Double Cleansing is the hottest trend and one of the main steps in contemporary Korean skincare routine; however, Double Cleansing is not a modern invention because it is deeply rooted in the beauty tradition of Korea and Japan. Let's dig more.

THE ORIGIN OF DOUBLE CLEANSING

Since the early 14th century, Korean and Japanese male and female entertainers used to apply very distinctive makeup.

The face and neck were covered in a white powder base paste called oshiroi made of water, talc, kaolin, magnesium carbonate, corn starch, zinc oxide (and possibly even toxic lead). The eyebrows were coloured black with a mixture of charcoal and wax, and the lips and the area around the eyes were red thanks to benihana, a rouge obtained from fermented safflower.

The traditional way to remove this heavy makeup was to use Camellia oil (tsubaki) , followed by fine rice bran (komenuka) to exfoliate the skin and rice water.

Does this sound familiar? Sunscreen, foundation, eyebrows pencils, lip stains have the same principle of ingredients as traditional makeup.

WHAT IS DOUBLE CLEANSING?

The name says it all. You cleanse your face twice with two separate products -  first with an oil-based cleanser and second with a water-based foaming cleanser or micellar water.

You need as a first step a water-free product like a cleansing oil or a cleansing balm and a water-based product as the second step with surfactants (powders, liquids, gels, cream cleansers).

WHY IS DOUBLE CLEANSING IS SO IMPORTANT?

Double Cleansing is the ultimate way to thoroughly remove makeup, sunscreen, dirt, and pollutants accumulated on your skin during the day; it has to be done religiously every night before heading to bed. It's two different yet complementary products used in a sequence that will: : 

• remove comedogenic skincare (aka that will clog your pores)
• prevent breakouts 
• avoid letting bacteria and particles from your makeup and sunscreen seep into your eyes
• avoid skin inflammation
• let the skin 'breathe' to be able to absorb active skincare ingredients
• replenish sebum production

STEP 1 | DOUBLE CLEANSING WITH OILS / BALMS 

When oils bind with the excess lipids on the surface of the skin, they gently remove:

• makeup
• sunscreen
• dirt
• debris
• dead skin
• excess waxy sebum

And they don't strip the skin of its precious sebum. It essential is to use a cleansing oil on dry skin and avoid adding water to prevent the magic of oil binding.

Oil Cleansing is the first part of a 2-step cleansing routine.

Cleansing oils are formulated with emulsifiers, so they will turn into water when you rinse them off. You can also oil-cleanse with natural oils, but it won't be as easy to rinse it off as a cleansing oil.

HOW TO: 2-3 pumps or cleansing oil or half a teaspoon of cleansing balm in your dry hands and massage in circular motions on y dry face ideally for 60 seconds. Then wipe your face clean with a face cloth held under warm water.

SKIN TYPES: Cleansing oils are indicated for ALL SKIN TYPES. 

STEP 2 | DOUBLE CLEANSING WITH FOAMING / CREAM CLEANSERS

To complete the cleansing and go deeper into the pores, a cleanser formulated with a mild surfactant will:

• lather away impurities
• gently exfoliate
• unclog pores
• even skin texture

Some natural surfactants are gentle (Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Coco Glucoside, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate), some others are quite drying on the skin. You may skip the foaming cleanser step if you have very dry skin or rosacea-prone skin.

HOW TO:  Use a small amount of foaming cleanser (powder, liquid, milk) into your palm and add lukewarm water to activate it and create a light lather. Massage it onto your face and then rinse it off.

SKIN TYPES: ALL SKIN TYPES; depending on the type of surfactant used, it may not be suitable for dry and sensitive skin. 

Check out our Double Cleansing Set featuring LULUR Ultra Gentle Cleansing oil and MAMÃO Multi Fruits Powder to Foam Cleanser:

DOUBLE CLEANSING MISTAKES TO AVOID

• don't double cleanse 2 times a day. Best if you do it only at night and complete your skincare routine before sleep.
• don't wet your skin with water before using a cleansing oil as this will prevent the lipid-binding process
• don't over-cleanse, especially if you have dry or sensitive skin.
• don't use face wipes as step 2 as they dry the skin way too much and have harsh ingredients that should not sit on the skin for long time.
• don't forget to apply a serum + oil or a moisturiser after double cleansing.
• don't forget to double cleanse your neck and décolletage.
• don't forget to add a separate makeup remover if you wear heavy eye makeup 
• don't use hot water as it will make your skin tight or cold water as it will shrink your pores (and keep all the dirt inside)