Double cleansing: how to do it, who needs it, who does not

Sunscreen and makeup do not mix with water, so a face wash alone never lifts all of it. Double cleansing means: oil first to dissolve the oily dirt, then a water-based cleanser for the rest.

Step by step (two minutes)

1. 1Dry hands, dry face: take an oil cleanser or balm (one pump, or twice a pea).
2. 2Massage in gentle circles for 30–60 seconds; a little longer beside the nose, on the chin and along the hairline.
3. 3Wet your hands slightly and massage again: the oil turns milky white (emulsifies). Skip this and oil stays behind.
4. 4Rinse with lukewarm water.
5. 5Now a low-pH foam or gel cleanser, 20–30 seconds, rinse, and pat dry with a towel.

Who needs it

• Anyone wearing sunscreen or makeup, which is almost everyone, once at night.
• Oily, blackhead-prone skin: oil dissolves oil; this is how the sebum sitting in pores loosens.

Who does not

• In the morning: water or a light foam is enough.
• On a day you wore nothing.
• Very dry, flaking skin: twice a day is too much.

Which oil cleanser, which foam

• Oily / acne: a light heartleaf or centella oil plus a low-pH gel. — Anua Heartleaf Pore Control Cleansing Oil 200ml, COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser 150ml
• Normal / dry: a nourishing oil or balm plus a creamy, pH-balanced foam. — Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Cleansing Oil 210ml, Beauty of Joseon Radiance Cleansing Balm 100ml, Beplain Mung Bean pH-Balanced Cleansing Foam 160ml Limited Double Pack
• Sensitive: fragrance-free, a centella foam. — IUNIK Centella Mild Cleansing Foam 120ml

Mistakes that damage skin

• Oil cleanser on a wet face: it simply does not work.
• Hot water, hard rubbing, scrubbing dry with the towel.
• A "tight" feeling is not clean, it is over-washed. Change the cleanser.

For what comes next: the Korean skincare routine, step by step.

Sources

• American Academy of Dermatology: wash no more than twice a day, lukewarm water, no scrubbing.
• "Like dissolves like": oily residue dissolves in oil; that chemistry is the whole basis of double cleansing.