You may think this a funny question, but it’s one I’ve been wondering about for a while. Well, ever since I reviewed the Bioderma Micellar Cleansing Water and found out that some people don’t wash their faces in the morning, but just use it to “clean up” as it were. I then found out after a bit of digging that actress Salma Hayek attributed her wonderful skin to not washing her face in the morning as long as you “clean your skin very well at night” (source).
I have to say right here, that I disagree with her 100%.
In fact, just do a quick search online and you’ll find lots of articles telling you that not washing your face in the morning is fine. In fact, it is more than fine. It is encouraged.
Well I’ll say this – they don’t live in the tropics and they must not sweat.
But before I go around ruffling feathers, I’d like to know what you do. Do you wash your face in the morning? Or do you just splash on some water and go on your merry way?
I wash my face every morning and I use a gentle face wash when I do. I used to use just 1 face wash morning and evening but I realised that the one I use in the evening was too drying when I use it in the morning. Whereas when I have a gentle cleanser for the morning, it doesn’t do it’s job in the evening.
So, yes. I have and I use 2 different face cleansers in a day.
I have skin that tends to being dry but washing my face in the morning does more than just wake me up. It cleans my skin in preparation for the creams and potions I put on to face the day. I cannot imagine how any product will work if it sits on skin that isn’t cleansed first.
When I wake up in the morning, despite being in an air-conditioned room all night, my face doesn’t feel clean. No matter how clean your room, there are dust and pollutants that settle on your skin through the night. Oh, and you do sweat and the skin does excrete oil in the night (worse if you don’t use air-conditioning in our weather) and when I go to a cold climate, I sweat too from the heater! That sheen on your skin is sweat and oil, not exactly a healthy glow.
Also, our skin renews itself in the night and most us of have a night skincare regimen. I consider washing my face in the morning that first step to preparing my skin to receive its daytime nutrients. Without washing the face, then to me, you are overburdening your skin.
Your skin doesn’t know what time it is. It’s not as if it turns itself on and off like a clock. It works 24 hours, and if you don’t cleanse your face in the morning, but just pile on your skincare, it just keeps plodding along without knowing any better.
The third reason is because how many of us cleanse and treat our skin right before going to bed? I do my night regimen then I potter around for a bit, whether watching tv, sorting things out, getting ready for the next day or if I’m home early, before having dinner. So in those few hours, dirt and oil does accumulate on the skin too.
Sure, night time cleansing is important. I swear by the face flannel face washing method for the evening and I double (actually I triple) cleanse 🙂 But so is washing the face in the morning. Bioderma or any micellar water doesn’t hack it, to be honest. Not as a single cleanser. I think it just encourages people to be lazy 😛
For my mornings, I have been using the Antipodes Juliet Cleansing Gel which is brilliant. It is gentle without drying and leaves my skin feeling clean and ready to face the day. One bottle lasts me ages and I’m going to finish it soon, but I will be replenishing it because it just works so well. I don’t get the tightness associated with face washing and that is important for someone with drier skin like me. You don’t have to use this of course. An affordable gentle option I used previously was the Hada Labo Gokujyun face cleanser that cleanses without drying.
Now that I’ve ruffled feathers, it’s over to you.
Do you wash your face in the morning? Do you have a reason behind why you do or do not?
I do. I think it has to do with finding the right products for your skin. Morning cleansers should be gentle on skin because it isn’t very dirty, but there is still oil and dirt to be removed, before you proceed to pile on your morning creams, lotions and potions. Finding that product however might prove more elusive and may make people lazier if they can’t find the right one, or perceive the cost to be too high 😛
p/s Tracy’s comment below is a helpful counterpoint to my notion of not using just a cleansing water. My caveat to this will be to ensure that sufficient product is used because from my own experience, one pass with a cotton pad isn’t sufficient. I need to use at least 2 cotton pads on relatively clean skin and for removing makeup at least 4.
Paris B
i make sure i wash my face twice a day. lots of people misunderstand about skin. it is an organ that is designed to “purge” not to “absorb”. dry or not, your skin is bound to be left with some gunk and oil in the morning. plus washing with water provides hydration that is essential. cleansing lotion or water is the next best thing only if the water is too hard with much mineral contents.
we should be smart with choosing right type of cleansers and also with water temperature, of course. 😉
Ah I do wash twice a day at least too Lena 🙂 You’re right about our skin being an organ that most people tend to forget about. I personally think it comes down to the type of cleanser or cleansing method preferred but some element of cleansing should be done in the mornings if only to keep our skin gunk free 🙂
I absolutely wash my face in the morning, because if I don’t clean off my heavier night creams (and sometimes night sweat, haha) before applying my daytime face stuff I will break out. Simple as that. I don’t do a lengthy cleansing routine in the morning though – just a simple wash with a gel cleanser.
Yep! I’m the same as you Rebecca 🙂 I could never imagine not washing my face. Sometimes, I do just splash water if I have an early morning yoga class, but it always feels off when that happens 😛
I’ve read that Salma Hayek thing too and out of curiosity, I tried it. It was years ago. I broke out. Thanks for nuffing! 😛
Ever since then, I’ve always cleansed my face twice a day. It also makes sense to do it because my skincare for day and night are rather different. I’m too OCD to allow that sort of skin care to mix 😛
Haha you tried it! I read about it but didn’t dare. I’ve also read about people who have breakouts who are encouraged to not wash their face. I don’t know. Maybe it works, maybe it doesn’t. Seems like different styles work for different people. Power to them 😛
I was incredulous when I first read that one is not supposed to wash their face in the morning.
*ze horror* O_o
Then I realised that it’s probably not meant for those of us here in humid-er and warm-er climates 😛 So screw that..
Hahaha yeah, my reaction exactly! I don’t know though. Some people here in the tropics seem to agree/practice it 😛
Washing your face in the morning is just like brushing teeth in the morning no? Sure we brush teeth before bed time and eat nothing else except water. But we will have to brush our teeth in the morning!
When I use heavier night creams, I find that the t-zone areas are usualy oily already by morning. There is NO WAY i can ignore and not wash my face in the morning.
I’d actually be more concerned that I’m putting on creams or products over the remnants of the previous night’s products and that is what creeps me out a little. I guess I just like starting on a clean slate, as it were
I cleanse my face twice a day most of the time. More if I happen to change my makeup before I go out again in the evening. I think it’s important to keep my face clean. As you have said, we live in a humid region and it makes sense to wash our faces. I have tried cleansing waters before but I don’t feel like my face is clean enough. Nothing beats a good cleanser.
Agree with you Jacqueline. I think our weather has a part to play in this too. I find cleansing water definitely insufficient for me to “clean” my face. Maybe for removing makeup but not as a cleanser 🙂
I have a relative living by the principle of cleansing face with only water, as taught by parents. However, he was the unfortunate one had hell lot of acne after years of negligence. And had to spend thousands at the doctors to get it treated. I usually wash my face in morning with milk cleanser, it doesn’t dry out my skin and I love the supple after wash
Yikes! You know, there’s also this perception that guys only need soap and water. Most guys are smarter these days but then there’s always those who don’t want to be “too feminine” you know. Sorry to hear about your relative! Probably got lectured on skin hygiene by the doctor
Typically I wash my face twice a day. Once in the morning and once in the late afternoon/evening to wash off all my makeup before I go to the gym. If I feel grimy and sticky after gym I would also wash my face again and double the moisturizer amount I’ll be using that day to make sure my skin doesn’t get too dry.
I would think that the statement applies to women with drier skin, based in cooler climes? I once saw an article about only washing hair with conditioner day to day and I believed it – my hair became an oil slick and it took a few shampoo washes to get it clean!
Haha I think most of us do the twice a day face wash thing. Just feels so good doesn’t it? I don’t know who the statement applies to to be honest. I know some people in drier climates prefer not to use a cleanser but they use a cleansing water, which is also essentially a cleanser so that’s a moot point. I guess if it works for them, it does! Oh and I read about using just conditioner too. I didn’t understand the logistics of it so I didn’t try. Basically, it would be just putting silicones on hair without washing it off first. Erm… maybe for very frizzy haired people? 😛
I am one of those who needs to use a cleanser and splash her face clean with lotsa water, then go on and about cleaning myself at the start of the day. I have heard of those who don’t shower, just quickly clean their face and that’s it. I…envy those carefree souls. I need to wash my face and also shower first thing in the morning. Maybe it is the Asian in me 🙂 Despite using light skincare that get aborbed in no time etc, I do wake up with a thin layer of “something” on my face. I certainly cannot imagine piling on more to my face the next morning. I use the same cleanser in the morning and evening, with the addition of cleansing oil in the evening. So far so good. When I am ready to spend more time with face or have the luxury of time to do so, I’d definitely try cleansing balms.
It seems like most of us do the wash the face in the morning thing, but you’re right. Perhaps we are the ones complicating things, when we should carefree like the water splashers eh? 😉 Personally I could never do it and I think my skin would really hate me if I did, but if it works for them I guess it does
I have to wash my face in the morning, simply because it gives me a clean feeling and gives me that wake up boost coz i use cold water… and since my 2nd wash is usually in the evening, all the more i need to wash coz there is plenty of time for oil & dirt to collect… i cant imagine not washing my face for more than 12 hrs apart… on hotter days, i would give my face a mid day splash of water…
I think most of us agree that we feel so much fresher and cleaner washing our faces in the morning. I suppose so long as we aren’t hurting our skin by doing so, we should keep on doing it, the same way that whoever derives benefits from not washing their faces in the morning, should continue too!
eewww! not cleansing face in morning? that’s quite gross, think about the residual creams and serums mixed in with the sebum from your skin! i also practise using a gentler cleanser in the mornings, and i love the yves rocher hydra vegetal gel cleanser for this. cheap and good! stocked up like mad when i last visited bangkok 🙂
Sorry to interrupt, I love the yves rocher hydra vegetal gel cleanser too but when I realised that one of the main ingredient is sodium laureate sulfate, I quickly finished it up and did not repurchase it. Although SLS is in the body wash and shampoo that I am currently using, I am just not comfortable having it on my face.
Yeah I do feel that way too about morning cleansing. It just feels right and preps my skin for receiving the products for the day ahead. I figure, if I cleanse first then nourish my skin in the evening, there’s no reason I shouldn’t do the same in the morning! Oh and thanks for reminding me of the Yves Rocher face wash. You’re right, it’s excellent!
I wash my face with a mild cleanser in the morning. I cannot not wash my face, it would first be an oil slick in a couple of hours, second i use a sleeping mask, esp if i sleep in a aircon env. So i need to wash it off by morning. Plus i cant imagine piling on skincare and make up when the previous one with the dirt accumulate overnight still on the skin. Our skintype and envoirnmeny is different from theirs, so its best to find products n routine that suits you.
Good point about washing off the sleeping mask! You hit the nail on the head though. We just have to use and do whatever is suitable for us. If not washing our face gives us benefits then so be it! I’m just not one of those who will benefit, that’s all 🙂
A micellar cleanser IS a cleanser and does leave skin clean and ready for serums and moisturizers. Here’s a really great simple explanation of how it works: http://imabeautygeek.com/2010/12/23/speed-clean-how-micelle-cleansers-work-and-why-theyre-good-to-your-skin/#ixzz2hkr6uEIz
So yeah, that’s what I use in the morning and it works for me. My skin feels clean and refreshed. Always. It’s not gross or unclean or unhealthy at all.
Just to add in the morning I do two passes with the micellar cleanser, pressing my skin, and drying it after-you need to use enough so that your face is wet. Don’t use it like a toner. In the evening I use a micellar and a cleanser to remove makeup. 🙂 I’ve been doing this for about two years now.
Thanks for the tip, Tracy! You’re absolutely right. A cleansing water is a cleanser and can work, provided enough is used as you have pointed out too. My concern really is with people going “Oh, this is so expensive, I’m just going to use one piece of cotton” and that’s just insufficient to properly cleanse the skin. At the best of times, on non-makeup skin I need at least 2-3 passes with a wet piece of cotton, not damp. On makeup days, it could be 4-5 pieces. The problem therefore is with those who feel they are “saving” and that’s where they don’t derive the full benefit of it as a cleanser. I think it’s great for those with dry skin as a gentle sort of cleanser.
Hi Paris… Washing my face with a cleanser in the morning is a must. I have combination oily skin. I cannot imagine just going through my usual skincare routine without cleansing my face first. Haha! The layers of skincare without a cleansed face just spells disaster. To me, hehe.
Hi Rin, I think for anyone with oily skin, cleansing it first thing in the morning helps keep the oils at bay! I don’t have oily skin but I find it helps my skincare to go on better on a clean face as opposed to having it layer over last nights remnants of face products haha!
I don’t wash my face *first thing* in the morning… I slap on some sunscreen and go for a walk… then I wash everything in the shower once I get back. Works for me.
Ah but then you do wash it in the end 🙂 Well, “first thing” might have been a bit misleading here coz there are people who don’t wash their faces in the morning at all, and just go on with their skincare.
It’s a must for me to wash my face every morning. My skin feels uncomfortable and oily if I don’t cleanse it in the morning
For the most part, I think most of us agree it’s very uncomfortable, Florence 🙂
I wash my face in the morning so I can wake up and get rid of all the eye gunk haha. I use Lush Coal Cleanser which is perfect and leaves me sqeaky and off I go.
Haha eye gunk! A Coal Cleanser sounds absolutely fascinating!
I use a lot of gunk on my face at night, so I NEED to wash my face in the a.m. My nighttime routine is a little more intense as I work in the late evenings, have full face make up on. So when I come home around midnight, I go thru my makeup cleansing routine, and when its thoroughly clean, I slap on serum and a thicker moisturiser at night/or sleeping mask. I do know of some women who dont wash their faces in the a.m, but it’s so ingrain in my routine, if I didnt, I wouldnt be able to think straight haha!
Haha! I too use more potent/intense products in the evening and things like face oils or creams can leave a residue on the skin in the morning. So for me, cleansing in the morning removes all these remnants and preps my skin to receive whatever else I’m going to pile on in the morning. At least that’s what I tell myself 😉
Yikes, I can’t imagine putting skincare products on top of an unwashed morning face. Washing my face in the morning is a must for me. I usually use a foaming cleanser and water.
I think this is something quite ingrained in many of us 🙂 But yes I can’t imagine that too so for me, a lot of it is to do with practicality too!
Definitely YES! I use the same cleanser as I do at night (without my cleansing oil). I need to wash off my night skincare especially my sleeping masks that leave a residue =)
Good point about sleeping masks! Perhaps those who don’t use a cleanser in the mornings don’t use a sleeping mask or heavy creams and therefore don’t feel a residue?