Using two products to clean your face may sound like an unnecessary beauty ritual, but it really has some amazing benefits that must be embraced! On a daily basis, our faces are exposed to dirt, pollution, makeup, sebum and sweat, so removing these impurities is essential to maintaining beautiful and healthy skin. Double-cleansing is a gentle approach that will remove the things we want to remove but won’t over-strip the skin or leave it feeling tight and dry. Double-cleansing prepares the skin for more products, like lotions and serums, and helps those treatments soak into the skin for greater effectiveness. And the thorough technique helps you avoid clogged or aggravated pores.

Originating in Japan in the 1960s, the two-step double-cleansing method is based on a simple chemistry lesson: oil and water do not mix because of conflicting properties. Oil removes oil, such as sebum and makeup, and a foaming or lotion cleanser used with water will remove residue and nasty pore-cloggers like sweat and dead skin. The double-cleansing ritual removes all impurities, balances all skin types and leaves your complexion feeling—and looking—its best.

Written by Erin Gerlach of The Sparkle.

Products to try:

dermalogica Precleanse ($37)

Dr. Sponge ($8.50)

CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser ($10.99)

Neutrogena Naturals Purifying Facial Cleanser ($6.39)

Clairisonic Mia 2 ($149)

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