Dr. Chwalek still recommends that her clients wash their face at least once a day with a gentle cleanser, preferably at night (when your face is coated with a day's worth of dirt). "Not washing your face could cause the buildup of oil and dirt that may lead to acne, more prominent pores, and inflammation," she says.
“In terms of whether we should stop washing our faces altogether, the answer will most likely always be no,” says David Lortscher, MD, a San Diego dermatologist. “But washing your face with a cleanser can be skipped every once in awhile. Some people prefer to simply rinse their face with water and no cleanser.
So what's the big deal? If you don't wash your face twice a day, your skin is in danger of breakouts due to oil, dirt and makeup clogging pores. Your pores will appear larger and your skin will look dull and textured, instead of having a radiant, youthful glow.
It doesn't need your help. Water is slippery enough to cleanse your skin of excess dirt and sweat. Let your hands do the work of a face wash (we're all so afraid of our hands these days, clean them well and get over it). Not even the safest, cleanest products in the world can compete with the simplicity of water.
According to one derm, there's absolutely no need to panic if you don't wash your face religiously. "It's not the end of the world if you skip a cleanse," says Mona Gohara, MD, a Danbury, Connecticut-based dermatologist.
"Over-washing your face can damage the skin's protective system, which then can affect how easily the environment irritates your skin, how efficiently you retain moisture, and—over time—cause you to show early signs of aging," she says.
"Just going overnight without washing your face isn't going to age you five years," Polis says. "It's more of a missed opportunity. There's great blood supply to the skin and a number of different metabolic processes going on at night. So you're losing out on a chance to target problems."
You'll need a cleanser to wash off the dirt, makeup, excess oil, dead skin cells, and environmental impurities that end up on your face naturally throughout the day. Moisturizer will help keep the skin's protective barrier functioning properly and your skin feeling smooth and soft.
No matter your skin type, you want to wash your face at least once a day — in the evening to remove any dirt, makeup, oil, and grime that's built up on your skin throughout the day.
Whether or not you have acne, it's important to wash your face twice daily to remove impurities, dead skin cells, and extra oil from your skin's surface. Washing more often than twice daily is not necessarily better; it may do more harm than good. Use warm, not hot, water and a mild facial cleanser.
If you work out first thing in the morning, washing is a must (after your workout of course, not before). If, however, you don't, then washing your face in the morning is completely a personal preference. Just be sure to at least rinse your face with water in the morning if you choose to forgo a full cleanse.
Acne isn't caused by neglecting to wash your face. There are other factors, like bacteria or changing hormones, that cause this skin condition. That said, regular cleansing is an important step in your acne treatment routine.
By cleansing with water only, you're less likely to over-strip the skin's natural oil and therefore reduce the risk of damaging your skin barrier. Cleansing your face with water only not only reduces the oil-stripping action but also the physical rubbing action, which would reduce irritation to the skin.
When it comes to skin care, more isn't always better. “Very few skin care ingredients have actually been shown to benefit patients clinically,” says Dr. Amber Leis, a UCI Health plastic surgeon and assistant professor at the UCI School of Medicine.
"Not washing your face could cause the buildup of oil and dirt that may lead to acne, more prominent pores, and inflammation," she says.
Studies have proved that your skin goes through major changes during the night so its essential to wash your face and not to sleep with your makeup on! Cleanse your face and moisturize to wake up with clean fresh skin.
You don't need to use conventional soaps in your daily hygiene routine. All you absolutely need, bare bones, to stay clean is water. Just water. Water does a fine job of rinsing away dirt without stripping vital oils from your skin.
"As long as you know how your skin works and how it responds to products, skipping your makeup and skin-care products for a few days is absolutely okay," says Dr. Green.
Donna Hart, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist with Westlake Dermatology, says using most skincare products over a long period of time won't do harm—but if they're more powerful and used incorrectly, your skin could develop a dependency.
Using a clean, soft washcloth is effective for cleaning your face, but unless you use a new one every day, you should probably stick with using your hands to scrub, Dr. Green says. Also, ideally, you should change the towel you use to dry your face every couple of days to keep bacteria at bay, adds Dr. Gohara.
Face wash, serum and moisturizer with sunscreen. According to dermatologist Amie Sessa, you should use a gentle cleanser and avoid using too-hot water (which can be harsh on your face). Campbell's favorite cleansers are Cetaphil Gentle, CeraVe Hydrating or Skinceuticals Gentle Cleanser.
When you start a new skin care routine or you incorporate new products into your current regimen, you may experience breakouts or skin flaking. This process is sometimes called purging. This is a normal, short-term condition where the skin will rid itself of underlying oil, bacteria, or dirt, according to Dr.