Most of us take a shower in the evening after work and before bed, and this is when we wash our faces for the 2nd time in the day. For those who use makeup, it is also the time you clean off your makeup and allow your skin to breathe.
I have a suggestion for you to try – wash your face last, after or at the end of your shower. I do this and I wonder if anyone else does? 🙂
My reason for doing so is because I start off my evening shower by washing my hair. After washing and conditioning, I realise that the hair products will run down my face together with the water. I’m not so hardworking as to lean backwards or to lean forwards to drain the water away from the face to avoid this.
So, washing my face only after I wash my hair i.e. towards the end of my shower makes sense to clean off any residue of shampoo and conditioner that might have gotten on my skin. Its also a way to help counter facial acne caused by shampoo or conditioner. If you have sensitive skin washing your face after washing your hair might be something to try.
I’ve also read that by the end of your shower, if you use warm water, the steam and warm air would have caused your pores to open so it gets cleaner. Personally I don’t know if pores open and shut like windows but its certainly something worth thinking about.
I do however, remove my makeup before getting into the shower. If I’m using a cleansing oil, I do so before I shower then I wash my face again towards the end of my shower. I double cleanse as a habit and as a matter of preference.
When do you wash your face? Before or after your shower and do you have a reason why you do so? Its an age old question that has no right or wrong answer so share away! 🙂
Stay beautiful,
Paris B
prettybeautiful says
September 29, 2009 at 9:06 ami practiced cleansing face after bathing for some time, now i am back to cleansing face first, then shower. cause i do not want to let the dripping hair wet my floor 😛
ParisB says
September 29, 2009 at 10:02 amHi prettybeautiful
Oh I’m still in the shower when I wash my face. Its the last thing I do before I step out 😉
~Reena~ says
September 29, 2009 at 9:29 amLike u, i remove my makeup before getting into the shower and wash my face at the end of my shower 🙂
ParisB says
September 29, 2009 at 10:02 amHi Reena
Snap! 😀
plue says
September 29, 2009 at 9:46 amI remove makeup before shower, since I am using cleansing oil 😛 and after shower only i wash my face again. i think that’s cleaner. somehow if i wash face first before showering, in the end my face feels dirty again?
ParisB says
September 30, 2009 at 9:30 pmHey Plue
Yep if I’m using cleansing oil it goes on first and I double cleanse at the end. As you said, it just feels cleaner 🙂
Babybubblz says
September 29, 2009 at 9:56 amRemove makeup before getting in the shower. I strangely wash my face while shampoo is still in my hair. Then I rinse my face and shampoo out at the same time. I started doing this because I never left shampoo in long enough, so I distract myself by cleansing. And I’ve done it like this for years out of habit.
I also wonder about opening and closing of pores with water temperature.
ParisB says
September 30, 2009 at 9:31 pmHi Babybubblz
Ah I don’t keep shampoo in my hair, only conditioner. Shampoo rinses right out. Honestly I think any opening or closing of pores is too subtle to be noticed or to have much effect 🙂
Jenn says
September 29, 2009 at 10:24 amYup, i wash my face last… so yeah that means i shower with my makeup on!! It’s a great way to put your mascara / eyeliner to the test! hahaha!! XD
ParisB says
September 30, 2009 at 9:31 pmHiya Jenn
Oh my! I thought you’d have taken the makeup off first 😀
Sylvia says
September 29, 2009 at 10:47 amIt’s been my habit to wash face first, then shower. It works for me this way, no breakout on my face all this while. For hair conditioner, I am abit wary of it coming into contact on my face and body cuz that will cause breakouts, so I will always lean my head sideway when conditioning my hair.
ParisB says
September 30, 2009 at 9:31 pmHi Sylvia
If it works for you, stick with it – no right or wrong way to doing things so long as it works!
Lisan says
September 29, 2009 at 10:48 amJust like you, clean my face with the cleansing milk first and wash my face again after washing the hair.
ParisB says
September 30, 2009 at 9:32 pmHi Lisan
Looks like many of us are doing it this way!
JackieA says
September 29, 2009 at 10:52 amThe first thing I do when I get home is wash my face and change into something comfortable! I take a warm shower just before I go to bed and my habit is to wash my face last…….although sometimes I get so caught up with my thoughts that I forget whether I washed or not!!!! Ewwwwww! Then just in case, I will wash again. I must be getting old la.
ParisB says
September 30, 2009 at 9:32 pmHiya JackieA
I LOL-ed at your comment! I know what you mean though – if I wash my face too early I get that “did I wash my face” feeling too later in the evening.
Saintangelius says
September 29, 2009 at 11:09 amI always start with shampoo then conditioner and then a good scrub down with a poof and body gel. Lastly I would wash my face. Generally i remove makeup before i step into the shower (that’s if i’m wearing any). I have this strange thinking where I feel like my conditioner will get all over me when I wash it out so i need to scrub well with a poof after that. Same goes with my face sans the poof but I do have a facial sponge for the thick makeup days.
ParisB says
September 30, 2009 at 9:33 pmHi Saintangelius
I don’t use a poof but I guess many of us are showering the same way 🙂
Jyoan says
September 29, 2009 at 12:06 pmI always thought it makes more sense to wash my face last. So my hands just automatically take the cleanser last. lol. I have never consciously thought of this question.
But I cleanse my makeup first, since usage of cleansing oil has to be on dry face. Then I use bath foam, then shampoo/conditioner etc, then facial cleanser. Because I want to put on toner and all the stuff on clean skin, so it makes more sense to cleanse last, dry myself off, then immediately go out to put my toner.
ParisB says
September 30, 2009 at 9:34 pmHi Jyoan
It looks like its automatic for most of us 😀
beetrice says
September 29, 2009 at 12:06 pmI usually wash my face at the end of my shower as well, and splash another round of cold water on it just before bed…feels great! 🙂
ParisB says
September 30, 2009 at 9:34 pmHey Beetrice
Ah I shall try that cold water trick – I have taken to blasting myself with cold water at the end of my shower – quite invigorating!
Michelle says
September 29, 2009 at 12:10 pmI use the same technique! And I tell anyone who’s willing to listen since it’s free to practice it 🙂 I swear by shampoo+conditioner then body wash then face wash. Else I get painful boils all over my back which looks like acne but it’s not. The other thing is switching to certified organic hair care definitely helps whereby I don’t get rash behind my ears no more.
ParisB says
September 30, 2009 at 9:35 pmHey Michelle
You’re right – its free to try! Ouchies at the boils on the back – glad you’ve found something that helps!
Monstro says
September 29, 2009 at 1:08 pmOh no! I wash my face first! I must be the only fool who doesn’t know this beauty tip–well thank goodness for your post, or I’d be kept in the dark forever!! 😀
ParisB says
September 30, 2009 at 9:35 pmHey Monstro
No fool dearie – if it works for you, it works for you! 😀
zwala says
September 29, 2009 at 1:56 pmyeah..i follow that as well..
i even put on any facial mask sometime….and cleanse it off in the end and then wash in the end..
i thought i might be the only one to do in that way.. 😛
ParisB says
September 30, 2009 at 9:35 pmHi Zwala
I haven’t thought about using a mask in the shower – I must give it a shot next time 🙂
sesame says
September 29, 2009 at 2:50 pmI wrote about this before and seems that most responded they wash their face last. However, since writing that entry, I’ve changed a bit – from washing my face while shampoo is on my head and rinising my shampoo first – to cleansing my face first with cream or oil cleanser due to the steam from the shower and then shampoo, before using a foaming cleanser.
ParisB says
September 30, 2009 at 9:37 pmHi Sesame
It would appear that many people are still washing their face last 🙂 I cleanse my face first too but as I step into the shower, not during – then shampoo, condition and foaming cleanser. I think I’m just particular about the shampoo and conditioner bit, less so the body.
Jamilla Camel says
September 29, 2009 at 3:17 pmI’m with you. I exfoliate, wash, rinse the conditioner off, then wash my face!
ParisB says
September 30, 2009 at 9:38 pmHi Jamilla
Yay! Looks like most of us are doing the same thing, rightly or wrongly 😉
Synaesthesia says
September 29, 2009 at 4:01 pmI do double cleansing too… as I’m using cleansing oil so I have to remove my makeups before shower but I’ll do my second facial cleansing step after hair and body shampooed.. It just my habit, nothing related to methods or procedures…
ParisB says
September 30, 2009 at 9:38 pmHi Synaesthesia
It started out as a habit for me too until I thought about it LOL…
Tine says
September 29, 2009 at 4:49 pmI always wash my face last. If I need to double cleanse, then I’d apply my cleansing oil first before stepping into the shower. When I get into the shower, I’d let the steam work with the oil, then I’d massage the skin and wash it off. Wash everything else, and lastly cleanse the face once more. Done! 🙂
ParisB says
September 30, 2009 at 9:39 pmHey Tine
I’d have to try the leave the oil on the face bit for the steam to work on it! Thanks!
eliza says
September 29, 2009 at 6:47 pmafter reading your experience with tresemme quite some time ago, i started washing my face after shower
ParisB says
September 30, 2009 at 9:39 pmHi Eliza
Yeah that experience scarred me for life!
LyNn says
September 29, 2009 at 7:23 pmjust like you
i too cleanse my face last before stepping out of the shower.
here’s my routine
body soap -> cleansing down south -> shampoo -> conditioner -> brush teeth -> cleanse (or double cleanse if i wore make up) face
ParisB says
September 30, 2009 at 9:40 pmHi Lynn
Same routine! 😀 But i brush teeth after I get out of the shower 🙂