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Hands up if you think washing your face is as easy as splashing water on your face, rubbing in a little cleanser and rinsing it all off? *raises hand* I used to be so guilty of this. I thought cleansers aren’t that important. They just remove dirt, not fight wrinkles or something so why bother with them?
Because if you don’t remove every last trace of dirt, grime and makeup, your pores get clogged, your skin turns into a playground for bacteria and your precious serums can’t penetrate your skin as well (and won’t give you the results you want). And let’s talk about what “dirt” actually means. It’s not just the visible stuff. We’re talking pollution particles so small you can’t see them, sebum that’s been oxidizing all day (basically going rancid on your face – gross, right?), dead skin cells piling up like dirty laundry, and makeup that’s been sitting in your pores for 12 hours. That’s a lot of crap for a quick splash of water to handle.
These days, I take no chances. Here are 3 easy ways I supercharge my cleansing routine and make the most out of my cleanser:
1. Give It A Moment
Yes, cleansers aren’t something you want to leave on for ages. Their job is to remove dirt, makeup and excess oil, not strip away every little drop of sebum they can find (sebum is skin’s natural moisturizer, remember?).
But rinsing it off too soon isn’t good either. You need a little time to massage the cleanser everywhere. Yes, even along the hairline, neck and sides of your nose – you know, those areas you often forget about, like the sides of your nose? Those creases are dirt magnets. Oil pools there, makeup settles there, and if you’re not spending time really working cleanser into those spots, you’re basically leaving them dirty. Same with your jawline and under your chin. Nobody thinks about under their chin but it needs love too.
And the motion matters. Don’t just slap it on and hope. Small circles, center of your face outward. Be gentle – your face isn’t a dirty pot you’re scrubbing. You’re not trying to buff off a layer here. As a rule of thumb, aim for 30 to 60 seconds. Anything more than that and you may be asking for trouble…
2. Cleanse After Showering
I know what you’re thinking, “But Gio, cleansing my face in the shower saves me a couple of minutes in the morning and I need my beauty sleep!” Nice try. Cleansing your skin in the shower is a no-no. For starters, the temperature of your shower water is way too high for cleansing. Take it from someone who LOVES boiling hot showers: hot water strips away sebum and leaves cracks in your skin’s protective barrier. Translation: it makes your skin super dry.
And it’s not just dryness. When you mess up your skin barrier like that, you’re opening the door for all kinds of shit. Sensitivity, redness, inflammation, breakouts – all because you wanted to save two minutes. Not worth it. Think about how tight your body feels after a hot shower. Maybe itchy if you’re dry? That’s dehydration. Now do that to your face, which is way more delicate than your body. Yeah.
Plus shower water comes straight down with way more pressure than you’d use at a sink. That force? Not great for your skin. Especially if you’ve got rosacea or any sensitivity. You’re pressure-washing your face.
Plus, when you cleanse at the sink you can remove every little residue from shampoo (and whatever else you’ve used in the shower) that was somehow still lingering onto your skin. Because what happens in the shower? Shampoo runs down your face. Conditioner runs down. Body wash runs down. And all that stuff? Not made for facial skin. Shampoo especially can irritate and clog pores. Even if you rinse well, there’s always residue. Always. Cleansing sepataley is totally worth it the extra couple of minutes in the morning.
Struggling to put together a skincare routine that minimises wrinkles, prevents premature aging, and gives your complexion a youthful glow? Download your FREE “Best Anti-Aging Skincare Routine” to get started (it features product recommendations + right application order):
What About Micellar Water? Is That Enough?
Okay, I know some of you are thinking, “But I just use micellar water and I’m done.” Here’s the deal: micellar water’s great for a quick refresh or getting the first layer of makeup off. It’s easy, it’s gentle, you don’t have to rinse. But as your only cleanser? Nah.
Micellar water leaves a film. That’s how it works – those little micelles grab dirt and oil but they don’t vanish. They just sit there till you rinse them off. And if you’re not rinsing? You’re going to bed with dirty water on your face. I use it as a first step when I’m taking off full makeup, but I always follow with a real cleanser.
Think of micellar water as the warm-up and your cleanser as the main event. And please, don’t use those makeup wipes as your only cleansing. Those things just smear dirt around. They don’t clean – they move the mess from one spot to another. Plus all that tugging? Terrible for your skin.
3. Add A Washcloth
If you really wanna save time in the morning, why not cleanse and exfoliate at the same time? Exfoliation is a must. It removes all those dead cells that accumulate on your skin, roughing up its texture and dulling out its glow. Once those are off your skin, your face looks smoother and brighter.
What happens when you don’t exfoliate? Dead cells pile up like newspapers you never threw out. Your skin looks dull and grey. Your makeup doesn’t sit right – it looks cakey and settles into every line. And your skincare? Sitting on top of dead skin instead of reaching actual skin. Plus, clogged pores. Dead skin mixes with oil and boom – plug in your pore. Blackheads. Rough texture. Those tiny bumps that never quite turn into pimples but never go away either.
The best way to exfoliate during cleansing is with a washcloth. Cleansers with exfoliating acids don’t work that well because acids need to stay on the skin for hours to “dissolve” the glue that holds them together. A washcloth, on the other hand, removes those pesky dead cells manually along with the cleanser, killing two birds with one stone.
I like that Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser comes with two soft washcloths that make it easier to get in the habit (and save you money, too). Two cloths is genius because you can wash one while using the other. And wash them after every use. I know that sounds like a lot but think about it: that cloth just wiped off all the dirt, oil, and bacteria from your face. You really want to use it again without washing? That’s nasty.
P.S. If you’re already exfoliating with acids (I’m assuming your skin isn’t sensitive), you can still use a washcloth. Here’s what I do: at night, I alternate glycolic acid with retinol. On retinol days, I use Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser with washcloth to give my skin a subtle exfoliating boost. On glycolic acid nights, I don’t. Simple.
How To Know If You’re Over-Cleansing
We talked about doing it right, now let’s talk about doing it too much. Your skin tells you when you’re overdoing it. Signs:
- Face feels tight after cleansing (not “clean” tight – actual uncomfortable tight).
- Red or irritated for more than a few minutes after.
- Dry patches when you never had dry skin.
- Or – weird one – getting oilier and breaking out more.
That last one confuses people but makes sense: strip your skin, it overcompensates with more oil. So you cleanse more to deal with the oil, which makes more oil, and you’re stuck in this awful cycle. Fix? Scale back. Maybe you don’t need to cleanse in the morning – just rinse with water. Maybe you need gentler cleanser. Maybe drop the washcloth to every other day. Listen to your skin.
The Cleanse & Polish Ritual
Here’s how to turn a cleansing chore into a pampering ritual:
- Massage 1-2 pumps of cleanser on your face and neck and take a moment to breathe in the scent. Really massage it. This isn’t a race. Work it into your skin, extra attention where makeup settles – around your nose, chin, forehead. Great time for a mini facial massage too. Upward and outward. Feels good and helps with puffiness.
- Rinse the cotton cloth in lukewarm water and wring it out to remove any excess before polishing off the cream. pro tip: use a clean section for every part of the face. Wiping your whole face with the same spot. That’s just moving dirt around. Fold it, flip it, use different corners. And light pressure when you’re polishing. Not scrubbing a stain out of carpet.
- Splash your face with water. Really splash it. Multiple times. Get all the residue off.Leftover cleanser irritates and causes breakouts.
Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser Lavender & Vetiver Limited Edition
This limited edition version isn’t available anymore. The regular version is still available – and one of the staples in my skincare routine. Click here for that review.
I first tried Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser eight years ago and we’ve been in an on and off relationship ever since. I break it off whenever I want to try something new (I’m a skincare magpie) and then regret it so back I go. I like it because it has no surfactants yet it removes every last trace of grime and makeup (yes, even those stubborn waterproof mascaras!) quickly without irritating or drying out my skin.
Plus, the washcloth saves me precious time in the morning because I cleanse and exfoliate in one go. It gives my skin a subtle, healthy glow too. You can read my full review of the cleanser here. I’m not the only one to love this cleanser. It’s so popular Liz Earle keeps bringing out limited editions of it. The newest LE, Lavender & Vetiver, features a blend of Bulgarian lavender contrasted with Indonesian vetiver.
I have to admit I’m not into lavender scents very much but this one is gorgeous. The vetiver takes center stage, giving the scent a woody base punctuated by earthy lavender whiffs. It’s not too strong but very soothing. One more thing: regular readers will know I don’t like scented skincare products very much because they can irritate sensitive skin. Fragrance can indeed be irritating if your skin is sensitive. For anyone else, a small amount of fragrance left on the skin for less than a minute won’t do any harm. If anything, it may make your cleansing routine more pleasant. 😉
The Bottom Line
Look, most cleansers are boring as hell. But this one actually gets everything off without stripping your skin, the washcloth saves time by letting you cleanse and exfoliate at once, and it doesn’t irritate. Do those three things I mentioned – give it a minute, don’t cleanse in the shower, use the washcloth – and you’ll actually get results instead of wasting money on products that can’t penetrate dirty skin.
About Gio
Hi, I’m Gio. I’m a no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is skin coach and writer on a mission to help you achieve your best skin day ever – every day. I bust skincare myths and debunk marketing jargon to help you figure out what’s worth the splurge and what’s best left on the shelf – using science, not hype. I also offer skincare consultations to help you create the best skincare routine for your unique needs.
