What is double cleansing, and do you actually need it?

Double cleansing is washing your face twice in a row with two different kinds of cleanser. First comes an oil-based one, like a cleansing oil or balm, which dissolves sunscreen and makeup. Then your usual water-based cleanser washes off the oil along with sweat and dirt. Do you need it every night? Most people don’t. It’s worth it on the days you wear something built to stay put.

You know the moment: face washed, feels clean, and then the white towel shows a beige smudge and a ghost of mascara. That’s not bad washing. Water-resistant formulas are built to survive water and sweat, which is exactly why they’re hard to wash off.

How double cleansing works: like dissolves like

Waterproof mascara has no water in it, as the cosmetic dermatologist Zoe Diana Draelos explains, so oil is what breaks it down. A rinse-off cleansing oil (often mineral, castor or jojoba oil) contains an emulsifier, so when you add a splash of water it turns milky and rinses away with everything it picked up. Your second cleanser then takes off the oily film that’s left. Kitchen oils like coconut or olive have no emulsifier, so they don’t rinse clean.

Is double cleansing necessary? What one study measured

Researchers put sunscreen on 20 people, had them wash it off with water alone, a foaming cleanser or a cleansing oil, and measured what was left on their skin from photos. The results split neatly by sunscreen type.

And the surprise: eight people said their skin felt dry after the foaming cleanser, against one after the oil. So the oil step isn’t the harsh one. It’s a small study, with one sunscreen of each kind and residue scored on photos, so treat it as a strong hint rather than the final word. Still, it matches what a Cleveland Clinic dermatologist says: double cleansing is usually not necessary, and for most people one thorough wash is plenty.

Do you need to double cleanse if you wear sunscreen every day?

Check the label. If your sunscreen says water resistant, or it’s a sport or beach formula, or you wear long-wear foundation or waterproof mascara, double cleanse that evening. An everyday sunscreen that isn’t water resistant came off fine with one wash in the study above. Mineral and tinted sunscreens weren’t tested, so try a quick check: after your usual single wash, swipe a cotton pad with a little micellar water over your face. If it comes away tinted or white, add an oil step on those days.

No sunscreen or makeup today? One wash is enough, and in the morning a single wash or a rinse always is. Cleveland Clinic’s dermatologist says over-washing is the bigger worry, not skipping a second cleanse.

Fun detail from Japan, where the oil-then-wash routine has a name of its own, daburu sengan, or double face wash: many cleansing oils, balms and gels there carry the claim that no double wash is needed, meaning they’re made to do both jobs in one. Biteki, a Japanese beauty magazine, points out each brand sets its own standard for that claim.

Can oil cleansers cause acne?

They can for some people, but it’s not a rule. Cleveland Clinic’s warning is that in acne-prone skin, an oil-based cleanser can cause breakouts, especially when it’s used alone. So use it the way it’s designed: a rinse-off formula that turns milky, under a minute of massage, a good rinse, then your water-based cleanser. Acne-prone and seeing new small bumps over the next few weeks? Swap the oil for micellar water. The same dermatologist notes an oil step can even help oily skin, which surprises plenty of people.

How to double cleanse in about 2 minutes

One thing not to mix up: oil goes first when you’re cleansing, but when you layer leave-on products afterward, oils and balms go near the end, after your lighter steps.

Safety note: Got oil in your eyes and they sting? Rinse with plenty of clean water. If a cleanser keeps giving you new breakouts or a rash, stop using it, and see a dermatologist if the breakouts or rash stick around.