Soap is harmful to the face, so if it comes down to washing your face with soap or water, you should opt for water without a second thought.
Those with very dry skin or eczema will find that water-cleansing helps to retain the skin's natural moisture. However, persons with oily, acne-prone, or combination skin might need soap or liquid cleanser to dissolve excess oil which often clogs pores and causes breakouts.
You may also be wondering, “Can I wash my face with just water?” According to the American Academy of Dermatology, it's best to use a gentle 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.
Putting a bar of soap directly on your face can be abrasive and irritate your skin. Bar soaps can be drying. Any cleanser you use on your face needs to have moisturizing ingredients. Most traditional bar soaps don't contain these ingredients and will strip your skin of moisture.
Soap is alkaline-based, but your skin is acidic
The alkaline nature of the soap bar can cause your face to become dry and strip away the natural moisture. If you apply soap regularly on the face, it may turn flaky and itchy or become prone to breakouts.
Hot water dissolves and washes away the natural oils on the skin, Dr. Garden says. And the hotter the water, the more drying it is. Plus, too much hot water on the face over time can also produce excess pigment or coloring in the skin.
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.
Use lukewarm or warm water to splash your face. Hot water may not only strip your skin of important oils, but may also burn it. Rub a washcloth soaked in warm water over your face. This can cleanse your skin while gently exfoliating dead skin and removing dirt and debris.
Still, water and a simple soap or face wash aren't enough to clear up acne. Think of your twice-daily cleansing as a first step in treating your acne. Step two should be the routine use of an acne treatment product. For mild breakouts, you might try over-the-counter acne products first.
"The fewer products you use on your face, the better," says Michele Green, MD, a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist. "You don't want to overcomplicate things for your skin, especially since your face is so delicate. Giving your complexion a break from skin-care products will let your skin breathe and rest."
The outcome depends on your skin type. If it's dry, then you will notice that it becomes duller. However, if your skin is oily, your pores will clog, and more acne breakouts will happen due to the buildup of oil.
Washing your face doesn't necessarily speed up the process of aging. However, the way you wash your face and the products that you use may damage your skin. Damaged skin looks dry, unhealthy, and can be prone to fine lines and wrinkles. Over-exfoliating is an example of a good intention gone wrong.
You may be using unnecessary products. "Some people may just not be genetically predisposed to breakouts or may produce less [oil],” says Batra. If that sounds like you, you may actually find your skin looks better when you ditch your cleanser.
What Kind of Damage Can It Cause? If your skin is sensitive and is repeatedly exposed to hard water, Green notes that it could do anything from cause surface dryness to even exacerbate acne: “Tap water can cause dryness, irritation and even breakouts because it can clog your pores,” she tells us.
In general, you should be cleansing your face at least twice a day. “You should wash your face both morning and night because the skin creates sebum and oil throughout the day,” says Saya Obayah, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist located in Austin, Texas.
If You're Washing to Remove Dirt
Opt for a mild cleanser like Dove sensitive skin soap. Strong soaps leave your skin dry and irritated. In fact, most antibacterial soaps are too harsh for your face. So avoid the harsh soaps and choose something that will clean off the grime without leaving your skin too parched.
It protects your skin's natural barrier
Your skin works hard all night building its own natural barrier against the world (a layer of helpful oils keeps skin soft), so why strip it all away as soon as you wake up with a face wash? “Washing your face in the morning can strip your natural defense barrier,” says Carlen.
Can you use Dove beauty bar on your body and face? Our mild beauty bar is a handy head-to-toe multi-tasker, so yes, you can use Dove beauty bar on your body and face. It also works wonders at cleaning and moisturizing your hands – so we recommend keeping a bar by the sink.
Cold water tightens your pores and reduces the overproduction of sebum and excretion of acne-causing bacteria. In contrast, hot water opens them and does the complete opposite, leaving your skin more prone to irritation.
The goldilocks temperature
Although an occasional splash of cold water might benefit your complexion, for the most part you should be aiming to wash your face with lukewarm water. Lukewarm water will work with your cleanser to remove dirt and bacteria from your skin, all without being overly stripping and drying.