Healthy skin starts with clean skin, both of which you can achieve with a good cleansing routine. The K-beauty world is especially a fan of double cleansing, in which your average cleansing routine is split into two steps: one for removing makeup, and another for washing off its leftover traces. If you're new to the concept, here's a dermatologist-approved starter pack:
Double cleansing routines usually start with an oil-based cleanser and end with a facial wash. And as all skin regimens go, that dream team depends on your skin type's needs. For suggestions, check out our picks below!
DRY
As someone with dry skin, you might find washing your face twice a little too much. The extra step might dry your skin out even more, right? Not necessarily. For extra parched skin, you can opt for a cleansing cream—a product that feels like moisturizer, except it takes your makeup off, too. Don't attempt to wash this off with water, because it doesn't emulsify. Use a damp towel instead, and once the oils are off, wash off any traces with a light cleansing milk.
IMAGE Lazada, Sephora
POND'S Washable Cold Cream, P374, Lazada; FRESH Soy Face Cleansing Milk, P2427, Sephora.ph
NORMAL/COMBINATION
A cleansing oil with a lightweight formula will make the first cleansing step a breeze, since it makes the massaging part easier and less messy. As for cleanser, any hydrating foam cleanser with a low pH will do for removing any residue from the oil.
IMAGE Kiehls, Human Nature
KIEHL'S Midnight Recovery Cleansing Oil, Greenbelt 5; HUMAN NATURE Hydrating Creamy Wash, P200, Beauty Bar
OILY
Oily skin doesn't have to avoid oily cleansers. If anything, this skin type actually needs it because the overproduction of oil is a sign of dehydration. Using less drying products, such as face oils, in your routine helps replenish that lost moisture.
To remove makeup, work a gentle cleansing balm over dry skin and emulsify it with some water to wash off the greasy feel. Post-rinsing, proceed with an invigorating foam cleanser that doesn't dry your skin out. You won't feel the oil from the balm after, promise!
IMAGE Heimish, Neogen
HEIMISH All Clean Balm, P975, Beautymnl; NEOGEN Green Tea Foam Cleanser, P795, K-Beauty Cafe
SENSITIVE
Cleansing oils can be tricky for sensitive skin, since you might be allergic to certain oils without knowing. Some common ingredients you can try avoiding are mineral oil and coconut oil. Mineral oil, albeit good at locking in moisture, is not absorbed by the skin. It's similar to coconut oil in a way that it can be highly comedogenic. That said, you can keep your reactive skin from freaking out by keeping it hydrated, which you can do with a sulfate- and soap-free face wash that leaves it soft and supple.
IMAGE Banila Co, Beauty Bar
BANILA CO Clean It Zero Purity, P1100, Banila Co; BURT'S BEES Sensitive Facial Cleanser, P1150, Beauty Bar
ACNE-PRONE
While the acne-prone population can definitely try all the cleansing oils above, let's admit that it could be quite a gamble. Especially on days when your skin doesn't even need a heavy cleanse (i.e. light or no-makeup days), you can skip the emollient formulas for a mild cleansing water that can remove the first layer of grime in a flash. Finish up with your go-to cleanser after, which we suggest should be sensitive-skin friendly, too!
IMAGE Zalora
BIODERMA Sebium H20 Micelle Solution, P1458, Zalora; GOODAL Black Salt Deep Cleans Mild Bubble, P96, Zalora
