Let’s be honest. Sometimes cleansing at night is a real chore. You’re tired after a long day, your partner’s already cozied up in bed {because he shampooed his entire head in the shower ~ yes, that’s a thing}, & there’s a distinct possibility that if you close your eyes to remove the mascara, you might just fall asleep right there in front of the sink {like you already did trying to get your kids to sleep}. I understand, I do. I feel it. The struggle is so real, but, my friends, the difference it will make to your skin is so worth it!

We all want that fresh, dewy skin that doesn’t require foundation or concealer to be presentable. Wouldn’t you love to face the world in nothing but SPF moisturizer & a lick of mascara? The only way to achieve that is by committing to a solid, effective skin care routine, & the foundation of any solid, effective skin care routine is proper cleansing, for your skin type, morning & night.

Yes. Morning & night. Single cleanse in the morning, double cleanse at night.

I hear you asking {as many clients have done} why do I need to cleanse in the morning? The miracle that is the human body, with the help of circadian rhythms, uses the time that we are in deep, restful sleep to regenerate & repair itself. This produces a lot of cellular waste & biological debris, which, in part, is excreted through the skin. So, there it is resting on the surface of our skin waiting, if we don’t cleanse, to be locked under a layer of make up. The make up that we are using to cover up the dull, lackluster skin that is the result of said overnight activities… How’s that for a vicious cycle? A quick cleanse {some brightening Vitamin C, hydrating Hyaluronic Acid, topped off with moisturizer and SPF} instantly provides visible radiance & improves the overall health of your skin.

Obviously, in the evening we want to remove any make up we have worn through the day, but did you know that our dutiful skin, as our first line of defense, has spent the day deflecting & absorbing bacteria, allergens & all manner of pollutants? So even if you are not wearing make up, a double cleanse is a definite must for a solid, effective skin care routine.

As a first cleanse, my go-to is an oil based cleanser. It sounds crazy, I know. Most people, particularly those with oily skins, actively try to avoid putting oil on their skins. Let me tell you though, there are benefits to all skin types when an oil based cleanser is used.

Oil is the most effective & gentle means of breaking down oil. So, my oily skinned friends, oil based cleansers will melt down any make up {which are almost always oil based themselves}, remove that oily build up on the surface of your skin that has been collecting through the day &, he’s the kicker, if you suffer congestion, blackheads or clogged pores the oil based cleanser will help to soften & breakdown the impactions, either for ease of extraction, or as a more gentle means of eradicating them over a longer period of time.

For those with dry skins, oil based cleansers are a beautiful way to begin the softening and nourishing process {as well as being a gentle way to remove make up}. Oil is an essential part of a healthy skin. Skin NEEDS oil to protect itself & hold in moisture, & being a dry skin myself, there’s something very comforting & soothing about my oily first cleanse each night. {& dry skins are not immune to congestion, blackheads or clogged pores, either!}

Your second cleanse is to actually cleanse your skin. With your make up gone, your precious skin now needs to be cleansed more specifically. This is where your skin type appropriate cleanser comes in ~ usually the same cleanser you use in the mornings. Dry skins will like a creamy cleanser, or a foaming cleanser that is still rich and not stripping of oils. Oily skins will prefer a gel or foaming cleanser.

The best way to tell a cleanser that will work for your skin is how your skin feels after you’ve cleansed. If you feel like you MUST put your moisturizer on directly after cleansing, then it’s taking too much oil from your skin. Your skin should feel comfortable & like it doesn’t need moisturizer {even though you will apply your serums & cream}. A skin that is hungry for moisturizer does not receive the full treatment benefits of the moisturizer. The cream is merely correcting what the cleanser has done to your skin. You just won’t see any improvements with this continual back & forth pattern.

Similarly, an oily skin will require a cleanser that is able to effectively remove excess oil. A creamy cleanser will only weigh the skin down & cause lotions and creams to not penetrate correctly ~ which renders them useless. Not to mention the fact that it could lead to more breakouts by trapping oil in the pore.

Another point worth mentioning is that Toners should not be used as a part of your cleansing routine. Toners have a specific function ~ they correct the pH of your skin so that it will accept the active ingredients in your treatment serums & moisturizer most readily. These days, because many cleansers are pH balanced, they are also a means of delivering extra hydration to the skin aiding your skin’s ability to utilize those active ingredients. Seeing make up or ‘dirt’ on the cotton pad you tone with is a sign that your cleansing was not adequate. {Tsk, Tsk,Tsk.}

In the next post, I’ll talk about exfoliation, another preparatory phase of our solid, effective skin care routine!