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 must wash my face in the morning as my face usually gets oiled up throughout the night from all the heavier night moisturisers.
I’m the same 😀 I use face oils and/or heavy creams at night too.
I’ll use a foaming face wash in the morning (I love Hada Labo’s). My skin looks much better and fresher after washing and moisturising 🙂
Mmm the Hada Labo face washes are nice aren’t they? 🙂
Great post. I have to admit that I don’t wash my face every single morning. When I don’t – I use a cream cleanser and a toner. Since I have very dry skin, it works for me.
Thanks for sharing, Marina 🙂 At least you do cleanse your skin even with a cream cleanser. There are people who don’t believe in that.
Hmm, there are of course two views on “morning face washing ” but to be honest , I sometimes don’t (and no, I haven’t broke out ) . On lazier days when I have to stay up late and wake up early and have no mood to do anything (kinda like a zombie , really , my hairstylist -the pillow- always messes up my hair and no , it’s not pretty ) , I’d just splash water on my face and wipe with hydrating toner , sunscreen , then go on my merry way . Yes , I’m a lazy person .
But mostly (these days) , I’ve started to wash my face with a mild cleanser in the morning (actually forced myself to ) cause I recently bought a new cleanser and I love it ( haha , I know , weird reason – it’s l’occitane ‘s precious foaming cleanser by the way ~) . And also my skin suddenly turned from normal to combination oily contributes too .
Interesting point Robert. It could well be that the no-washing thing can work for people too 🙂 I think it ultimately comes down to how comfortable we feel and how well it works for us. I personally don’t think it’s advisable for those with oily skins but then, I’m no expert either so perhaps it might even work for them! Again, it will also boil down to what products we use in the evenings and how we feel when we wake up.
I’m going to buck the trend above and admit that I don’t wash my face with a cleanser in the mornings. I will splash with water but that’s about it. Reason being that my sensitive, eczema prone skin refuses to cooperate with cleansing more than once a day – even with the gentlest of facial cleansers. Either it gets dried up and flaky, or I end up with the odd pimple breakout and in a worst case scenario, rashes which are the forerunner of an eczema flareup. I find that my skin is happier with less.
If I had normal skin, I would say yes by all means cleanse in the morning (especially if you have oily/combination skin) but your own skin type (and problems) should always be the key factor in maintaining your skin.
That’s interesting, Rinnah. Thanks for sharing and you have raised a good point re: sensitive or eczema prone skin that might not react well to what might be deemed to be over-cleansing. I suppose at the end of the day, we have to be aware of how our skin reacts, what works for us and how best to deal with our skin’s idiosyncrasies – listen to our skins as it were 🙂
I agree that if you are in a four season country (NOT tropical country) then even if you don’t wash your face in the morning with cleanser it’s fine because it will be dry and cleansing your face will cause it to be dryer.
BUT! being in Malaysia, you must be mad crazy to not wash your face. I cleanse my face with just a single facial wash in the morning because of all the skin benefit layering care from the night before. I feel that it is a must. If i don’t wash my face in the morning, i just feel like i haven’t showered after a gym.
YOu know Gwen, when I was visiting a colder country I’d still wash my face in the morning because I found that I’d sweat thanks to the heater! HAHA! Funny right?
Yes! Especially when I need to go out for classes. I only seldom skipped it during the weekends due to laziness and because I am not going out. My face tend to become oily especially when I have slap a few moisturizer or essence before I sleep the day before.
I think most of us feel this way thanks to what we use the night before. I tend to go for heavy creams and face oils and this can leave a residue on the skin even in the morning, so I prefer washing so I cleanse it off then proceed with my day routine
Have to say I agree with her tips. She isn’t saying everyone should do that “splash with water/do something mild” but it certainly could help a few people who didn’t give it as much thought. I clean my face very well at night and in the morning just rinse/splash/massage with some cold or lukewarm water. My skin used to be oily and flaky back in high school but now its normal. I attribute it to not over washing and stripping skin of its moisture. Just like Salma I guess!
Good point Linh. Based on reader feedback there are some who do find that not washing their face does help them especially if they have very sensitive easily irritated skin. So maybe there is some truth in it but not applicable to everyone. Also I think age, hormones etc play a large part in how our skin behaves so we have to constantly listen and update ourselves with our skin and its little idiosyncrasies 😉
100% agreed with you! I’ve been told not to clean my face in the morning, and I tried…..so conclusion is it is a really bad idea! After then, I use cleansing milk on my dry face in the morning, emulsify it and wash off. This is to remove any residues or dirt that I’ve accumulated overnight. I’ve dry skin and this practice has gain me a better skin condition than not washing my face in the morning!
Yikes! You tried it! I think it’s something that can be helpful to some people but not perhaps to the majority. I’ve read of people who now choose to not only not wash their face, they don’t put ANYTHING on it. I guess I have nothing to say to that except good luck 😛
I prefer to wash my face in the morning so I can get rid of all the oil buildup from overnight. I do shower as well so it’s quite natural to just wash my face in the shower (feels cleaner than just splashing over the sink!).
My cleanser is soap-free and is very gentle anyway so no problems with over-stripping my skin. I do wash my face after I exercise too, so my face gets washed 3x on Sundays!
Washing is a way to remove all the bits you mentioned and to prepare my face for my morning skincare routine which is a little bit different from my night one.
OMG I cannot go to bed with a sweaty face/body, so I settle all my chores (cooking, laundry) and leisure stuff before taking my final shower of the day and hopping straight into bed!
It does make sense to wash the face in the shower. I was reading about some people who don’t advocate washing your face (at all!) or using any skincare (at all!) and I was wondering how they shower or if they even do. Its such a horrifying regimen that I’m horrified people will use it. Said to help acne. Somehow I don’t think so 😛 oh and I have to wash after exercising too. Man! All that sweat and grime, can you imagine?!
I know some don’t advise to wash your face under the shower but over the sink. I don’t get why, maybe it’s because the shower jets may be too forceful, but all the better to get a proper rinse!
haha I haven’t heard of that one, but I wash my face in the shower. Then again, water pressure isn’t that strong, so it’s not like I’m using a pressure jet cleaner on my skin 😀
I do wash my face every morning with a cleanser and really cannot imagine not doing this. Like Ting said, washing your face should be like brushing teeth so it should be as natural as that.
That seems to be the popular opinion! A reader or two have said they do practice this not washing face in the morning thing and it works for them so maybe it does? Haha I just can’t do it 😛
only wash with water or rub with a wet face towel for all my life. no issues with my skin. in fact ppl said i look at least 5 yrs younger than my actual age.
brushing teeth is to remove particles. what is there to remove when one has not eaten anything after brushing before bed?
Good for you that this works Amelie. Incidentally I find the wet towel thing does actually clean skin although I do use it in conjunction with a cleanser. As for brushing, I think its been scientifically proven that we have bacteria build up in our mouths during the night and brushing removes that and freshens our breath. Good hygiene as it were.
Intense washing/cleansing (on make up days – it’s actually triple or even quadruple cleanse – eye make up remover, cleansing water, cleansing oil and then cleanser-cleanser – Yes I am afraid that can be considered overdoing it) at night.
But for morning, definitely a light wash with a soft/easy foaming cleanser like Neutrogena’s Hydra range or Hada Labo’s fat bottomed one. I feel it cleans off the excess stuff (which did not get absorbed) that I plonk on the face the night before and prepares the face for a fresh round of serum/moisturiser etc.
Haha your night cleansing routine sounds like mine. So long as it works for me and keeps my skin clear, I’ll keep doing it!
Oh my.. there’s no excuse for me to not wash my face in the morning. As Ting said, washing face in the morning is the same as brushing your teeth in the morning! How can you not do that? I use the same facial wash (Tea tree) both in the morning and night, but extra cleansing for the night. I can’t go out without my face wash (actually without showering) in the morning, it makes me feel dirty, not clean. Haha.. but my bf does not cleanse his face in the morning. Lucky him, he has no trouble from doing that.
Wah lucky for your bf! I personally think its good practice but then there are people who adopt this technique with no problems so I guess it will differ from person to person. Genetics do play a large part in skin also, so there’s that too!
I find it unbelievable that people don’t wash their faces in the morning.I do that once in a while and it broke me out.I wonder what do they do?Go straight to applying day cream,sunscreen,make up and stuff?Then they’ll end up with a muachi face!I think washing face is necessary in the morning as it allows my skin to breathe again(that is exactly how i feel when i wash my face with cleanser in the morning).
If you follow the method then yes, probably splash with water then go straight to the day creams etc. I feel it to be a little extreme if one piles on makeup on top of everything else but I think if someone has a very simple day and night skincare routine then maybe they don’t feel that it’s too heavy on their skin. Who knows eh? I know I can’t go back to something simple anymore 😉
I definitely do! Feels weird not to. I somehow can’t put toner and start moisturiser without washing. Feels dirty.
I think most of us feel the same way. Just feels nicer to put skincare on top of clean skin right?
Even I went through a phase of not washing my face in morning after these articles on internet. Result was that I ended with clogged skin. Now I wash my face every morning with a gentle cleanser(non-foaming one) and pat dry. Difference in skin is visible.
Thanks for sharing your experience, Maddy! It’s helpful to actually hear from someone who did try it (although I’m sorry to hear about the clogged pores!)
I do wash my face in the morning with Avene Gentle gel cleanser – cloth method
Now i have 3 different kind of cleanser,
AM – Avene Gentle Gel Cleanser
PM – 1st :Shiseido Cleansing Oil
2nd: Avene Gentle Gel Cleanser/ SKII cleansing cream
( depends on the usage of foundation or bb cream)
My combination oily dehydrated skin is behaving since i started using cloth method and non foam type cleanser.
Thanks for sharing, Wan and it’s good to know that the cloth cleansing method is working well for you 😀 Unlike you, I only do the cloth thing in the evening. In the morning, it’s just wash and go!
definitely yes
using the gentlest cleanser i have on hand
and lots of splashes of water – just to get the clean feeling.
Rudi, that sounded just like a haiku to face washing in the morning haha! 😀
Ok, I might be the odd one here but i don’t wash my face in the morning. I just splash with water and straight into the shower. And this is due to the Salma Hayek’s article. And yes, I do live in Malaysia. So far, no problemo.
Thanks for sharing DJ 🙂 There have been some ladies who have piped up to say that they don’t wash with a cleanser in the morning and it works for their skin too. You must have good genes too! 🙂
However, do take note that I wash my face thoroughly in the evening. And i guess my night skincare is not that heavy to begin with. *crossing fingers for the good genes pb!*
Ah that does make sense, and I think our personal skincare routines do play a large part too!