You've Probably Been Washing Your Face Wrong This Whole Time And Here's Why

Fight oil with oil!

Hi there! I'm Patrice, a beauty writer here at BuzzFeed. I started a 10-step Korean skin care regimen a few weeks ago and my skin has never felt or looked better! I meannnn, get into this radiant glow.

Patrice Peck

#nofilter #nomakeup #exceptmyfilledinbrows

FYI, the 10-step routine involves using the following products twice a day: oil cleanser, water-based cleanser, toner, essence, treatments, eye cream, moisturizer, and sunscreen. Exfoliators and sheet masks are also involved (not daily though). Beauty Editor Essence also tried out the K-beauty regimen and wrote alllll about her monthlong experiment.

The complete routine takes mad long, about 10–15 minutes from start to finish. So if you're not tryna do all that because of time or coins, I recommend double cleansing at the very least.

Patrice Peck

Soooo, yes, double cleansing is technically two steps, but they're super easy. They're actually the first two of the 10 steps, so it's a great way to ease into the regimen.

First, you simply apply some oil cleanser to your face and massage it into your skin. Then you add some water to your face and massage it again so the cleanser can emulsify (aka turn milky). After that, you rinse it all off with warm water.

Patrice Peck

I've been using Etude House's Real Art Cleansing Oil Perfect for weeks now and have no complaints! It's lightweight, but you don't need much (I only use one pump's worth, 1.5 on a heavy makeup day). I also love how easily it glides on and how it gets slightly warm as I rub it in, giving me this at-home spa vibe that I look forward to after a long day of work.

Get Etude House's Real Art Cleansing Oil Perfect from Soko Glam for $18. Here are some more oil cleansers available on Soko Glam.

Next, you wash your face again, but this time with a water-based cleanser. Apply it, rinse it off, and you're done!

Patrice Peck

I started my double cleansing journey using Neogen's Cranberry Real Fresh Foam Cleanser. It was light and airy and very gentle. I ran out after about three months, which is pretty standard for a foam cleanser, and replaced it with Too Cool for School's Egg Mousse Soap Facial Cleanser because that's what I had lying around the house. This one comes out thick and fast like shaving cream, so a little goes a long way. Neither this or the Neogen cleanser left my skin feeling dried out, but my normal/combination skin just seems to be a bit more hydrated, even, and radiant using the Too Cool For School cleanser.

Get Neogen's Cranberry Real Fresh Foam Cleanser for $18 and Too Cool for School's Egg Mousse Soap Facial Cleanser for $20, both from Soko Glam.

Here are some more water-based cleansers available on Soko Glam.

Long story short: Double cleansing makes my skin really happy, so I'm happy! I'm just mad I'm only learning about it now at 30 -_-

Patrice Peck

Before double cleansing came into my life, I had a pretty standard face cleansing routine — washing once in the a.m. and once in the p.m. I'd also add makeup wipes to the mix whenever I had a heavy beat. I figured this routine was on point for my normal/combination skin, considering I'd never really experience acne or frequent pimples. But at the same time, I was never 100% cool with how dry or tight my face felt after each wash and I always felt like a bad Earth resident every time I used a makeup wipe.

Flash forward to my life post–double cleansing. My face feels soft and hydrated after each cleansing, which is MAJOR. And I never really have to use makeup wipes, just a little more oil cleanser than usual. (I did use wipes on Halloween, but I had a shit ton of makeup on, y'all!)

I do want to remind everyone, though, that I don't think double cleansing by itself automatically equals great skin. It's definitely still important to apply a moisturizer in the morning and at night, and a sunscreen in the morning (yes, you too, black and brown girls! It helps reduce dark spots and hyperpigmentation). What I do know is that replacing my old cleansing practice for this one has been a major game changer for my complexion and has really taken my overall skin care routine to the next level.

I figured that using oil to clean one's face might seem weird to some folks, especially those with oily skin. So I got the full breakdown on this practice from Diana Xiao, marketing manager at Soko Glam aka one of the largest online retailers for Korean beauty products.

MoPo Productions / Via giphy.com

"It really comes down to science," she told BuzzFeed. "Oil and water don't mix, so you need oil to attract other oil-based debris like sebum, makeup, SPF, and soot (aka pollutants). The water cleanser then removes any remaining impurities."

Comedy Central / Via giphy.com

"It might take a bit longer at night to wash your face twice, but it really helps clear you skin, especially if you suffer from acne, blackheads, and small bumps," Diana added. "It helps to really clean your skin, keeping it clear and allowing other skin care products to sink in better. At the bare minimum, double cleanse at night."

FYI, you should avoid using pure olive oil or coconut oil on your skin because they are comedogenic, meaning they tend to cause blackheads by blocking pores. Opt for an actual oil cleanser instead because they're made to emulsify with water, meaning they'll wash away clean with water.