Throughout the day your skin attracts dirt and pollution which will not simply “go away” at night. When you wash your face thoroughly, you free it from impurities that can create problematic skin and allow it to heal and repair. Clean skin while you sleep is so important for the natural cycle of cell regeneration.
Do Wash Your Face Twice a Day. Zeichner typically recommends washing your face twice per day, in the morning and before bedtime. But going to bed with clean skin is a must.
You could experience dryness, breakouts, or dermatitis.
As Dr. Kikam explains, a one-night break from your face wash routine won't cause too much damage, but it is important to rid your skin of dirt before dozing off.
Cleansing your face in the morning starts your day off on a clean slate by ridding your skin of any bacteria that may have built up on your skin from your pillowcase or hair overnight. Washing your face at night removes all your makeup, excess oils, debris, and pollution from the day.
Believe it or not, your skin can accumulate environmental debris in your sleep, so it's necessary to wash them off in the morning. “Dead skin cells and allergens may collect on your pillowcase and be transferred to the facial skin throughout the night,” Palm says.
Since skin care products penetrate better at night, the anti-aging ingredients in them work better too. As a result, your skin looks younger and has fewer fine lines and dark spots in the long run. Following an effective night-time skin care routine gives you smooth, soft and glowing skin the morning after.
It minimises signs of ageing when you use moisturizers with retinol or retinoid in them. Moisturizers can help skin replenish its moisture levels at night; however, it is always advisable to sleep with bare skin to allow your skin to breathe.
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.
At night, you want to remove the dirt, oil, and particulate matter that accumulate during the day." What's more, Zeichner says that skipping an entire day is just fine: "It's important to wash regularly, but a single missed day of face washing will likely have little effect on the overall health of your skin."
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.
Washing your face several times a day can further irritate your skin, leading to more breakouts. What to do instead: Wash your face twice a day — when you wake up and before you go to bed. You'll also want to wash your face when you finish an activity that makes you sweat.
According to dermatologists, you should exfoliate first, then wash your hair, and then wash your body. This will ensure that each shower product you use has time to work. If you have concerns about your skin, you should follow this order as closely as you can. This will help prevent acne, razor burn, or dry hair.
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.
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.
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.
Aside from the annoyance of a dripping-wet face, Zeichner attests that there's actually no real problem with air-drying. "If you prefer not to pat, air-drying is fine as well, though it may not the most practical option."
You should always use a moisturizer at night. Some people avoid using night cream to let their skin breathe, but this is far from the truth. Avoiding using a night cream offers no positive benefit to the skin. When skin is bare, any existing moisturize evaporates right out of it.
“Sleeping on your face, and even on your side can accentuate facial lines, as well as those on the chest or décolletage,” says Dr. Sonya Abdulla, dermatologist at Dermatology on Bloor in Toronto.
“The benefit of double cleansing is that the first cleanser will break down any makeup, remove dirt and excess oils from the day and clean your skin. The second cleanser will address your particular skin type or concern and should have ingredients to hydrate, smooth or exfoliate and treat acne.
“When the body is in a deep, restful sleep, the skin's metabolism increases and cell turnover and renewal escalates,” Dr. Engelman says, noting that this happens between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m.
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.