We should all know by now that cleansing your face with a wash-off cleanser in the evening is imperative if you want to reduce the risk of breakouts. Things like makeup, sebum and dirt can accumulate on the skin’s surface and causes nasty breakouts if it isn’t removed—experts can agree on that. One thing that isn’t quite so black and white, however, is whether or not skin should also be cleansed in the morning.
Aesthetic skin specialist, Mariam Abbas, insists that facial cleansing in the morning is of utmost importance. “Absolutely everyone should cleanse their face in the morning and the cleanser is best removed with a damp mitt. Our skin is hard at work while we sleep; it produces natural oils, sweat and dead skin cells,” she reveals. And Abbas is far from alone with this mindset, in fact, Dr Alexis Granite, CeraVe Dermatologist, is in firm agreement. She says that cleansing in the morning “provides a fresh canvas on which to layer your skincare products, optimising their efficacy and absorption”.
However, many experts contest this and say that cleansing products might not be that important at all in the morning, providing you don’t have major skin concerns. “If you do not apply overnight leave-on products and you have no skin issues, then a cleanse with water in the morning is sufficient. If, however, you have oily skin or have applied overnight actives, then a wash-off cleanser with help lift off residue,” advises Dr Zainab Laftah, Consultant Dermatologist for La Roche-Posay.
Mostly, experts recommend whether or not you want to do a morning cleanse should be totally dependent on your skin type. “I recommend cleansing twice daily, particularly for those with oily and breakout-prone skin. However, your morning cleanse should be gentle. If you have very dry skin that is prone to redness, dry patches or eczema, a once-daily cleanse is enough,” says Dr Malvina Cunningham, Consultant Dermatologist at Skin+Me. If you think a morning cleanse is necessary for your skin, it is best to use a cream or balm cleanser to minimise dryness and irritation.
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