How often should you wash your face? Dermatologist Dr. Dray explains how often to cleanse your skin, whether you really need to wash your face twice a day, and what happens when you cleanse too much.
In this video, Dr. Dray discusses face washing, skin cleansing, the skin barrier, dry skin, sensitive skin, oily skin, acne-prone skin, and nighttime skincare. She also addresses a common skincare misconception: you do not necessarily need to wash off everything you applied the night before.
Should you wash off moisturizer in the morning? What about petroleum jelly? Do you need to wash off tretinoin? And does cleansing twice a day actually improve your skin?
Dr. Dray explains when twice-daily cleansing may be beneficial, when once-daily evening cleansing may be enough, and how factors such as oil production, acne, sweating, sunscreen, makeup, eczema, dryness, and skin sensitivity can influence your ideal cleansing routine.
She also explains how harsh cleansers, hot water, excessive washing, scrubbing, and abrasive cleansing tools can contribute to skin barrier disruption, dryness, irritation, and sensitivity.
In this video:
0:00 Introduction
0:25 What does cleansing actually do?
2:21 Who benefits most from washing twice a day?
4:21 What about normal, dry, or sensitive skin?
5:55 How the skin barrier changes the equation
7:36 Do you need to wash off nighttime skincare?
9:43 What about tretinoin and other retinoids?
10:48 Why sunscreen makes nighttime cleansing important
11:40 What if you work out in the morning?
12:33 How to tell if you're cleansing too much
14:25 Final takeaway
15:49 Outro
Dr. Dray also discusses why more cleansing is not necessarily better, why the evening cleanse is often the most important cleanse for dry or sensitive skin, and how to build a cleansing routine that supports rather than disrupts the skin barrier.
For more skincare information, watch:
How Often Do You Need to Exfoliate?
#FaceWashing #Skincare #SkinBarrier #Dermatologist #DrySkin #SensitiveSkin #Acne #Tretinoin #Retinol #SkincareRoutine #Cleansing #HealthySkin
FTC: This video is not sponsored. Links are commissionable, meaning I may earn commission from purchases made through links.
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Disclaimer: This video is not intended to provide diagnosis, treatment or medical advice. Content provided on this Youtube channel is for informational purposes only. Please consult with a physician or other healthcare professional regarding any medical or health related diagnosis or treatment options. Information on this Youtube channel should not be considered as a substitute for advice from a healthcare professional. The statements made about specific products throughout this video are not to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease.
How often do you wash your face? 👇
If you want to dive deeper into exfoliation, check out: How Often Do You Need to Exfoliate? https://youtu.be/bLDs-KM0F1o
Do you cleanse twice a day, once a day, or only when your skin needs it? What works best for your skin? Let me know in the comments!
Twice day w Prequel Gleanser. Very gently and pat damp and apply my serums.
Dry skin so generally cleanse evenings only. Water splash mornings.
Hi Dr Dray so excited to be here love the videos have a nice day ❤️
Happy Monday!
Monday w. Dr Dray!! Dray Day-ers I just finished my first bottle of AmLactin 12%. HOLY SMOKES!! my skin looks AMAZING! Dr Dray giving us the knowledge to empower ourselves!
Amazing!
amlactin is my favorite!
Yeah Dray rocks the mic right
On your face or body?
Can it be used on the underarms and thighs?
Good morning Dr Dray ❤
Morning!
Due to depression, I stopped washing my face twice a day some years ago. Now that I’m better, I generally stick to this as I have normal skin, am menopausal, and live in a cold, dry climate. Your video has put my mind at ease. ❤
So how many times a day do you wash your face nowadays?
@DesertNails once a day, unless I go out. Going out instantly means sunscreen and sometimes makeup. On those days, it’s twice a day.
@talon_craft4734Tks. I’m in a hot & dry climate. BTW I found a wide brimmed hat with long front & back drapes which is a fantastic safe way to be outside gardening. Due to all the sweating off sunblock. It’s a nice option.
Happy Monday! I only wash my face at night unless I’ve gotten sweaty! Thank you!❤
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exactly – in the morning i just splash my face with water – thats all it needs
Great video! Getting the basics right is the most important thing.
I’ve been a stomach sleeper for decades–cannot change! I even bought the expensive sleep-n-glow pillow to train me to be a back sleeper. That said, I feel the need to rinse my face in the morning because of my contact with the pillow.
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This was very helpful. Thank you!
The wonderful Dr Dray
I do cleanse my face twice a day because I live in the tropics but I do switch it up. In the morning I use the CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser, but in the evening I use the PanOxyl Acne Creamy Wash with 4% Benzoyl Peroxide because I am acne prone. Doing this for 4 months already.
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I recommend you to use the Cerave cleanser around the (non-acne prone) orbital eye area rather than the Panoxyl.
The benzoyl peroxide is too harsh for this delicate area where the skin is thinner and naturally less oily. Similarly, only use the Cerave on your neck if you don’t get acne there either. Or, just don’t use any cleanser around there at all when using the Panoxyl.
It is OK to use two different cleansers to care for the skin on different parts of the face.
Recently the skin barrier around my son’s eyes was looking dry and crinkly (using Panoxyl cleanser), however soon went back to normal when he took my advice and stopped using Panoxyl around there and also remembered to use a lightweight moisturiser at night, apply sunscreen every day and a fragrance free lip balm as needed.
I don’t use salicylic acid cleansers around my orbital eye area (above my cheeks) and on my lips for the same reason.
Thankfully now I don’t have pimples or wrinkles 😅
I know that you didn’t ask for any advice, but I thought that you may appreciate knowing this.
👱❤️🧴
I’m very dry! In the am I usually just rinse my face prior to my am routine including sunscreen. By the time I get home I can’t wait to get the sunscreen off so I used a balm and just wipe or rinse until it’s bedtime. Then the cleanse and retinol routine. Being a new user of Tret I blend 50/50 with my barrier cream. So far, no problems. I just feel a little dry for summer weather. Thanks for all your great tips. No dermatologist has time to bother with that info… Look for cancer, then see you in 6 months. In and out within 10 minutes. You’re a blessing for all of us!
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Blending tret with moisturizer is not a good idea because you can’t get it perfectly blended. Better to use a pea sized amount of tret then 30 minutes later apply moisturizer.
Dr Dray, this is excellent info. Such a confusing topic in a way, yet the bottom line appears pretty straightforward… Do what your skin is telling you it needs. I think too many people feel a hard and fast rule is involved. Your excellent info will provide relief to a lot of people who angst over this.
Thank you, Dr. Dray! I have seborrheic dermatitis on my scalp, and it migrates to my face sometimes. I had attributed it to stress, but now I see it may have been because I had not washed my face more than once per day, in a rush so I was probably not rinsing my face very well. Here’s to my multi-step am and pm skincare routines: I wash my face both times and am careful to get all the cleanser rinsed off my face. I wash my face also after a sweaty gym session, before applying sunscreen. Who knew having intentional skincare routines was keeping my seb derm away? I’m so happy to be doing something, albeit inadvertently, right for my skin!
While I have dry, mature skin and don’t use a cleanser in the morning, I do use a soft microfiber cloth and warm water to rinse my face. I tend to get crusty eyes and on occasion drool. Also, since my husband passed, I miss having his arms around me at night and tears will fall. I feel these things need to be removed before I start my AM routine.
i’m so sorry. 💝💝
Life can be so hard – time heals, my dad has been a widower for decades, I’ve seen him hurt and eventually feel better too
What has your husband got to do with your skincare?
I am 60 years old and I have struggled with having sensitive, easily irritated, oily, acne prone skin my whole life. My skin still breaks out occasionally in my lower face. I have found that only splashing water in my face in the morning and then washing my face at night with a gentle hydrating cleanser helps so much with keeping my skin clear, calm, and hydrated. I also use a kojac sponge around my t- zone helps decrease break outs.
I’ve been washing my face twice a day for as far back as I can remember. I can’t imagine not doing it. It seems to work well for me. I have always had oily skin but not as bad as I’ve gotten older. Appreciate the information. Thanks, Dr Dray! I hope you have a relaxing evening. 💗
The prequel cleanser has really helped my oily skin. I like to cleanse twice a day but most cleansers irritate me as it ruins my barrier, but the formula of the “gleanser” really supports water retention for me personally.
16:34 BEST YOUTUBE OUTRO I’VE EVER HEARD 🤣❤️