Beauty Clinic: Double cleansing
Q. I keep hearing about double cleansing and wonder if I should do this for my middle-aged, prone to dull skin. Could you explain what it involves, is it once or twice daily, and suggest products?
A. You’d be forgiven for thinking that double cleansing is just costing you double product and taking double the time for something unnecessary. Actually, having trialled it we are converts.
As skincare expert Noella Gabriel, joint founder and currently President of Elemis, puts it, ‘thorough cleansing is the most fundamental step in any skincare regime and gives you direct anti-ageing benefits as well as prepping the canvas for moisturiser and make up.’ And if you think two cleanses is double trouble, consider that in Asia women typically cleanse six times or more…
In terms of a.m./p.m., you really don't need to double cleanse in the mornings but it does make a difference if you cleanse properly once, rather than the usual old splish-splash with cold water or swipe with a wet flannel. Skin looks better (MUCH better), is smoother and make up goes on better.
A minute’s massaging your face while you apply a cleanser in the morning also makes a difference to the way you look, inducing a perkier rosier complexion and literally waking up your many pairs of facial muscles.
In terms of products, what’s currently floating our boat in a big way for bedtime is a duo of Elemis products: firstly their classic, multi-award winning Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm /£44 for 105g a wonderfully unctuous, skin-soother. Then new Pro-Collagen Energising Marine Cleanser /£42 for 150ml, which we also use for a single cleanse in the morning. Just one squish of product gives an instant visible effect on skin – making it look fresher, pinker, smoother and glowier in a way that’s pretty extraordinary in our experience. Noella explains that effect is down to an anti-ageing trio of gentle acids (lactic, succinic and ferulic - don’t get her started on the potential problems with glycolic…) with mineral power from magnesium, zinc and copper, plus Elemis signature hydrating plant extract padina pavonica.
So yes, to double cleansing in the evening, single in the morning. And it really doesn't take very much time to see results…
