“Dead skin cells and allergens may collect on your pillowcase and be transferred to the facial skin throughout the night,” Palm says. “Circulated air (from you air conditioner or forced heated air) can also kick up dust, mold and other environmental irritants that may collect on facial skin overnight.” Yuck!
“You should wash your face in the morning for various reasons,” she says. “Bacteria can accumulate throughout the night and, also, you should prime your skin by cleansing it for your morning skincare routine, not to mention to remove your nighttime creams and serums used the night before.”
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.
“If you're using the right products for your skin at night, there is really no need to cleanse in the morning. Simply splash the face with water to freshen up, and go straight in with your morning serums, moisturiser and SPF,” she said.
"Your skin's natural hydration decreases in the evening as part of normal circadian rhythms," says Zeichner. "If you have dirt, oil, and makeup interfering with the skin, it can't maintain hydration properly." That's a recipe for a dry, flaky face that's hard to plump back up with a simple pump of morning moisturizer.
Both Emer and Zeichner agree that if you're only going to wash your face once a day, nighttime is the best time to do it. "Most dermatologists recommend face-washing twice daily, once in the morning and once before bed," says Zeichner.
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.
How often should you wash if you have oily or acne-prone skin? The urge to overcleanse is common in those with oily or acne-prone skin. There's no need to wash the face more than twice a day. In fact, doing so may dry out your skin.
“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.
In an ideal world, you should wash your face twice a day.
Experts agree that two is the magic number: wash once in the morning, and once at night.
It usually refers to skin that has a glow or skin that's well-hydrated without hyperpigmentation or blemishes, says Khorasani. You might notice this after a good exfoliation and moisturizing sesh or a laser procedure where a layer of dead skin is removed.
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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.
If you wash your face in the morning and at night, it will be just enough to clean away makeup, dirt, and extra oil on your skin that can contribute to breakouts. What you use to cleanse your face also matters. 2 The skin on your face is delicate, so you don't want to use harsh soaps.
"Twice-a-day cleansing removes the pollutants and irritants that our skin is exposed to 24/7 — even when we sleep," she tells Allure, citing indoor pollution, oils, and irritants that build up on your pillowcase as reasons why you want to wash your face in the a.m.
“Since cold water tightens your pores, bacteria and debris can get trapped and won't clear out as easily as using warm water,” explains Knapp. She recommends washing your face with lukewarm water first as a way to remove any makeup and pollutants from the day.
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.
Although oily skin can clog pores and lead to increased acne breakouts, oily skin also has many benefits. Oil helps preserve the skin, and people with oily skin tend to have thicker skin and fewer wrinkles. The key is to strike a balance between having too much oil and maintaining your skin's natural moisture.
Everybody's skin produces oil. Your sebaceous glands produce sebum, an oily or waxy substance that moisturizes and protects your skin and hair. Oily skin happens when your glands produce too much sebum, which can lead to a greasy surface, clogged pores, and acne.