What is double cleansing the skin and what products should I use?

Double cleansing your face is one of the most common beauty commandments, regularly preached by beauty editors and skin experts. But is it REALLY worth those precious extra few minutes in the evening?

If you wear any sort of SPF (which, let’s be honest, you really should be) or makeup during the day, then our answer is a firm ‘yes’. The first cleanse will remove these things, then the second one is required to actually clean the skin underneath.

Here’s how to ace your evening cleansing routine and the products you’ll need…

For your first cleanse, you have a couple of options (and no, a face wipe is not one of them!). You could either wipe over the skin with a micellar water or a dedicated eye makeup remover using a reusable cotton pad. If your skin is on the drier side, you might prefer to massage in a rich oil or cleansing balm, before removing with a damp flannel.

Next, reach for your second cleanser – this should be something lighter that can be rinsed away with water, like a gel or a cream formula. Rinse, pat dry and voila! Perfectly clean, comfortable skin.

If you’re a complete newcomer to double cleansing, you’ll find two of your new skincare essentials in this month’s OK! Beauty Box: Mudmasky Mineral-Infused Double Cleansing Mask (worth £43), and either a Beauty Kitchen Dual-Sided Reusable Face Cloth or a pack of Beauty Kitchen Large Reusable Cleansing Pads. 

These cleansing cloths are a great eco-friendly alternative to wipes and single-use cotton pads, while the Mudmasky cleanser is a luxurious, pH-balanced formula enriched with Moroccan lava clay that’s suitable for all skin types, even sensitive. 

In fact, this product doesn't just fulfil the role of cleanser in your skincare routine – it can also be left on the skin for a few minutes as a detoxifying and hydrating face mask.

Together these two products would normally set you back over £50, but you can get them both, plus three other brilliant beauty treats, for just £4.95 if you’re a first-time subscriber to the OK! Beauty Box, which this month is worth over £80 in total. Just enter 67FIRSTBOX at the checkout to get this huge saving off the usual bargain monthly subscription price of £15.