in New York City.
  • Marisa Garshick, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist of MCDS Dermatology in New York City.
01 of 11

Wash Your Hands First

Before you begin any skincare or makeup routine, you wash your hands first. When you wash your face with unclean hands, you are pushing dirt around on your face and are not leaving a blank canvas for your skincare products to work properly.

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Remove All of Your Makeup

Sometimes it's not enough to just wash with soap and water. A good makeup remover is key to making sure all of the residue is gone before you go in with your cleansers. Nazarian recommends either makeup-removing wipes with micellar water, such as the Bioderma Sensibio H2O Wipes ($12), or straight micellar water such as ISDIN Micellar Solution 4-in-1 ($35).

03 of 11

Use Lukewarm Water

Using hot water may feel nice, but it’s not doing your skin any favors. "Too hot or too cold can be damaging to skin, especially hot water, which is dehydrating and strips the skin of natural oils and can weaken skin over time. Lukewarm or tepid water is always best," says Nazarian. Lukewarm water is warm enough to help loosen dirt and sebum without stripping your skin.

Byrdie Tip

If you’re prone to redness, try cleansing with cool water, which helps constrict blood vessels.

04 of 11

Do a Double Cleanse

The benefits of double cleansing are plentiful—smoother skin, a more thorough clean, and better product absorption. Pollution, makeup, and some sunscreens can’t be removed with just one cleanse. Use a gentle cleansing milk or oil first to remove all of the grime that sits on top of your skin, and use a cleanser that suits your skin type—such as a powder cleanser, as one example—to finish the job.

However, Nazarian urges to proceed with caution, as over-cleansing is one of the most common mistakes that people make with their skin. "Double cleansing is not necessary unless you’re wearing lots of makeup. For those who wear heavier makeup, especially those products that are long-wear or smudge-proof, it’s necessary to first remove makeup with a more targeted cleanser, such as micellar water, and then rinse off with a traditional cleanser to remove all residue," she says.

For those who don't need to double cleanse, Nazarian loves the unscented Sensitive Skin Beauty Bar ($3), by Dove.

05 of 11

Avoid Cleansers with Sulfates

You know to avoid sulfates in your shampoo, but did you know there might be sulfates lurking in your cleanser? If you see sodium lauryl sulfate, ammonium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate, or ammonium laureth sulfate on the ingredients list, put that face wash down. Sulfates are surfactants that are used to cut oil from the skin, but they’re stronger than you need and will end up dehydrating your skin.

And while both derms are fans of the Dove Beauty Bar for sensitive skin, they caution the use of other bar soaps, as a traditional bar soap can be harsh and abrasive on the face. "Soap bars are historically known to be very alkaline and can disrupt the pH. Some traditional bar soaps also contain detergents and fragrances which although can clean the skin, will thus increase the pH of the skin," says Garshick. "When this happens, it disturbs the normal pH balance and can leave the skin irritated, dry, red and even flaky, stripping skin of its natural oils."

06 of 11

Massage Your Face

You need to give your cleanser time to work. And technique matters, too. Rather than scrubbing vigorously for 20 seconds, spend a full minute gently massaging your face in circular motions. This stimulates your lymphatic system, which encourages oxygen and blood circulation. You can also follow up with your favorite face massaging tool.

07 of 11

Don't Forget Your Neck

In case you haven’t heard it lately, your neck needs love, too. It’s one of the spots that show signs of aging first, mainly because it’s not a top priority in your skincare regimen. But your neck should be included in every step of your routine, starting with cleansing. When applying your creams and moisturizers, don't skip your neck. Using the remnants of your face cream on your neck doesn't count.

Byrdie Tip

Make sure your face wash reaches up to your hairline (another commonly neglected spot), or you could start to see breakouts forming there.

08 of 11

Pat Dry With a Clean Towel

Because the skin on your face is so delicate, avoid aggressive rubbing or pressure when drying the skin. Take extra care to gently pat it dry with a clean, soft towel. And it doesn’t need to be bone-dry when you’re done. It’s okay to leave a thin layer of moisture on your skin since the products you apply next will seal that in.

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Apply Skincare Within One Minute of Cleansing

The moment your skin starts to feel tight, you’ve waited too long to apply your products. Every second your skin is left bare, dry air is pulling moisture right out of it. To sidestep unnecessary dehydration, apply the first layer of your skincare regimen within one minute of drying off. "Exfoliators or acid serums should be applied to dry skin after cleansing the face with a gentle cleanser and lukewarm water," says Garshick of the first products to apply after a cleanse. "Products containing hyaluronic acid are best applied to damp skin."

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Apply Products in the Correct Order

According to Garshick, after cleansing, the order of skin care application should be toners or essences, serums, and then moisturizer to lock in all the products and hydrate the skin. "If you are also using an oil since oils tend to be occlusive, they are best applied at the end of a skincare routine," she says. "Sunscreen should always be applied as a last step in a morning skincare routine."

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Adopt a Routine

It’s the skin advice as old as time: Wash your face morning and night. The usual protest against this sage guidance is that in the mornings, your skin is still clean from the night before. But that’s not exactly the case. Overnight, your skin cells are hard at work, which means they’re secreting toxins and sebum. Wash your face in the morning to remove all that waste and secure better performance from your daytime products.

Article Sources
Byrdie takes every opportunity to use high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.
  1. Barel AO, Paye M, Maibach HI. Handbook of Cosmetic Science and Technology, Fourth Edition. CRC Press; 2014.

  2. Barel AO, Lambrecht R, Clarys P, Morrison BM, Paye M. A comparative study of the effects on the skin of a classical bar soap and a syndet cleansing bar in normal use conditions and in the soap chamber test. Skin Res Technol. 2001;7(2):98-104. doi:10.1034/j.1600-0846.2001.70208.x

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