How to wash your face: our guide to getting cleansed

Oh, the humble face wash. The most essential step in any skincare routine. But, it’s not all in the products you slather on. Maybe you’ve found your favourite cleanser, but how often should you wash your face, and how can you adapt your routine to everyday unpredictability? Having some tricks up your sleep for how to cleanse your face can make a real difference. Here, we talk through our best tips and steps to cleaning your face like a pro, for skin that always feels refreshed, cleansed, and ready for your next skincare steps.

How often should you wash your face?

While there’s no strict answer, we say twice a day is a good rule of thumb. No make-up day? No matter, a quick refresh is still needed. All that pollution, daily sweat, and impurities still need to be wiped away. Mornings? Skin may not be covered in daily dirt, but you’ve been up close and personal with your pillowcase, meaning dead skin cells, oil, and sweat are best washed away. A micellar water soaked cotton pad helps refresh in one, easy go.

How to wash your face properly (all of it)

Most of the time we cleanse and repeat. We follow our usual routine on autopilot, meaning we can miss spots. Day-old filled-in eyebrows? Yep, we’ve been there. Make friends with your ears (and behind them), under your jaw, neck, and your hairline. Don’t want to get your hair wet? A facial cleansing wipe works wonders on those (foundation-caked) baby hairs.

Go gentle with your cleanser

Think squeaky-clean is a good thing? Not when it comes to your skin. That dry, tight feeling usually means you’ve rubbed too hard, or used a cleanser that’s too harsh for your skin type. We say, always pick a product that’s gentle and kind on your skin, leaving your moisture barrier intact. One of our picks? Simple Kind To Skin Refreshing Facial Wash is made with no harsh chemicals and is 100% soap-free, so it won’t dry out your skin!

Try a double-cleanse face wash routine

Ever heard of this double-duty cleansing route? The idea of it is to double-up your cleansers – one to help get rid of make-up, and the other will cleanse skin directly. Try a cleansing oil (as step one) followed by a foaming face wash or micellar water as the next step. It’s one of the best cleansing routes if you’re after a deep(er) cleanse. Our tip? Don’t overdo it and stick to double-cleansing just once a week.

Steer clear of cleansing in the shower

Yep, that’s where we wash the rest of our body, so it makes sense to wash our face at the same time. But, water in the shower is usually much hotter than we’d like on our face, meaning it can actually dehydrate your skin, while potentially stripping away your natural lipid barrier. Try to cleanse and rinse with tepid water before you hop in, and it’ll help skin feel calm and more balanced.

How to cleanse your face on-the-go

Housemate taking another long shower? No problem. Access to a running tap won’t stop you from getting the best out of your (twice) daily cleanse if you know how to wash your face outside the bathroom. Try a micellar cleansing water. It uses micelles to attract make-up, grime, and sebum from your skin without disrupting its natural barrier. The best part? It’s no rinse, there’s no stickiness, and it starts your skincare journey in one easy (water-free) step.

Give skin a mini massage

When opting for a wash-off cleanser, massage it into your skin in circular motions, concentrating on areas where dirt collects, like the sides of your nose and your neck. Just try not to pull the skin down, as this can add unwanted pressure on delicate skin. This mini massage will also help to boost circulation and bring oxygen to the surface of the skin, making it look refreshed and healthy – and it feels so nice!

Don’t wait to moisturise

As soon as you’ve followed the steps to cleaning your face, finish up with a moisturiser while skin is still a little damp, to stop your skin from losing moisture or dehydrating. Quick tip? Warm it up between your palms before applying – it’ll smooth on a treat.

So now you know how to wash your face properly, there’s no excuse not to start and end each day with a fresh face! These tips and tricks will help have your cleansing routine sorted.