The Power of Double Cleansing: What It Is, Benefits & How to Do It Properly
Cleansing is the first and most important step in any skincare routine. Without a clean canvas, even the most advanced serums and moisturisers will sit on top of residue and skin rather than absorbing where they're needed most. However, cleansing properly means more than just a quick swipe with a makeup wipe. True cleansing involves a formula designed to be used twice a day, which lifts away impurities, excess oil, and pollutants, while respecting the skin's delicate barrier rather than stripping it. Leaving your complexion refreshed and ready for the rest of your routine.
And then there’s double-cleansing, a two-step process using an oil-based cleanser first and following with a water-based cleanser to provide a deeper and even more thorough cleanse. However, with over-cleansing and barrier damage now a genuine concern for many, there are increasing conversations being had asking whether double cleansing is truly necessary for everyone, or a skincare step too far.
✓ The double cleansing method is washing your face twice for an even deeper cleanse
✓ Double cleansing involves an oil-based cleanser followed by water based cleanser to help remove sunscreen, makeup, excess oil and pollution more effectively
✓ Not everyone needs to double cleanse every day - skin type, SPF use and lifestyle determine whether it’s beneficial
✓ Barrier-friendly cleanser choice matters more than aggressive cleansing
What Is Double Cleansing?
Double cleansing is a two-step cleansing method that uses two different types of cleansers to more effectively remove sunscreen, make-up, excess oil and daily impurities from the skin.
The first cleanse focuses on dissolving oil-based impurities, think SPF, makeup, sebum, and pollution, which can be difficult to remove with water alone. This step typically calls for an oil cleanser, as these formulas work on a "like dissolves like" principle, binding to oil-based residue and lifting it from the surface of the skin with ease.
The second cleanse provides a deeper cleanse to the skin (as the majority of the grime has been washed away already), sweeping away anything that remains. This is usually achieved with a foam, gel, or water-based cleanser, which can effectively cleanse the skin without disturbing the work already done by the first formula.
Unlike a regular cleanse, which relies on a single formula to do every job at once, double cleansing separates the process into two distinct stages, each targeting a different type of impurity. For the method to work as intended, the two cleansers used need to be different in formulation, rather than using the same formula twice.
Benefits of Double Cleansing
When done correctly, double cleansing offers several advantages over a single cleanse, particularly for those wearing SPF or makeup daily, or living in more polluted environments.
Is Double Cleansing Necessary?
Not everyone needs to double cleanse. And not everyone needs to double cleanse every day. Whether it's necessary depends largely on your skin type, lifestyle, and the products you wear on your skin day to day.
The point of double cleansing is to ensure a thorough, residue-free cleanse, particularly for those who wear heavy SPF or makeup, have oily or congested skin, live in a polluted city environment, or exercise regularly and accumulate sweat. For these groups, a single cleanse may struggle to fully remove the build-up of the day, leaving behind residue that can contribute to congestion or dullness over time.
For others, especially those with drier or more sensitive skin, who wear minimal product or spend a lot of time indoors, a single gentle cleanse may be perfectly sufficient. Double cleansing every day isn't a requirement for healthy skin, and overdoing it with harsh formulas or excessive cleansing can disrupt the skin barrier rather than support it.
Can Double Cleansing Damage the Skin Barrier?
Double cleansing itself is not inherently damaging, but the way you cleanse can be. The skin barrier is a delicate network of lipids and proteins that keeps moisture in and irritants out. When we over-cleanse or reach for harsh, stripping surfactants, we risk disrupting this balance, leaving skin vulnerable to sensitivity, dehydration, and inflammation.
And there are key warning signs to look out for that may indicate you are over-cleansing: skin feeling tight, looking red or becoming reactive. Squeaky-clean is not the goal; comfortable and balanced is.
Those with drier or more sensitive skin types should also be particularly mindful. Double cleansing twice daily, morning and evening, is rarely necessary. Cleansing with the right formulas, used at the right frequency, makes all the difference.
Can All Skin Types Try Double Cleansing?
Yes, double cleansing is suitable for all skin types, but the approach should be tailored to your skin's individual needs. A one-size-fits-all routine rarely exists in skincare, and cleansing is no exception.
Those with oily, combination, or blemish-prone skin tend to find double cleansing most beneficial, as it offers a more thorough removal of excess sebum and congestion-causing impurities. For drier skin types, those with heightened sensitivity, or anyone with a compromised barrier, it’s best to be slightly more cautious and limit double cleansing to evenings or on days when wearing heavy makeup and SPF.
Whichever skin type you have, the second cleanse is where personalisation matters most. This step should actively address your skin's specific concerns, whether that's balancing oiliness, calming sensitivity, or supporting hydration.
How to Double Cleanse
Now you know more about double cleansing, here’s how to do it:
Double-cleansing top tips:
✓ Look for non-stripping formulas
✓ Avoid over-cleansing and be gentle - avoid harsh scrubbing and rubbing
✓ Follow with serum and moisturiser to lock in hydration and provide targeted skincare benefits
✓ Choose products that suit your skin’s needs
✓ Consistency is key to seeing results and you need to be cleansing your skin every day
A Double Cleansing Routine for Your Skin Type
The key to double cleansing is choosing two products that work for your skin type and concerns so that you can feel confident that you’re starting your routine right.
Dry or Sensitive Skin
The priority is gentleness above all else. Look for fragrance-free formulas, as fragrance is one of the most common triggers for sensitised skin.
Lipid-Balance Cleansing Oil™ effortlessly lifts away makeup and sunscreen while nourishing and supporting the skin barrier. Total Moisture Daily Cleansing Gel contains ingredients that nurture the skin’s microbiome, leaving skin feeling soothed and soft and not stripped.
Congested or Blemish-prone skin
Congested skin benefits from a more thorough cleanse, but thorough should never mean harsh. It may seem counterintuitive to use an oil cleanser, but it will lift impurities away without stripping the skin, and this is key, as overly stripping cleansers can trigger the skin to overproduce oil in response.
Lipid-Balance Cleansing Oil™ not only removes makeup and sunscreen, but it also draws out any impurities that can lead to congestion. Clarifying Foam contains a blend of AHA and BHAs to lightly exfoliate, dissolve impurities and reduce and prevent imperfections in blemish-prone skin.
Heavy Makeup Wearers
Lifting and removing makeup effectively and efficiently are key as you want to ensure that every trace of makeup is taken away before applying any skincare.
As the majority of makeup is oil-based, an oil-based cleanser such as Lipid-Balance Cleansing Oil™ makes light work of dissolving and lifting makeup away. The Smart Surfactant System™ in Total Moisture Daily Cleansing Gel removes anything remaining while creating a pillow-soft lather to reduce any irritation.
Oily Skin
Similarly to congested skin, an oil-based cleanser will keep the skin balanced and prevent it from overproducing sebum, and ingredients like salicylic acid exfoliate and decongest pores from within.
While Lipid-Balance Cleansing Oil™ removes every trace of makeup and skincare it also deeply nourishes the skin and supports the skin barrier. Leaving Pore Cleanse Gel™ Intense, and its combination of AHA and BHAs (including salicylic acid) to gently but effectively exfoliate pores from within, smooth the skin and decongest.
Why Cleanser Formulation Matters
Not all cleansers behave in the same way. The effectiveness and comfort of cleansing, whether you’re double or single cleansing, depends on choosing a formula that works with your skin barrier and not against it.
The skin's natural pH sits at a mildly acidic 4.5–5.5, and this is the environment that supports a balanced microbiome and a functioning barrier. Overly alkaline cleansers (like traditional bars of soap) can disturb this balance, disrupting the delicate ecosystem of bacteria that keeps skin healthy, undermining barrier function, and depleting natural hydration levels.
The goal of any cleanser should be to remove everything that shouldn’t be there, such as pollution, SPF, and excess sebum, without disturbing anything. This is why surfactant choice matters. Harsh surfactants cleanse aggressively; gentle alternatives lift impurities effectively whilst respecting the skin's integrity.
Hydration during the cleansing step is equally important. Look for formulas that incorporate hydrating actives, ensuring that even the cleansing stage contributes to a comfortable, balanced complexion rather than leaving skin feeling depleted.
We have incorporated all these elements into our latest innovation, Total Moisture Daily Cleansing Gel, a universal cleanser that maintains skin hydration levels until your next cleanse.[1]
This is thanks to Moisture Magnets™ that immediately rehydrate the skin even after cleansing and help improve skin barrier function over time, Prebiotic Inulin that reduces any disruption to the skin and our unique Smart Surfactant System™ that provides a gentle, creamy lather that lifts away dirt and makeup while providing a deep cleanse and leaving the skin feeling hydrated.
[1] Proven via independent clinical study conducted over 4 weeks on 66 participants with all skin types using corneometer to test skin hydration levels. Measurements taken after 1st
cleanse, and 8 hours after first cleanse.
How often should you double cleanse?
There's no universal rule; double cleansing can be done daily or just a few times a week, depending on your lifestyle and skin's needs.
The evening is generally the best time to double cleanse, as this is when skin has accumulated a full day's worth of SPF, makeup, oil, and environmental pollutants that benefit from a thorough two-step removal.
In the morning, a single cleanse is usually sufficient, as there's little to remove beyond the light residue of overnight skincare and any oil produced while sleeping.
Some people only need to double cleanse occasionally or on specific evenings, rather than as a daily habit. If you don't wear make-up and spend most of your time indoors, perhaps working from home, your skin may not need nightly double cleansing. On the other hand, those living in cities or exposed to higher levels of daily pollution may find their skin benefits from cleansing twice every evening.
If you're new to double cleansing, we recommend starting once or twice a week and adjusting based on how your skin responds.
Should you exfoliate after double cleansing?
Not necessarily. Double cleansing and exfoliating serve two different purposes: double cleansing removes build-up such as SPF, makeup, oil, and pollutants, while exfoliation removes dead skin cells from the skin's surface.
It's worth being cautious about exfoliating immediately after a thorough double cleanse, particularly if your first cleanser was quite active or your skin already feels slightly stripped. Layering exfoliation on top of this can compromise the skin barrier and lead to irritation, sensitivity, or redness, especially with frequent use.
That said, some exfoliating cleansers can be used as the second step in a double cleanse, offering a gentle way to combine the two without adding an extra product to your routine. How often this is appropriate depends largely on skin type. Oily or congested skin may tolerate an exfoliating second cleanser more regularly, as it can help manage excess sebum and prevent build-up in the pores. Sensitive or reactive skin needs to be more cautious and limit exfoliating to once or twice a week.
Is double cleansing right for everyone?
Double cleansing is a technique, not a skincare rule. It is not something every skin type needs every single day, but rather a tool to reach for when your skin genuinely calls for it: after long days, heavy SPF application, or makeup wear.
The most effective cleansing routine is one built around your individual skin. Your skin type, lifestyle, environment, and daily SPF habits should all inform how and how often you cleanse.
What works for oily skin may be entirely unsuitable for dry or reactive complexions.
Perhaps most importantly, more cleansing does not equal healthier skin. Stripping and over-cleansing can undo the very results you are working towards.
All of our cleansers are powerful enough to remove makeup, sunscreen and daily impurities in one single cleanse, but if you’re looking to elevate your cleansing routine, without disturbing anything, then double cleansing is the way forward.
Frequently Asked Questions
Double cleansing works in two steps: an oil-based cleanser first dissolves SPF, makeup, and sebum, before a water-based cleanser follows to remove any remaining impurities, leaving skin thoroughly yet gently cleansed.
No. However, using harsh or pore-clogging formulas or over-cleansing can disrupt the skin barrier and trigger excess sebum production, potentially worsening breakouts.
It’s up to you. Even without makeup, SPF, pollution, and excess sebum accumulate on the skin throughout the day. Double cleansing ensures these are fully removed, but it may not be necessary every day.
There is no need to double cleanse in the morning. If you are going to double cleanse then just in the evening will suffice.
Double cleansing is suitable for everyone, but that doesn’t mean you have to do it. On days you’re wearing heavy makeup, sunscreen or have been exposed to pollutants, it’s a great way to ensure a thorough cleanse.
Not if done correctly. The key is choosing the right cleansers for your skin type. Make sure you have a gentle hydrating cleanser for your second step and avoid harsh formulas, which can strip the skin's natural moisture barrier.
No. Double cleansing thoroughly removes excess sebum, sunscreen and impurities, which means the skin is less likely to overproduce oil to compensate for blocked pores.
Yes. A micellar water or cleansing balm works just as effectively as a first cleanse to dissolve makeup and SPF.