How to clean your skin - the complete guide by a doctor and analyses by BeautyDecoders.
A gentle cleanser adapted to your skin type, twice a day with lukewarm water. In the evening, double cleansing removes make-up, sunscreen and pollution without damaging the skin barrier. The aim: to eliminate excess sebum while preserving the skin's protective lipids.
Why cleaning effective is essential
Cleansing is one of the most important steps in a skincare routine, and one of the most often poorly performed. Too aggressive, it damages the skin; too superficial, it lets pollution, make-up and sunscreen residues clog pores.
Appropriate cleaning reduces blackheads and refines skin texture by eliminating excess sebum, purifies the skin surface pollutants and allergens responsible for irritation, limits the appearance of imperfections by reducing bacterial build-up, and helps prevent premature ageing by ridding the skin of pollution-related free radicals.
To situate this step in the overall routine, see the guide facial care.
Visit skin barrier, and why we need to protect it
Sebum
An oily film on the skin's surface, the first line of protection against external aggressors. Cleansing should remove the excess, but not all of it.
The stratum corneum
Layer of corneocytes linked by a matrix of lipids - ceramides, cholesterol, free fatty acids. It's this matrix that is disrupted by over-powerful cleansers.
The challenge of cleansing is twofold: to remove excess sebum, pollution and residues of make-up or sunscreen, without destroying the inter-epidermal lipid barrier essential to healthy skin. Too strong a cleanser removes impurities, but leaves the skin permanently weakened. This is precisely what the Sensitivity Verdict below measures.
Clean morning and evening: good practice
The morning
Depending on skin type and evening routine, there are two options. For very dry or reactive skin, a simple rinse with lukewarm water may suffice, and eliminates oxidized residues from the previous day's skincare routine, limiting the risk of microcysts. If you have oily or normal skin, or apply many active ingredients in the evening (retinol, acids), a mild, non-aggressive cleanser is preferable, without drying out the skin as soon as you wake up.
In the evening: double cleaning
The reference method for removing make-up, sunscreen and pollution, in two complementary steps. Step 1 Apply to dry skin, massage to dissolve make-up (even waterproof) and sunscreen, then rinse with water. Step 2 A gentle cleaner to remove the last impurities and oil residues. The advantage: instead of using a single stripper, you can use two gentle, complementary cleaning products.
Choose your cleaner by skin type
| Skin type | Recommended texture | Points of attention |
|---|---|---|
| Dry skin | Cleansing oil or balm, cleansing milk, very mild gel | Gentleness first. A tug indicates an overly powerful product. |
| Combination skin | Gentle cleanser for dry areas; light foaming gel for the T-zone | Salicylic acid on the T-zone helps regulate sebum and blackheads. |
| Oily skin | Purifying foaming gel, without stripping | Go for gentle exfoliation and targeted care rather than harsh cleansers. |
Visit common errors not to commit
Six classic traps weaken the skin barrier or leave the skin insufficiently cleansed.
1. An aggressive cleaner or basic soap. Conventional soaps, even organic ones, have a pH that is too alkaline, unbalancing the skin (which has a slightly acidic pH). Clinical data show that the application of soap raises the skin's pH for several tens of minutes, disrupting the hydrolipidic film and reducing the skin's buffering capacity.
2. Believe that a neutral pH is enough. A slightly acidic pH (4.5 to 5.5) harmonizes better with that of the skin than a neutral pH (around 7). Caution: a product labelled «pH neutral» containing a strong surfactant such as SLS remains irritating, as the surfactant raises the skin's pH regardless of the labelled pH.
3. Abuse alcohol or essential oils. Alcohol denatures protective lipids and dries out the skin. Essential oils are allergenic for some people and offer no major advantage in a rinsed product.
4. Use irritating surfactants such as SLS. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate is highly foaming and inexpensive, but it's the benchmark irritant in dermatology: studies show a marked increase in TEWL (transient water loss) after exposure, i.e. a clear deterioration in barrier function.
5. Ignore tightness after cleaning. This is the sign of a damaged barrier: the skin becomes permeable and reactive (redness, discomfort, dryness), and has difficulty tolerating active ingredients such as retinol or vitamin C.
6. Insufficient cleaning. On the other hand, a cleanser that's too light leaves make-up or suncare residue behind: clogged pores, dull complexion, imperfections.
The best cleansers and make-up removers by skin type
A selection of the best-rated products on the BeautyDecoded app, with compatibility scores and review summaries. The Sensitivity Verdict applies the Dr David Rule: a sensitive skin score below 0 indicates a potential risk of irritation; between -2 and -5, a product that is not suitable for sensitive skin.
Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Cleansing Oil
Korean make-up remover oil with ginseng extract, formulated without alcohol. It dissolves make-up and sunscreen as the first step in double cleansing, then emulsifies with lukewarm water. Sensitive skin score 0 - neutral and adapted. Dry skin scores 84 and normal to dry 91 - optimal profile for these skin types.
Geek and Gorgeous Mighty Melt Cleansing Balm
Fine-textured cleansing balm that melts into oil on contact with the skin, without fragrance or irritating ingredients. Designed for the first stage of double cleansing. Sensitive skin score 0 - suitable. Feedback highlights the absence of fatty residue and a price/quality ratio that's hard to beat in this category.
Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm
Make-up-removing balm with a texture that melts into oil then transforms into milk on rinsing. Sensitive skin score 0 - suitable. Very effective on make-up according to feedback, the main complaint being the price, which is higher than equivalent alternatives. Avoid on very sensitive eyes.
Caudalie Vinoclean Cleansing Oil
Cleansing oil that transforms into milk on contact with water. Sensitive skin score +0.5 - well tolerated. Profile suitable for dry to normal to dry skin (84 to 91). Feedback describes it as an affordable alternative to Korean oils, effective on SPF and make-up.
Bioderma Créaline Foaming Gel
Foaming gel cleanser with mild surfactants (sodium cocoamphoacetate, coco-glucoside, glyceryl oleate). Sensitive skin score +0.25 - adapted, including reactive skin. Versatile profile covering normal to oily (91) and normal to dry (78) skin. Excellent value for money, especially on larger sizes.
CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser
Non-aggressive cream cleanser formulated with ceramides and hyaluronic acid. Sensitive skin score 0 - suitable. Optimal profile for dry to normal to dry skin (84 to 91). Feedbacks insist on the absence of tightness after use, a sign of a respected cutaneous barrier.
CeraVe Anti-Imperfection Foaming Gel
Foaming gel with niacinamide and salicylic acid, targeting oily skin with imperfections. Blemish Scores 76,5 and oily skin 91 - very suitable profile to this need. Sensitive skin score -1.7 - slight caution, To be avoided on dry skin (score 25.9), where feedback indicates patches. For tolerant oily skin only.
Bioderma Créaline H2O Micellar Water
Emergency micellar water for immediate make-up removal without rinsing. Sensitive skin score 0 - respects reactive skin. Practical but to be used sparingly: rinsing is still recommended to eliminate residual surfactants. Cleansing balms and oils are preferable for daily use.
Your questions about skin cleansing
How many times a day should you cleanse your skin?
What is double cleaning, and is it compulsory?
How do I know if my cleaner is too aggressive?
Do I need a neutral or acidic pH cleaner?
Is micellar water enough to cleanse the face?
Our guides cleaners detailed
Best cleansing gel
Read the guide → ComparisonOily skin cleansing gel
Read the guide → ComparisonDry skin cleansing gel
Read the guide → ComparisonCleansing gel for normal to combination skin
Read the guide → ComparisonBest cleansing oil
Read the guide → ComparisonBest cleansing balm
Read the guide →Information for educational purposes only. It does not replace a medical consultation and must be adapted to each individual. The compatibility scores generated by the application do not prejudge the individual tolerance of each skin type. In the event of pregnancy, skin pathology or doubt, dermatological advice is recommended. A tolerance test should be carried out before using the product for the first time.