Have you ever heard of the phrase “too much of a good thing”? When it comes to washing your face, yes, you can over-do it, even if your cleanser is as gentle as they get.
So how do you know if you’ve been washing more than you need to? Perhaps your skin feels tight and dry, and looks angry and inflamed. Or you have these pesky breakouts that just aren’t going away, even though you've been doing everything right: your products don’t contain irritants, you’re exfoliating regularly, and you’re using the right actives - if needed - for your skin.
So how often should you really wash your face?
While you should definitely cleanse after a sweaty workout or if you’ve managed to gather a lot of dirt and grime on your skin, we recommend using a gentle micellar water, that’s free of drying alcohols and excessive fragrance, for this purpose. This is especially so if this is going to be one more than the maximum number of times a day you should be washing your face, i.e., two.
Washing your face at night is non-negotiable. It’s a night while you’re sleeping that your skin takes the time out to repair itself, and you don’t want the dirt and grime from the day (and make-up if you wear it), to interfere with this process. Also, keep in mind that your nightly wash can’t be with plain water either. Since most impurities aren’t soluble in water, water alone won’t be able to get them off your skin.
The morning wash on the other hand is optional. If your skin is on the oily side, it might be better for you to cleanse in the morning. If it’s dry, you could just rinse your face with water and follow up with your moisturiser and sunscreen. But there’s no hard and fast rule, and it all boils down to personal preference and what specifically works for your skin.