How many times a day should I wash my face? “Realistically, you only need to wash your face once a day — twice at the most," says Dr. Todd Minars, MD, a dermatologist and Assistant Clinical Professor of Dermatology, University of Miami School of Medicine.
"Ideally, you'd cleanse your face twice per day. In the morning, this removes any excess oils your skin produced as well as remnants from your evening skincare routine," says Yadav.
Too much washing can be detrimental to your skin. Over-cleansing can cause dryness, which is a more pressing concern as we age. Washing, especially with soap-based cleansers, removes the protective acid mantle and leaves your skin vulnerable to bacteria.
Editor's tip: If your skin gets oily quickly, you may be tempted to wash your face multiple times a day. However, this will do more harm than good. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, you should only wash your face twice a day (and after sweating heavily).
That's not to say it's bad if you wash your face only once a day—more on that below—but if you're new to skincare and looking for a general rule of thumb, twice a day is a good place to start.
Washing your skin twice a day is “especially important for those who have acne-prone skin, as facial cleansing removes grime from the skin and pores, which [if allowed to build up], leads to clogging and breakouts,” Geria says.
It's not necessary to wash your face with a cleanser every morning. Rinsing with lukewarm water will likely be sufficient. However, depending on your skin condition and your nighttime skincare routine, it can be beneficial to wash it with a suitable cleanser.
In general, you should be cleansing your face at least twice a day.
“Best practice is to wash your face twice daily,” he explains. “However, if you're going to skip one time, I tell my patients to skip washing in the morning. It's important to wash your face at the end of the day to remove dirt, oil, sweat, makeup, and pollution that build up [over the course of the day].”
Simply soak a cotton pad with micellar water—we love Garnier's SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water ($6), which comes in a variety of options to cater to oily, dry, and normal skin types, as well as to people who wear stubborn waterproof makeup—and wipe it across your face before delving into your morning skincare ...
Acne isn't caused by neglecting to wash your face. Other factors, like bacteria or changing hormones, cause this skin condition. Yet regular cleansing is a key step in your acne treatment routine.
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.
Should you wash your face in the morning or night? Regardless of your skin care needs, all experts agree: you absolutely should wash your face at night. As dermatologist Dr. Joshua Zeichner told Allure, “If you're going to skip (a wash), then it's better to skip the morning one than the evening one.
Since our skin is constantly exposed to dirt, bacteria, sweat, pollutants, and harmful UV rays, it is important to wash face properly before going to sleep. It can help keep pimples, whiteheads, and blackheads at bay and give you healthy, smooth, and flawless skin.
Lukewarm water is advisable to wash your face with, but cold water has its benefits, too. Cold water tightens the appearance of your skin, so it may make you look renewed and refreshed. It also helps boost your circulation, which can help give your skin a healthier appearance, albeit temporarily.
Contrary to popular myths, the safest way to wash your face is with your hands; washcloths and scrubs can be too abrasive on the skin, and might potentially harm healthy cells, resulting in irritation. It's therefore essential to wash your hands before washing your face.
Have no fear – we've done our share of research, and the answer is clear: post-shower is definitely the way to go. Sure, washing your face in the shower saves time but it can also do more harm than good – like, clogging pores with other products (gross) or drying out skin with hot water (ouch).
Acne treatment needs time to work. Using a different product every few days can also irritate your skin, causing new breakouts. If a treatment works for you, you should notice some improvement in 4 to 6 weeks. It can take two to three months or longer to see clearing.
Stress pimples will usually pop up in the oiliest areas of the face, like the forehead, nose and chin. Your T-zone might look greasier and more congested too. Doctors say that if you're getting clusters of pimples all at once, stress can be a factor—hormonal pimples happen one at a time.