The days of the quick shower are over; a fast lather with a squirt of shower gel apparently no longer does the job. Double cleansing—once limited to facial skincare and shampoo routines—has gradually made its way into body care. But should you just buy twice as much shower gel? Is it more hygienic? And how clean do we really need to be? As always, TikTok—or rather, #ShowerTok—has a huge number of fans of this new trend. “Double cleansing will change your life,” says self-care advocate Xara Beqele (@xarabeq) in a video with almost 10,000 likes. “I think double cleansing is the most effective thing I have added to my shower. I just smell better and feel clean.” Similarly, digital creator Terree Ann (@terreetaughtme) calls double cleansing the body a “hygiene must.” “If you only wash your body with a hydrating body wash, that’s like washing your body with lotion,” she says in a video shared more than 6,000 times. “If you just put a scented body wash on top of unclean skin, that’s like spraying Febreze to mask the smell instead of actually removing it.” Perhaps it’s no surprise, then, that recent research found Gen Z takes longer showers than any other age group—even though they are the most anxious about the climate crisis. Elsewhere, bodycare brand Naturium currently offers a “double cleanse body bundle,” and writing about the process for UK retailer Boots, beauty writer Valeza Bakolli called double cleansing “the all-important first step of your body-care routine.” Last week, the Wall Street Journal asked whether many of us might actually be “showering all wrong.” But London-based consultant dermatologist Dr Jinah Yoo believes that for most people, washing the body twice is “largely unnecessary.” “Double cleansing can make sense for the face when you are removing makeup, sunscreen, or other products,” she says. “But our skin is not supposed to be completely stripped of oil. The skin barrier contains natural lipids that help retain moisture and protect against external irritants. Repeated washing, especially with strong or foaming cleansers, can remove too much of this protective layer and leave the skin dry, tight, itchy, or irritated.” View image in fullscreen Double bubble … cleaning twice could strip natural oils from the skin. Photograph: vm/Getty Images “I think double cleansing in the shower will lead to a lot of dehydrated skin and potentially compromised skin barriers, especially going into autumn and winter when the skin is often drier because of central heating and the cold outside,” says Lauren Hughes, a facialist and skin expert based in east London. “For the body, one cleanser daily with a loofah or sponge is absolutely fine,” she says. “I also like to do a scrub once a week, with an exfoliation mitt.” That said, if you do want to double cleanse, Yoo agrees that “there is little advantage in simply using the same body wash twice.” Bakolli credits the K-beauty boom with popularizing the double-cleanse shower, following in the wake of Korean beauty’s double cleanse facial—and the process is largely the same, starting with an oil-based cleanser. The theory is that this can help break down any sweat, grime, or bacteria that may have built up, as well as removing products such as sunscreen. The second step usually involves a gentle water-based body wash, the idea being that this removes any remaining oil cleanser and cleanses more deeply, although it can also hydrate, exfoliate, or simply provide fragrance. “There may be occasions when a second cleanse is useful—for example, after heavy exercise, swimming, a very hot day, or when you have applied a lot of water-resistant sunscreen or body products,” says Yoo. “What I would avoid is using two strong cleansers, or combining double cleansing with scrubs, exfoliating acids, or antibacterial washes.” But Dr Girish Gupta, a consultant dermatologist based in Glasgow, is adamant that there is no advantage to beHe says there’s no evidence that double cleansing the body—”or the face, to be honest”—is any more hygienic, and like the other experts I spoke to, he suspects it may actually do more harm than good. What can you do to fix dry skin, or treat eczema that has flared up from over-cleansing? “Simple things,” Gupta says, “like not double cleansing, not using fragranced cleansers, and choosing nonfragranced moisturising creams or ointments, depending on how dry your skin is. Eczema may need treatment with topical steroids.” But after the rise—at least online—of the weekly four-hour “everything shower,” it’s perhaps no surprise that some people’s daily body-care routines have become more elaborate too. “Body skincare is now a major category, with serums, retinoids, exfoliating acids, masks and targeted treatments becoming increasingly common,” Yoo agrees. “Social media also encourages multi-step routines because they’re visually engaging and give the impression that more steps mean better results.” But, she says, your skin doesn’t need to feel squeaky clean to actually be clean. “In fact, if it feels very tight after showering, you may be cleansing it too aggressively.” Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs Double Cleansing Do You Really Need to Wash Twice Every Shower
1 What is double cleansing
Its washing your face in two steps first with an oilbased cleanser then with a waterbased cleanser
2 Do I really need to wash my face twice every shower
No Its a skincare method not a shower rule Many people only need it at night or just on days they wear sunscreen or makeup
3 Does double cleansing mean washing my whole body twice
No Its mainly for your face Your body doesnt need it unless youre removing heavy sunscreen or body makeup
4 Whats the point of the first cleanse
The oilbased step breaks down makeup sunscreen and excess oil which regular face wash alone often cant fully remove
5 What does the second cleanse do
The waterbased step washes away what the first cleanser loosened plus sweat and dirt and leaves your skin feeling clean
6 Can I just use my regular face wash twice
No That strips your skin without removing oilbased products well The first step needs to be oilbased
7 Who actually benefits from double cleansing
People who wear makeup sunscreen or heavy skincare those with oily or acneprone skin and anyone living in a polluted city
8 Who should skip it
If you have dry sensitive or eczemaprone skin once a day or a single gentle cleanse is often enough
9 Can double cleansing cause breakouts
It can if you use the wrong products or dont rinse well A poorly rinsed oil cleanser can clog pores
10 Will it dry out my skin
Not if you use gentle products and dont overdo it Overcleansing not double cleansing itself is what dries skin out
11 Whats a good oil cleanser for beginners
A fragrancefree cleansing balm or oil Examples Banila Co Clean It Zero DHC Deep Cleansing Oil or plain jojoba oil
12 What should I use for the second cleanse
A gentle lowpH waterbased cleanser like CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser or La RochePosay Toleriane
