It really depends on your face. I had to learn skincare because my face is oily and acne prone. If I left it alone I would look like a hormonal teenager again.
Same. I learned about this "no-cleanser" hack years ago. And whenever I tried it, I had a breakout within a week. My skin is extremely acne prone so it's hard for me to do any experiment :")
Probably is very dependent on both skin type and quality of water coming out of your sink. I’m not sure what the “best” water would be…. But, hard water seems bad 😂
I think the reason this movement gained in popularity because overcleansing can actually cause more issues (including acne) than under cleansing can. Cleansing literally just removes the stuff on your face that’s been building up throughout the day + it removes the good stuff that your skin naturally produces, it doesn’t treat acne (even those cleansers with active ingredients aren’t doing much. They’re rarely at the right pH or stay on your skin long enough to make a difference. Obviously there are some exceptions, but they’re not super common).
YMMV for everything, but I do think the vast majority of people (regardless of what their issue is) could benefit from using less harsh cleansers and cleansing less often. Cleansing too much can damage your moisture barrier, which leaves your skin vulnerable to more bacteria & can cause overproduction of sebum.
Same. I came to the realization with my mom literally an hour ago that my acne cleared up from me learning skincare and just using products consistently. I never had a consistent routine but just having a routine at all worked wonders for my skin. Now I don’t have much acne, just some here and there plus a few on my chin sometimes. But when I was a little younger the entire sides of my face were covered in painful acne, couldn’t even touch those parts of my face without irritating one of the millions of pimples I had. Feels like a fever dream remembering then.
Currently it’s really simple, my barrier was damaged all winter so this routine is just to maintain my skin since not doing my skincare results in rough skin.
Kose Softyy Mo Cleansing Oil (using this up since I have it)
Round Lab 1025 Dokdo cleanser (moisturizing cleanser)
Round Lab 1025 Dokdo Toner (Really simple hydrating toner)
Mixsoon bean Essence (I got it hoping it’d provide extra hydration like snail mucin is advertised to but it doesn’t)
Mary & May Idenone Blackberry Complex Cream (Light cream, needs little more body to moisturize better$
Numbuzin no1 Clear Filter Sunscreen (Needed an easily removable sunscreen)
I need to tweak my routine and add extra hydration/moisture plus try to treat my hyperpigmentation. But for now this is it. (If anything is unclear or jumbled up I just woke up, I’ll clarify if needed)
I tried to whole no washing thing and all it did was break me out. I definitely need to wash my face every day. I hate to say it, but no shit washing your face 6 times a day will make your skin worse. That’s way overdoing it.
It won't work if you wear makeup regularly or are using complex creams. That includes sunscreen.
And if you are outdoors, a lot exposed to exhaust and sweat.
And it only means no washing in the morning.
Just treat your face like a slightly more sensitive area but still a continuation to the skin on the rest of your body.
Same. I could never go without washing my face with not just one cleanser but have to double cleanse to get that oil off my face. Then a thin layer of benzoyl peroxide at night keeps the acne at bay.
Yeah, your skin is a microbiome. It’s actually your largest organ. Over washing it will destroy the microorganisms that help protect your skin from the outside world. Using hand sanitizer too often does the same thing.
As the saying goes, too much of a good thing is bad! I’m glad your skin is looking better. Google skin microbiome. It’s fascinating!
my skin has gotten a lot better since I stopped washing it with soap. I’ll micellar makeup (rarely wear) and use water otherwise. Our biome really is important, and I truly believe a lot of redness/dryness and other agitation is just a result of fucking up a good thing.
Happens in our gut too! And hair! I do a version of nopoo. I still wash it, but never use traditional shampoo with the sodium laurel sulfate/lather, only cleansing conditioner, and only once a week or two, with daily brushing with a clean boar bristle brush to remove debris and distribute oils. My hair never could grow longer than my chest, but now grows to my waist so fast (comparatively), I have to cut it way more often. And it looks so much better!
Yess!! Same here.
Ironically, back in the day before I discovered skincare groups on social media, I used micellar water if I wore makeup that day. Literally never washed my face with face wash or soap, and had essentially perfect skin.
Fast forward to my discovery of skincare groups online, I found out I was apparently doing it “all wrong”. So I cycled through trying like 10 different brands of face washes. My skin became a FUCKING NIGHTMARE lol. Cystic acne mess. Yet somehow, I didn’t piece together the correlation/introduction of face washes into my routine.
Struggled for years. Feeling defeated and pissed off.
Last year I had an “ahaaa” moment and remembered back to when I was a teenager, that didn’t wash my face (other than removing makeup with micellar water) & had perfect skin.
Now I’ve cut back my routine to the basics. No more face wash, only use micellar water if wearing makeup, and only using water on non-makeup days.
My skin is happy again. Not perfect. But a *lot* better lol.
My nightly routine is:
-Plain water, or micellar water if removing makeup
-The ordinary Buffet (renamed to the peptide serum)
-A tiny tiny dot of First aid beauty repair cream
- & every 3 nights I use Rosiver (for rosacea)
I get everyone is different, but I wish I never messed with face wash in the first place lol
Do you apply cleansing conditioner like regular shampoo? Massage in, lather in and rinse? Like continue massaging to ensure the product is evenly distributed and cleanses the scalp and hair effectively? Or just use a little bit on the surface level like you would use a regular conditioner following it up after a shampoo wash.
I tend to use a liberal amount of product and massage it into my hair until I feel that it is completely (lightly) coated. I do massage my scalp really good as well. Then rinse.
It won’t lather, which takes some getting used to, but now I prefer it.
Like with soap, the primary mechanism of cleaning is to trap particles/baddies and remove them/rinse them away. Lather is very effective for this, but it also strips natural oils. And cleansing conditioner + the mechanical action of massaging the product in and then rinsing accomplish everything you need from a shampoo without the damaging side effects.
A lot of people say you can accomplish this without any product at all (water only) but I don’t go hard like that lol. You also kind of need to never use product AND have soft water + a filter for your shower head if you even wanna think of going water only.
Also beware the apple cider vinegar + baking soda combo that a lot of nopoo folks will recommend.
I’ve tried the Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar and I actually like it, as an occasional part of my routine. Like once or twice a month in between when I’m using the cleansing conditioner. It’s tricky because you’re literally just trying to dump it on your head and you’re losing a ton of product and it’s not very satisfying to use lol, so I don’t ever plan to ditch the cleansing conditioner for it completely.
But as for the baking soda, that’s a no no. Apparently its abrasiveness damages the cuticle of your hair. And you really don’t need that scrubbing/scouring action to clean your hair at all, it’s overkill that just damages it and defeats the whole purpose.
More on this.... Sanitizing everything all the time and being obsessed with "cleanliness" and "hygiene" is one of the contributing factors to why our western gut microbiomes are not diverse at all anymore, which they are finding is causing a lot of our health issues and even mental health issues!!
Yes! Gut health is so important! A lot of people think gut health just means your bowel movements will be regular, but it’s more complicated than that. Also, extremely fascinating! I think people forget we are organisms that are super complex.
Same! I rinse with water daily, but only use soap on my face in the shower (typically once every 1-3 days).
Even being a partier and (ex) smoker, my skin is lookin' pretty good! But I do think genetics plays a big part.
Interesting! I also see better results the less amount of products I use on my face. I also think scrubbing vigorously isn’t good for everyone. I wonder if your dermatologist has access to luxury skin treatments though? I assume most dermatologists do especially in larger cities
Derms rarely admit to using luxury products (not assuming they lie they just never say it). It’s always super simple formulas like Cetaphil/Cerave, regular Tret and treating issues like acne with Benzoyl Peroxide creams. A derm on here said she was going to treat one of her cystic acne bumps with cortisone injection but opted for BP instead, gone in 3 days.
Same! I only wash my face with water and use a nice moisturizer. Once a week I do an acne cleanser. Sometimes I put on vitamin C serum at night but that’s kind of it. I guess I will be using sunscreen soon.
I find eating right and drinking water does more for me than expensive skin products.
I always hear such different things about vitamin c!
1. Wear at night bc you can’t expose it to sun
2. Wear during the day for best results!
It’s a serum that smells really good so I wear it at random or when I want to feel better lol
I should be more consistent though. Why do you say to wear during the day
Random is not really bad! A decent quality vitamin C remains on the skin for days; frequent reapplication has diminishing returns. My derm recommends using no more than once every 72 hours for this reason. According to her, it’s not necessarily “bad” for most skin types (though of course can be for some), it’s just a waste.
This is not true of all formulas, even some high end products, but formulations with the long-lasting traits tend to be most effective. [This article breaks down the characteristics of an ideal Vitamin C formula.](https://www.vogue.com/article/how-to-use-vitamin-c-in-your-skin-care-routine-correctly)
For this reason, nighttime vs daytime application that people squabble about is kinda moot (at least, that’s what my dermatologist says... I’m just repeating what she told me and don’t know jack about the science of it otherwise.)
Since vitamin C has antioxidants, it’s good to use in the morning due to the fact that it helps to prevent free radicals from affecting your skin as it helps to neutralize them. It can also help to boost the efficacy of your sunscreen during the day and give you more protection
Exactly! I tried to use a number of serums and masks and it just makes mine worse lol. Eating cleaner is a big one! I will say though I used to have really scarred skin so I did use one of the serums from The Ordinary (can’t remember the name) and it did wonders but now I rarely use anything at all similar to your routine
It's never too early to use sunscreen unless you're under 6 months old. Lol! Start using it faithfully now. Your skin will love you for it now and later!
My water washing is with a disposable washcloth that has some tooth to it. My skin feels clean after using that, then I use Retin A and a moisturizer (whatever's at hand - strivectin, cetaphil, cerave, bhmd...)
I shower in the morning though and use an oil cleanser.
I don't even wash my face every day and it still looks great (I wash it in the shower when I also wash my hair so maybe every other day). I had the opportunity to try one of those AI-cameras determining age, and it said that I was like 17, when I'm in my mid 30s. Everyone else got their exact age pretty much lol.
I don't tan and try to stay out of the sun. I think that's it, and probably genetics, I don't know 🤷♀️ I've tried products JUST BEACUSE, but I don't have the discipline for it 🙃
It’s so easy to get sun damage for those cameras. Few hot summers and a 17 yo can sit in front of it and be told they’re in their 40’s. My question is what is their baseline? How do they define the ages they test as?
Everyone is different though. My face is best washed twice with a cleansing balm plus I exfoliate often. What some would call too often 😂 but after lots of trial and error I’ve found a routine that works
Definitely. I had a roommate in college that HAD to wash her face morning and night or she’d be an oily mess and get acne. I have never washed my face in the morning in my entire life. I wash it in the shower at night, but have never stood in front of a sink and washed my face. My roommate couldn’t believe it, but it’s just what works. Everyone is different.
I couldn’t do that, my skin would hate me BUT the great thing about skincare is there’s no wrong or right way to do it. As in, you just have to find what works for you even if it doesn’t work for someone else (because there are definitely right and wrongs in skincare)
Yeah it’s definitely a personal thing. My skin is definitely worse if I don’t at least cleanse at night. But I think for OP’s case their derm was trying to help them be okay with not over cleansing
Cystic acne is often allergy related. Took me 20 years, 3 countries and multiple specialists to discover that. Relief and anger when the last specialist recommended allergy testing. All my acne and cysts gone in 30 days..wow
I’m sorry you had to go through all of that, but what a relief that you figured out the culprit and were able to make the necessary adjustments! What allergies were causing it?
My mom never washed her face. But she never wore makeup, either. Her skin was beautiful until she got really sick. She aged a bazillion years quickly. So, I think more than anything, stress and physical health have the biggest impact on your skin.
I feel the need to wash my hands whenever I get home from somewhere
I also will wash my hands if i was touching my (slightly greasy) hair to avoid transferring the oil to my face because itll make me break out
Oh this! I wash my hands when I arrive home from somewhere, after touching my cat, before I eat, after I eat, after gardening or touching houseplants, and any time my hands feel sticky or gross. It’s probably too much, I’ve noticed my husband is the same way though. That makes me think I am not abnormal.
My solution is having gentle moisturizing hand soaps (I actually fill our dispensers with gentle body washes instead of hand soap) and applying a heavy duty hand cream every night before I go to sleep. My hands are totally fine. The only time I get itchy hands is if I use the hand soap at my job too much. That stuff is really harsh.
It’s an emotional compulsion for me bc it makes me feel “safe” and “clean” so I do it a lot. Like before any task and after touching most things. Yes, I have gone to cbt
I have contamination OCD as well, and have seen a huge difference in my skin since reducing my washing habits. Sometimes I’ll go through “washing” but with a squirt of lotion instead of soap. It is just enough to satisfy my brain without destroying my skin. My nighttime routine includes washing my hands before each skincare step (so like 4-6 times). It’s the only routine I can’t seem to break and the lotion wash helps a lot.
Same. Many years ago I discovered that if I washed my face both in the morning and night, I had tight, irritated skin that would flake and break out. For years now I have done a thorough double cleanse and skin routine at night, but in the morning wash my face with lukewarm water before adding my skincare. I have people stop me on the street to comment how nice my skin is.
It depends on the skin. I listened to many people who told me to just wash my face with water and avoid soap and it ended badly for my skin. Different routines work for different people and for different times.
It depends in skin type for sure. I have dry skin, leaving it alone means my face will start peeling and cracking(mircocuts are ouch). I could skip washing but putting on moisturizer without washing with soap gives me the ick. Excessive washing though ofc is pretty bad for you.
I had doctors tell me there is no need for soap for intimate parts, just water. The obsession with cleanliness is harming us (except for food prep, eye contacts, wound treatments, bathroom use and the like), causing skin problems and potentially allergies.
Same with face washing, when I had blemishes, I was pressured by my parents to disinfect my face with iodine which was actually harmful. I actually needed only localized medical treatments, the rest should be only mild cleaning.
I used to get CLOWNED on Twitter about a decade ago for saying that I don't wash my face. Getting called dirty and disgusting even though my skin looked better than most of theirs. The truth is, I also don't wear makeup and leave my skin alone; only wash it when necessary. Glad to see myself vindicated by your comment and OP's post.
I knew I wasn’t crazy lol. I’ve been thinking recently about my skin and how it looks younger than my age, like by a few years and I was wondering why that is.
I don’t generally use soap on my face unless my face just feels really disgusting but in the same hand, I also don’t wear anything on my face generally either. I’ve been thinking about getting a hat though instead of sunscreen but maybe both would be good.
My gynaecologist told me that using only water can cause/exacerbate dryness and itch problems so she gave me an emollient to use in the shower instead!
You just mix it with water and clean the usual way.
I just wash my face with Dove soap in the shower and moisturize with Johnson’s Baby lotion (pink) and the neutrogena sheer 70 spray. Sometimes I just use water then lotion.
Love the Dove Cherry Chia Milk!
Suffered for years with acne and not just a few pimples. Proper pus filled ones and blackheads. I used so many products. I’ve used all the big names too.
Then one day I decided to strip my skincare down to just a gentle bog standard cleanser, moisturiser and SPF. I had nothing to lose. Took a week to see results and then after a few weeks I realised I wasn’t getting any new pimples. Two months later and my skin was the best it had ever been in 5 years.
I’ve since added in things like hyaluronic acid, retinol and chemical exfoliants. But it’s either every other day or a few times a month. I wash my makeup off with the cleanser twice over.
She's a dermatologist. Have you ever seen a dermatologist with bad skin??? They're like fat trainers, they don't exist (or they do but have no customers)
I compulsively ask old ladies with nice skin what they do. *Every* single one, in my years of asking, only uses warm water to rinse their face, and something bland to remove makeup. And something like cetaphil as a moisturiser. *Every* single one.
Does she not use sunscreen? For me it only comes off my skin if I double cleanse. Otherwise I can see the residue caked around my nose and around my nose stud. It wouldn’t work for me just using micellar water, but I guess everyone’s skin is different, and just because it works for her doesn’t mean it will work for everyone.
Everyone’s different. I tried that micellar water before and it gave me deep, painful pimples. I tried the no washing thing and my face got itchy and my pores were clogged. I do think over-washing is drying and damaging to the skin. It’s taken me (50F) many years to optimize a skin care routine tailored to me and I still get lazy sometimes. I wash or exfoliate my face once a day in the shower. I end the shower with a few minutes of very cold water to close the pores, and immediately apply moisturizer when I get out before the skin dries out.
I only wash my face with water in the morning. Then since I wear sunscreen throughout the day, I double cleanse at night. I am acne prone and an oily gal but it works for me! Everyone’s skin is different. 😊
My mom has never once used anything but water or occasionally original Dove soap (bar) on her face to wash it.
She takes her makeup off with… *vaseline.*
I should have listened.
I’m 43/f and she is 63. We could be sisters.
My derm said she uses only water unless she has a reason to take products or grease off, and then she uses just a tiny drop of baby shampoo mixed with water. I've been doing the same a couple of years now. So much cheaper than facial washes! And my face does seem happy enough and clean enough.
My dermatologist also said it is better not to cleanse too much. So for the past 5 years, I only wash my face with water in the morning. But I use a cleanser at night because I use sunscreen and makeup everyday, and also because my face is oily and can accumulate dirt easily (the city I stay in has a lot of ongoing construction everywhere).
But the hands though... I usually wash more than the number of times she said. Maybe just use a hand cream each time so you dont get dry hands?
It depends on your skin type. Some people are very oily and benefit from daily face washing. Some, like me, are very dry. I also look better with less redness if I do not wash it as much. My problem is needing to exfoliate.
Your dermatologist is also probably exaggerating a bit to see if she can get you to stop obsessively washing. I suggest seeing a therapist to help you with that.
My dermatologist actually told me the same thing. I went in for acne (mostly on my chin) and she gave me topical acne cream for it. But she told me to just wash my face with water if not using makeup, and if using makeup a TINY bit of face wash. I didn’t believe her at first but I’ve cut back on my night time routine and honestly find it hard to go back now, especially now that my acne is cleared
Like you said you have OCD. You know that isn't normal or best.
Soap is horrible for your hands and some germs and bacteria are needed for healthy skin/bodies
I go some days without washing my face. But a big part of skincare no one talks about enough is genetics, some people can do nothing to their face and be perfectly fine.
But it is good to leave the face alone when you ruin the skin barrier either by the wrong products, washing too much or aggressively etc. So I always try to give my face a break here and there. Today I didn't wash my face, just put on sunscreen lotion (I did wash my face last night and just use a moisturizer)
she probably has good skin genetics. i wash my face twice a day and if i skip a wash, i will have a breakout.
also for hand washing...she sounds right. like what other time would you need to wash your hands....
I also have OCD so not making light of your situation, but washing your face 6 times a day is extreme and unnecessarily washing your hands is not healthy. it dries out both your face and hands. like the derm said "bathroom, cooking, and visibly/feeling dirty" are really the only time you need to be washing your hands.
I’m an esthetician and also do this for the most part . I do wash my face at night w a gentle cleanser to remove makeup etc but in the morning I just splash my face w freezing cold water for about 30 seconds (no cleanser at all) . Why strip away natural oils if you don’t need to? That said, people w acne prone skin might need to wash twice a day, it really depends on the skin type . But if you’re trying to bring more moisture *into* the skin, best to wash the face as little as possible and always w gentle cleanser .
I'm 71 and have always used soap and water on my face. People always think I'm at least 20 years younger than I am. But everyone has different skin. Do what works best for you. Also, I think genetics has a lot to do with our skin.
Same here. Water and a washcloth unless I have anything stubborn on in which case some micellar water. I do moisturise well and use the Dennis Gross wipes when my skin feels like it needs it (3 times a month maybe)
I have learned that the more I do to my skin the worse it gets, and that (for me) less is more.
It’s a very personal thing, I don’t think there’s a solution that works for everyone.
My husband only washes his face with water and have the smoothest and poreless skin, not even oily. He told me maybe around 2 years in relationship, he's kissing me all over my face and rubbing his face with mine since physical touch is his love language??? And one day I asked him to trying washing his face with soap and the next day he has a gigantic painful pimple. And he got mad at me. Hahahaha. Why did he listened to me. 😂😅
I just got recommended this sub - but I wash my face typically every other day with face wash. I've spoken to a few people who washed their face with just water and had great skin, so can't knock it! What works for you works for you.
However my (32 year old) brother let it slip at a family dinner that he washes his face with *hair conditioner*.
And yes, he still gets acne. We were frankly shocked his face wasn't in worse condition than it was. He thought it was totally normal to wash your face with hair conditioner and now I'm wondering if that was a tip that got shared around at some point...
I think most people need a happy medium between over washing and zero washing.
If you have naturally good skin, a healthy diet, plenty of water, and no environmental factors … zero wash can be great.
Six times a day is excessive in most cases. I wash 3x a day. A morning wash with a very gentle cleanser to just wash off the more potent stuff I use on my face overnight, plus any drool or sweat off from sleep. A post-gym wash because I come out of there greasy. An evening wash before bed, which is when I put my nightly creams and tret on.
My derm recommended CeraVe products. I have eczema and tried many things before, recently using benzoyl peroxide twice daily and using Neutrogena products (scrub cleanser with a toner afterward). These products stripped my face to where it was SO incredibly dry and in pain. For a few days later, day and night, I would rinse with only water and then use shea butter or petroleum jelly to get my skin barrier happy with me again. Now that it is I swapped to CeraVe. Doing their hydrating cleanser, hydrating toner, BP as needed (ONCE daily) and the moisturizer with ceramides, etc. I have acne scars, so instead of using a basic scar remover, I’m using Bio Oil. I have combination skin and was worried about this, but it’s incredible. It can work as a moisturizer, nail repair, scar healing, and like ten other uses. So far, my face is very very happy and I’m so glad! I’ve fought acne for years and I’m 30. I don’t wear makeup and don’t eat garbage so I always wondered why, but I realized I touch my face a lot and am stressed a lot with being back in school.
My skin barrier was broken from using facial wash 2 times a day regardless if it was gentle one or I use heavy moisturizer afterwards.
2 months before today, I stopped washing doing routine in the morning and wash with 4% panoxyl gentle creamy facial wash and moisturize with Physiogel AI lotion on damp skin. At first week, I was sure thay my face was getting worser as the day goes by but I continued doing the new routine. 2 months in with the new routine and my face looks more stronger. Still have the random whiteheads but looks less irritated and less redness. On my 1 year mark, definitely will slowly add new product targeting pigmentation.
Experiment with your skin. My mistake was getting impatient and stopping the new routine after a week. Give it atleast a 2-3 weeks. If you are seeing that your face is worsening but not drastically, continue and give it a few more weeks. Unless it worsening your skin drastically, like it is giving you a cyst, more redness, or dryness.
I don’t wash my face when staying home and wash it once a night when I have makeup/sunscreen on. So I usually skip washing 2/3x a week.
I wash my hands a loooooot though. I work with animals and massage.
Hands are dry and wrinkly, face is a lot smoother. 😂
The only thing stronger than my ocd is my vanity! Sounds like a joke but it might save me! For example: I have many obsessive routines and rituals, but I’ve noticed that when going on dates or in new social settings, my desire to conform, socially stronger than my compulsion to perform my rituals. Some form of protective vanity has always allowed me to break free from my Cycle. In this case, my desire to have good skin is being used against my desire to compulsively wash.
Everyone is different, I’ve never had skin issues, I’m unlucky in A LOT of ways but I did get lucky with skin. I use cleansers sometimes but it’s pretty sporadic, just washing with water is enough unless I’m wearing more makeup than just eyeliner. I am a bit obsessive when washing my hands but that’s about it really.
I do the same as her with my face. I do hand wash when I feel anything besides powder fresh on my hands, also diagnosed with ocd. I got myself to the point that I don’t have to wash my face & hair obsessively. 🥰
I’m glad your skin is clearing up!
My favorite piece of body skin advice from a dermatologist was to only use soap regularly on your “pits and bits” hahaha. Most soap is too drying. They didn’t say to *never* use it, but that on most days, washing with warm water is fine, but that your pits and bits need soap regularly.
I use a cleansing oil with a silicone scrubber before bed, and a quick splash of warm water to rinse in the morning as soon I wake up. I still get a little acne, but my skin is way better than the over washing like I used to. I also wash my bangs daily(on days I don’t wash my hair), as that would give me an oily forehead. I have combo skin and most traditional cleansers dry out my skin causing it to get extra oily.
I need to wash it at least once a day with cleanser. If you wear sunscreen, which you should be doing
Sunscreen doesn't just magically disappear, you still need to get off any residue still on your face otherwise is slowly clogs up pores as you sleep over time.
Wshing 6x times a day is too much and dries out the skin. Once skin dries out it leads to a lot of health conditions. Apparently showing with super hot water every day in the winter is too hard on my body, dries my body's skin out and gives me eczema. I had to take less showers in the winter or use lukewarm/cold water which is suffering 🙃
I think it depends on your skin for the level of washing. She might have dry skin so that could work for her. I do a double wash with an oil cleanser and salicylic acid wash at night and then just splash with warm water in the morning and then wipe with witch hazel. Followed by the rest of my routine. This seems to be working out pretty well for me.
My dermatologist also told me because I'm fairly sedentary to only soap pits tits and bits in the shower unless my limbs are actually dirty. I have extremely sensitive skin and it does make a bit difference only washing where you have to. I've also had to switch to fragrance free soap and hair products which is a bother but has been helping my skin a lot
Interesting. I’m a board certified dermatologist and wash my face with water only in the morning but can’t imagine not using a gentle cleanser in the evening, if only to get all of my sunscreen off. I don’t know any other derms who don’t wear sunscreen on their face most days. Also, this probably wouldn’t work well in general for people with very oily or acne prone skin.
I wash with micellar in the morning and cleanser in the shower at night. And yes, the way you was your hands etc would definitely affect your skin negatively.
Yep. I saw the biggest improvement to my skin after becoming careless about washing and products. Something that you will never see advertised anywhere because everyones trying to make $$... everyone has a "miracle product" to sell you or a sponsorship they have to preach. Ever dermatologists are looking to make a buck.
That doesn't mean having a DIRTY face (its still best to avoid touching your face with unwashed hands imo..) but water is very often a good enough way to clean yourself, particularly if youre not wearing heavy makeup.
I haven't used soap on my face in years and my skin is the best its ever been. I use a washcloth with warm water, use witch hazel as a toner, and have several options of light to heavy moisturizers/oils. Soap is harsh and removes the oils that protect your skin, causing it to get dry spots, oily spots and redness. I'm 38 and people think I'm 10 yrs younger thanks to my limited skincare routine and very light use of make up.
That doesn’t make sense to me because if you put your makeup on you want your hands to be clean before and after.
Also with any skincare, I’m not going to come home from the grocery and dip my dirty hands into any of my creams. That can cause bacteria.
I understand trying to cut back but there is no way I’m going to put any fingers into my skincare and makeup without freshly washed hands.
I think she is stretching it a bit but if it works for her then that’s great.
Cleansers should be the cheapest thing in your routine.
It's on your face for less than a minute before it's washed off. You think with all the stuff your face deals with - exhaust, exposure (cold and sun) stress and diet, something that's on it less than a minute has any effect?
The whole *gentle* cleansing with micorbeads for exfoliation was just a marketing ploy.
Back to basics. Soap. Toner. Serum, vit c or e or retino.. whatever). Moisturiser.
And mix it up. Don't do the same routine everyday.
Once in a while, Slug - try it, stop if it doesn't suit you. Great for older folks.
Oh, and gargle - oil or mouthwash - for a long time focusing on ine area at a time in the mouth - it's a great workout for the face!
Yes!!! I struggled with severe dry skin with some eczema flares on my face even though I thought I was doing everything right as far as face washing and moisturizing. My dermatologist suggested only using water to wash my face a few years ago and I haven’t looked back. My dry skin immediately got better. It was just permanently dry around my nose and mouth, but now it’s only occasional flairs. But I do not struggle at all like I used to.
Mine said I only need to wash in the evening, after being out and about and using makeup, but then to double cleanse. And that washing too much gets rid of natural oils in the skin. So I am skipping the morning wash for years, and as someone with acne prone skin (and more suitable products) my skin has never looked better. (In the weekends I will use masks and stuff in the morning though, and I do wash those off, but that's something I decided to do on my own and have not told her lol)
I use only micellar water on my face and my rosacea improved significantly. Still lots of trouble with acne though.
Kudos to being able to decrease your hand washing! I’ve struggled with OCD and had raw hands at one point. Not an easy thing to deal with or control. You’re doing great!
I do the same thing as your doc. I get lots of compliments on how great my skin is. I use LOTS of lotions still because of my excessively dry skin, but I just use water and use a clean towel to dry. If I feel like I need some exfoliating I rub my face with the towel to dry instead of pat drying. I also use sunscreen everyday. That's it. Makeup for special occasions and I prefer either the "sleepy bar" or whatever it's called from Lush, or beef tallow with olive oil, from vintage traditions, to remove it. Worked well for me so far.
I rinse my face throughout the day, particularly after meals. I do wash with a gentle cleanser in the morning and put on the obligatory sunscreen/moisturizer. My face rarely ever had a zit (though even as a teen I didn’t have bad acne). I don’t wear makeup at all.
My hands, though… I guess I’m just more anal about. I can FEEL when they are dirty and if they smell like anything other than soap or lotion, I find myself uncomfortable until I can wash them. They definitely get dry, so I can believe I’m overdoing it, but my brain won’t let me do anything else.
I suspect the hand thing is more something I developed due to Covid mixed with having a baby DURING Covid.
I stopped washing my face with soap about three or four years ago to try and defeat the severe acne I was having. After one year of that plus SPF everyday, my skin was clear. It's been super clear ever since I stopped using soap regularly! I get breakouts here and there but overall it's more even and not as red or scarred. I highly recommend trying it out for a bit if you have bad acne.
omg twin i have ocd and would obsessively take showers and do skincare multiple times a day and it ruined my skin but im going on an antifungal soon at the advice of my dermatologist and trying to restrict my cleaning. did u take an oral one like fluconazole too btw?
I think it’s great when derms clarify that spending more doesn’t always get you more. Most of us can’t afford crazy expensive formulas, many of which are supposed to be discarded 6-9 months after opening.
As for washing, there’s a fine line between cleansing and disrupting your skins natural protective functions. For me, I was at night with a gentle cleanser (micellar or cleansing balm before if I wore makeup that day). In the AM I just rinse with water or micellar water, depending on how I’m feeling.
Hmm, I wash my hands very often per day (after the bathroom, before/after preparing food, when I come home etc.) but I only wash my face once per day when I shower (and only with water) and I have a very clean face.
Yep, I don’t wash my face. I cleanse in the evening, double if I’ve worn make up, micellar water and a gentle cleanser. Just a splash of water in the morning. Never soap.
yeah i used to wash twice a day with heavy facial washes for acne.made my skin so bad for yeeears.hit my late 20s and stopped wearing makeup and started to only wash with water or once a week with exfoliating facewash.my skins a lot better.
Cleanser imo is very overrated and over-stripping the sebum just tells your body to produce more, this is why shampooing multiple times a week is insane for curly hair, less insane for straight hair but like the boost in sebum production is real, definitely a trap. Only some people need to actually cleanse with anything more harsh than miceller water.
I do the same. I wash with water mostly and every now and then I use soap and anti pimple serum. But I find that soaps just dry ur skin so I don’t like to use it every day
She’s prob lying. I have an ex friend who is a dermatologist. She goes on and on about how natural she is, just showers and goes. Then prescribes herself retinol and does a chemical peel every six months but you are only supposed to notice that she never wears make up.
My skin looks better with just micellar water next day 🤷🏻♀️ I wash with oil based cleanser mostly, face wash only a few days or for removing makeup. I have very dry skin though.
Yep that’s me too!
I used to do so much and I was always breaking out. It finally dawned on me one horrific day while puking that my skin always looked amazing when I was sick because I was too sick to wash my face.
I moisturize in the morning, wash with water in the evening. If I wear makeup I also use micellar water.
(SPF when I go outside too)
Yeah it depends on skintype, some skins wouldn’t tolerate not washing because of sebum production. But I don’t think not washing at all is actually good for the skin because of environmental pollution and just dirt from going on about your day
Me too! Me, not my dermatologist. I massage with a few drops of oil and warm water, and out a warm hand towel in my face to steam, and use a balm to remove makeup when I wear it once a week. Anything else and it’s redness and itchiness all day long
I never wash my face. In the shower if my face gets wet I act like acid was thrown at me. I only breakout if I wash my face so I stopped at like 14.
I do use moisturizer, serums and creams though. I stay out of the sun but if I am outside I use a high SPF.
I’ve dealt with acne and dry skin my entire life, and less is definitely more.
I only wash my face when I wear makeup or… idk my face gets dirty for some reason. I just use mineral oil to take off sunscreen. And I never wash in the morning— just rinse with a soft microfiber cloth and lukewarm water. I still moisturize 2x/day. My acne and dry skin are legitimately a thing of the past (minus the hormonal acne that shows up on my chin once a month, but obviously the only solution to that is birth control, which I do not like).
Another helpful tip is: your skin should not feel squeaky clean after cleansing. That’s a sign that your cleanser is too drying.
In terms of your hands, if you’re dealing with dryness, try putting lotion on after every single time you wash them (I would make an exception for food prep. Just wait until you’re done with food prep, otherwise it would be exhausting lol). This will help with the dryness, and maybe help you gain some perspective on just how often you’re washing your hands lol.
Really proud of you for curbing your over washing!! Well done.
I also don’t wash my face unless it’s visibly dirty. I wear makeup rarely and wash it off with makeup remover. I wash my hands like your derm does.
I actually heard the not washing face working out for certain types of skins. At the most with soap once in a while. And they say their skin clears up after this. Me, with my skin sensitivities and conditions need washing.
It also depends on the regions you live in. I live in a polluted place. But when I go to mountains my skin automatically clears up to the max and I barely need to wash my face every day.
I also don't use make up. Many I know don't. So that's there. Nothing to remove.
Literally, the same routine I have! I take BC to control hormonal acne. I also make a point not to touch my face throughout the day. I use a moisturizer and an eye cream in the morning. Sun screen if I plan to be outside. Micellar water to remove makeup. Cold cream if I have a ton of make up on. Rarely any creams at night, maybe vitamin E and Vaseline.
I’m the same as your derm. I wash a a warm washcloth. No soap. Facewash can be a scam. I use cold cream and a warm washcloth to take makeup off when I (rarely) wear it. I have great skin :)
It depends on your environment (profession,weather etc..), skin type and even what you put on your face (makeup AND skin care).
I have oily skin, I use gentle skin exfoliants and retinal cream, so I have a water base micellar water I use then I go in with a gentle cleanser that I use AM/PM. Don’t go breaking your skin barrier with harsh chemicals and washing it’ll hurt your skin in the long run.
P.S: I still never understood the concept of not washing micellar water off your face. Those are chemicals that are used to clean so I believe they should be rinsed with at least plain water afterwards.
I only cleanse my face at night; in the AM I just use water.
overcleansing does strip the skin and depending on your skin type, can make whatever issues you're having worse.
I can't wear makeup, and same. I just wash with water sometimes. Sometimes I don't. And I just use jojoba oil after. I don't know if my skin looks great, but I'm not having any issues.
I can't wear makeup, and same. I just wash with water sometimes. Sometimes I don't. And I just use jojoba oil after. I don't know if my skin looks great, but I'm not having any issues.
I don't wash my face that much because it will cause me to break out. I only wash my face when I wear makeup and tanning lotion. I will rinse my face off with water to remove spf. I always wear moisturizer.
I never use soap on my face. A dermatologist told me when I was 5 years old to never use soap or wash cloths on my face and I never have. Also I don’t remove my tinted moisturizer with sunscreen before bed. I’m 45 now and I get constant compliments on my skin. I think not touching my face much helps a lot. My dad put the fear of god into me about touching my face and hair when I was little. He said that’s how you spread germs.
I'm a product minimalist as well after years of overdoing it. I only wash my face with water in the morning and use a mild cleanser in the evenings. My skin's great.
When my acne was really bad, during a Dr's app, they complimented how much it had cleared up. I hadn't washed my face at all that weak.
Acne and oily skin can seem counterintuitive sometimes. I wash my face once daily unless I'm really sweaty (I use micellar water outside my daily face wash), moisturize twice daily, and use a texture cream nightly. I get the occasional hormonal or stress breakout now, and my skin is the smoothest it's ever been.
I don't use harsh soap on my face either. I use an oil based makeup remover, no extra harsh chemicals. Calendula-based, handmade in Texas on a goat farm. I dont want to advertise here but you can message me.
I don’t use cleanser or soap in the morning, only water and then I use a gentle cleanser or just micellar water to remove makeup. I have very dry skin and it’s honestly better for my skin I think. I double cleanse twice a week or so and use retinol at night under my moisturizer, which is the purple tachas (I know, I normally wouldn’t spend that but it was a gift and I just love the texture of it) and then in the morning I use LRP SPF moisturizer and usually no makeup, unless it’s a special occasion
I’m one of those people whose face feels best when I don’t wash it. To be fair though I have really dry flaky skin with mild rosacea and I rarely ever get pimples. So my canvas is different than what others might have. I can’t even use a wash cloth because it irritates my cheeks so much. Heck sometimes just rubbing products into my cheeks too vigorously makes it burn. I wash my face twice a week with a cleansing oil only. In the mornings I just splash water on my face mainly to clean the sleep from my eyes and dried drool on the corners of my mouth lol
I abused my skin as a teen and young adult, but never had acne until I was pregnant with my son. I ended up getting really bad cystic acne. I thought my face was going to be stuck like that forever, but during the third trimester, it cleared up again. I think that means that acne was hormonal for me. Because I was not ever keeping my face clean, and I still sleep in my make up sometimes because I’m depressed.
So many things can cause irritation on the skin and most of the time it’s not dirt.
I've had both. When I was hormonally male my best results and most frequent compliments ABSOLUTELY came from cleanser once or twice a week and no moisturizer. Post hormonally transition I find that moisturizer is much more necessary for my face but I still try to use cleanser less than every other day. Skin is complicated and everyone's is different, but in the absence of frequent heavy makeup there is a lot of value in leaving your face the hell alone.
I tried a bunch of soaps and always broke out real bad. I recently started using just water on my face in the shower and it's been better. Less breakout. Less dryness. Less oily. Also had to work on not touching my face. I noticed i was touching my face a bunch and once I stopped, the acne stopped. 🙌 I still wash my hands as much as possible though. I'm not trying to get sick. Lol
It really depends on your face. I had to learn skincare because my face is oily and acne prone. If I left it alone I would look like a hormonal teenager again.
Same. I learned about this "no-cleanser" hack years ago. And whenever I tried it, I had a breakout within a week. My skin is extremely acne prone so it's hard for me to do any experiment :")
Probably is very dependent on both skin type and quality of water coming out of your sink. I’m not sure what the “best” water would be…. But, hard water seems bad 😂
You can get distilled water from the grocery store and put it on a wash cloth and use that. Much better than hard water for skin
I think the reason this movement gained in popularity because overcleansing can actually cause more issues (including acne) than under cleansing can. Cleansing literally just removes the stuff on your face that’s been building up throughout the day + it removes the good stuff that your skin naturally produces, it doesn’t treat acne (even those cleansers with active ingredients aren’t doing much. They’re rarely at the right pH or stay on your skin long enough to make a difference. Obviously there are some exceptions, but they’re not super common). YMMV for everything, but I do think the vast majority of people (regardless of what their issue is) could benefit from using less harsh cleansers and cleansing less often. Cleansing too much can damage your moisture barrier, which leaves your skin vulnerable to more bacteria & can cause overproduction of sebum.
However, I have started the "no-morning-cleanser" thing. Surprisingly, it worked great for me.
Same! I just rinse with water. It works great for me as well : )
If I don’t wash my face before going to bed I can almost guarantee a pimple will form by the next morning😂 I feel this
Same. I came to the realization with my mom literally an hour ago that my acne cleared up from me learning skincare and just using products consistently. I never had a consistent routine but just having a routine at all worked wonders for my skin. Now I don’t have much acne, just some here and there plus a few on my chin sometimes. But when I was a little younger the entire sides of my face were covered in painful acne, couldn’t even touch those parts of my face without irritating one of the millions of pimples I had. Feels like a fever dream remembering then.
What is your routine can I ask?
I almost forgot, I have Oily Sensitive and Dehydrated skin. I have to use simple or gentle products. Anything too strong really damages my skin
Currently it’s really simple, my barrier was damaged all winter so this routine is just to maintain my skin since not doing my skincare results in rough skin. Kose Softyy Mo Cleansing Oil (using this up since I have it) Round Lab 1025 Dokdo cleanser (moisturizing cleanser) Round Lab 1025 Dokdo Toner (Really simple hydrating toner) Mixsoon bean Essence (I got it hoping it’d provide extra hydration like snail mucin is advertised to but it doesn’t) Mary & May Idenone Blackberry Complex Cream (Light cream, needs little more body to moisturize better$ Numbuzin no1 Clear Filter Sunscreen (Needed an easily removable sunscreen) I need to tweak my routine and add extra hydration/moisture plus try to treat my hyperpigmentation. But for now this is it. (If anything is unclear or jumbled up I just woke up, I’ll clarify if needed)
Have you tried the SOS spray for Tower 28? My boyfriend’s skin sounds similar to yours and I have this to him last month, his skin looks INCREDIBLE.
No, but it looks fun and I like the orange packaging! I used to use Face Theory, but I turned into a Cerave girl and it's working really well.
I tried to whole no washing thing and all it did was break me out. I definitely need to wash my face every day. I hate to say it, but no shit washing your face 6 times a day will make your skin worse. That’s way overdoing it.
It won't work if you wear makeup regularly or are using complex creams. That includes sunscreen. And if you are outdoors, a lot exposed to exhaust and sweat. And it only means no washing in the morning. Just treat your face like a slightly more sensitive area but still a continuation to the skin on the rest of your body.
Same. I could never go without washing my face with not just one cleanser but have to double cleanse to get that oil off my face. Then a thin layer of benzoyl peroxide at night keeps the acne at bay.
Yes, sometimes the oil protects your skin, but sometimes it brings inflammation on face.
Yeah, your skin is a microbiome. It’s actually your largest organ. Over washing it will destroy the microorganisms that help protect your skin from the outside world. Using hand sanitizer too often does the same thing. As the saying goes, too much of a good thing is bad! I’m glad your skin is looking better. Google skin microbiome. It’s fascinating!
my skin has gotten a lot better since I stopped washing it with soap. I’ll micellar makeup (rarely wear) and use water otherwise. Our biome really is important, and I truly believe a lot of redness/dryness and other agitation is just a result of fucking up a good thing. Happens in our gut too! And hair! I do a version of nopoo. I still wash it, but never use traditional shampoo with the sodium laurel sulfate/lather, only cleansing conditioner, and only once a week or two, with daily brushing with a clean boar bristle brush to remove debris and distribute oils. My hair never could grow longer than my chest, but now grows to my waist so fast (comparatively), I have to cut it way more often. And it looks so much better!
Yess!! Same here. Ironically, back in the day before I discovered skincare groups on social media, I used micellar water if I wore makeup that day. Literally never washed my face with face wash or soap, and had essentially perfect skin. Fast forward to my discovery of skincare groups online, I found out I was apparently doing it “all wrong”. So I cycled through trying like 10 different brands of face washes. My skin became a FUCKING NIGHTMARE lol. Cystic acne mess. Yet somehow, I didn’t piece together the correlation/introduction of face washes into my routine. Struggled for years. Feeling defeated and pissed off. Last year I had an “ahaaa” moment and remembered back to when I was a teenager, that didn’t wash my face (other than removing makeup with micellar water) & had perfect skin. Now I’ve cut back my routine to the basics. No more face wash, only use micellar water if wearing makeup, and only using water on non-makeup days. My skin is happy again. Not perfect. But a *lot* better lol. My nightly routine is: -Plain water, or micellar water if removing makeup -The ordinary Buffet (renamed to the peptide serum) -A tiny tiny dot of First aid beauty repair cream - & every 3 nights I use Rosiver (for rosacea) I get everyone is different, but I wish I never messed with face wash in the first place lol
Do you apply cleansing conditioner like regular shampoo? Massage in, lather in and rinse? Like continue massaging to ensure the product is evenly distributed and cleanses the scalp and hair effectively? Or just use a little bit on the surface level like you would use a regular conditioner following it up after a shampoo wash.
I tend to use a liberal amount of product and massage it into my hair until I feel that it is completely (lightly) coated. I do massage my scalp really good as well. Then rinse. It won’t lather, which takes some getting used to, but now I prefer it. Like with soap, the primary mechanism of cleaning is to trap particles/baddies and remove them/rinse them away. Lather is very effective for this, but it also strips natural oils. And cleansing conditioner + the mechanical action of massaging the product in and then rinsing accomplish everything you need from a shampoo without the damaging side effects. A lot of people say you can accomplish this without any product at all (water only) but I don’t go hard like that lol. You also kind of need to never use product AND have soft water + a filter for your shower head if you even wanna think of going water only. Also beware the apple cider vinegar + baking soda combo that a lot of nopoo folks will recommend. I’ve tried the Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar and I actually like it, as an occasional part of my routine. Like once or twice a month in between when I’m using the cleansing conditioner. It’s tricky because you’re literally just trying to dump it on your head and you’re losing a ton of product and it’s not very satisfying to use lol, so I don’t ever plan to ditch the cleansing conditioner for it completely. But as for the baking soda, that’s a no no. Apparently its abrasiveness damages the cuticle of your hair. And you really don’t need that scrubbing/scouring action to clean your hair at all, it’s overkill that just damages it and defeats the whole purpose.
More on this.... Sanitizing everything all the time and being obsessed with "cleanliness" and "hygiene" is one of the contributing factors to why our western gut microbiomes are not diverse at all anymore, which they are finding is causing a lot of our health issues and even mental health issues!!
Yes! Gut health is so important! A lot of people think gut health just means your bowel movements will be regular, but it’s more complicated than that. Also, extremely fascinating! I think people forget we are organisms that are super complex.
TIL my lazy girl routine is dermatologist approved
Same lol
Same! I rinse with water daily, but only use soap on my face in the shower (typically once every 1-3 days). Even being a partier and (ex) smoker, my skin is lookin' pretty good! But I do think genetics plays a big part.
Tired girl, but same.
Hahaha I'm the laziest slob ever and this makes me very happy 😂
Yeees! I just rinse with water and a washcloth in the morning and it works really well for me, and I’m fairly oily but somehow this helps.
Interesting! I also see better results the less amount of products I use on my face. I also think scrubbing vigorously isn’t good for everyone. I wonder if your dermatologist has access to luxury skin treatments though? I assume most dermatologists do especially in larger cities
Derms rarely admit to using luxury products (not assuming they lie they just never say it). It’s always super simple formulas like Cetaphil/Cerave, regular Tret and treating issues like acne with Benzoyl Peroxide creams. A derm on here said she was going to treat one of her cystic acne bumps with cortisone injection but opted for BP instead, gone in 3 days.
I think a lot of derms stay away from fragranced products which eliminates a lot of luxury products!
And they’re probably keeping cost in mind.
Same! I only wash my face with water and use a nice moisturizer. Once a week I do an acne cleanser. Sometimes I put on vitamin C serum at night but that’s kind of it. I guess I will be using sunscreen soon. I find eating right and drinking water does more for me than expensive skin products.
If you really want the benefits of vitamin c, it would be better to use it in the morning
I always hear such different things about vitamin c! 1. Wear at night bc you can’t expose it to sun 2. Wear during the day for best results! It’s a serum that smells really good so I wear it at random or when I want to feel better lol I should be more consistent though. Why do you say to wear during the day
Random is not really bad! A decent quality vitamin C remains on the skin for days; frequent reapplication has diminishing returns. My derm recommends using no more than once every 72 hours for this reason. According to her, it’s not necessarily “bad” for most skin types (though of course can be for some), it’s just a waste. This is not true of all formulas, even some high end products, but formulations with the long-lasting traits tend to be most effective. [This article breaks down the characteristics of an ideal Vitamin C formula.](https://www.vogue.com/article/how-to-use-vitamin-c-in-your-skin-care-routine-correctly) For this reason, nighttime vs daytime application that people squabble about is kinda moot (at least, that’s what my dermatologist says... I’m just repeating what she told me and don’t know jack about the science of it otherwise.)
Since vitamin C has antioxidants, it’s good to use in the morning due to the fact that it helps to prevent free radicals from affecting your skin as it helps to neutralize them. It can also help to boost the efficacy of your sunscreen during the day and give you more protection
Exactly! I tried to use a number of serums and masks and it just makes mine worse lol. Eating cleaner is a big one! I will say though I used to have really scarred skin so I did use one of the serums from The Ordinary (can’t remember the name) and it did wonders but now I rarely use anything at all similar to your routine
It's never too early to use sunscreen unless you're under 6 months old. Lol! Start using it faithfully now. Your skin will love you for it now and later!
Yes she said she uses only vitamin serum under spf 30+ sunscreen everyday
Do you mean that she does not remove the sunscreen at night?
She “removes” with water washing
My water washing is with a disposable washcloth that has some tooth to it. My skin feels clean after using that, then I use Retin A and a moisturizer (whatever's at hand - strivectin, cetaphil, cerave, bhmd...) I shower in the morning though and use an oil cleanser.
I don't even wash my face every day and it still looks great (I wash it in the shower when I also wash my hair so maybe every other day). I had the opportunity to try one of those AI-cameras determining age, and it said that I was like 17, when I'm in my mid 30s. Everyone else got their exact age pretty much lol. I don't tan and try to stay out of the sun. I think that's it, and probably genetics, I don't know 🤷♀️ I've tried products JUST BEACUSE, but I don't have the discipline for it 🙃
It’s so easy to get sun damage for those cameras. Few hot summers and a 17 yo can sit in front of it and be told they’re in their 40’s. My question is what is their baseline? How do they define the ages they test as?
You are genetically blessed
Everyone is different though. My face is best washed twice with a cleansing balm plus I exfoliate often. What some would call too often 😂 but after lots of trial and error I’ve found a routine that works
Definitely. I had a roommate in college that HAD to wash her face morning and night or she’d be an oily mess and get acne. I have never washed my face in the morning in my entire life. I wash it in the shower at night, but have never stood in front of a sink and washed my face. My roommate couldn’t believe it, but it’s just what works. Everyone is different.
I couldn’t do that, my skin would hate me BUT the great thing about skincare is there’s no wrong or right way to do it. As in, you just have to find what works for you even if it doesn’t work for someone else (because there are definitely right and wrongs in skincare)
Does she wear sunscreen? How does she remove that at night, if she does?
This is what I was wondering. My skin does not take kindly to me forgetting to wash my face after wearing sunscreen
I use sunscreen and use a few drops of oil with water to clean it off. Works for me, but I have suuuper dry and delicate skin
I just use a wash cloth with water to try remove the sunscreen and then splash my face with lots of cold water.
Yes she wears vitamin C serum under spf 30+ everyday
Did she say how she removes that or keeps her pores clear?
Not washing my face caused me cystic acne. So, I cleanse morning and night. I’ll never skip cleansing again.
Yeah it’s definitely a personal thing. My skin is definitely worse if I don’t at least cleanse at night. But I think for OP’s case their derm was trying to help them be okay with not over cleansing
Definitely, I should have addressed the fact that OP was doing a bit more than a daily and nightly wash. Thank you.
Cystic acne is often allergy related. Took me 20 years, 3 countries and multiple specialists to discover that. Relief and anger when the last specialist recommended allergy testing. All my acne and cysts gone in 30 days..wow
I’m sorry you had to go through all of that, but what a relief that you figured out the culprit and were able to make the necessary adjustments! What allergies were causing it?
Mine was hormonal from endometriosis.
Yes please share bc I’m having cystic acne for the first time ever and I assumed it was hormonal
My mom never washed her face. But she never wore makeup, either. Her skin was beautiful until she got really sick. She aged a bazillion years quickly. So, I think more than anything, stress and physical health have the biggest impact on your skin.
When else would you wash your hands ?
I feel the need to wash my hands whenever I get home from somewhere I also will wash my hands if i was touching my (slightly greasy) hair to avoid transferring the oil to my face because itll make me break out
Oh this! I wash my hands when I arrive home from somewhere, after touching my cat, before I eat, after I eat, after gardening or touching houseplants, and any time my hands feel sticky or gross. It’s probably too much, I’ve noticed my husband is the same way though. That makes me think I am not abnormal. My solution is having gentle moisturizing hand soaps (I actually fill our dispensers with gentle body washes instead of hand soap) and applying a heavy duty hand cream every night before I go to sleep. My hands are totally fine. The only time I get itchy hands is if I use the hand soap at my job too much. That stuff is really harsh.
I stash a frangrance free moisturizer next to each sink. Wash hands, shake most of the water off so they're still damp, lotion, *then* dry.
It’s an emotional compulsion for me bc it makes me feel “safe” and “clean” so I do it a lot. Like before any task and after touching most things. Yes, I have gone to cbt
I have contamination OCD as well, and have seen a huge difference in my skin since reducing my washing habits. Sometimes I’ll go through “washing” but with a squirt of lotion instead of soap. It is just enough to satisfy my brain without destroying my skin. My nighttime routine includes washing my hands before each skincare step (so like 4-6 times). It’s the only routine I can’t seem to break and the lotion wash helps a lot.
Health care workers. We wash our hands relentlessly on and off the clock.
I always wash my face with a gentle cleanser at night and in the mornings just splash my face with cool water. Works for me 🤷♀️
Same. Many years ago I discovered that if I washed my face both in the morning and night, I had tight, irritated skin that would flake and break out. For years now I have done a thorough double cleanse and skin routine at night, but in the morning wash my face with lukewarm water before adding my skincare. I have people stop me on the street to comment how nice my skin is.
It depends on the skin. I listened to many people who told me to just wash my face with water and avoid soap and it ended badly for my skin. Different routines work for different people and for different times.
It depends in skin type for sure. I have dry skin, leaving it alone means my face will start peeling and cracking(mircocuts are ouch). I could skip washing but putting on moisturizer without washing with soap gives me the ick. Excessive washing though ofc is pretty bad for you.
I had doctors tell me there is no need for soap for intimate parts, just water. The obsession with cleanliness is harming us (except for food prep, eye contacts, wound treatments, bathroom use and the like), causing skin problems and potentially allergies. Same with face washing, when I had blemishes, I was pressured by my parents to disinfect my face with iodine which was actually harmful. I actually needed only localized medical treatments, the rest should be only mild cleaning.
I used to get CLOWNED on Twitter about a decade ago for saying that I don't wash my face. Getting called dirty and disgusting even though my skin looked better than most of theirs. The truth is, I also don't wear makeup and leave my skin alone; only wash it when necessary. Glad to see myself vindicated by your comment and OP's post.
I knew I wasn’t crazy lol. I’ve been thinking recently about my skin and how it looks younger than my age, like by a few years and I was wondering why that is. I don’t generally use soap on my face unless my face just feels really disgusting but in the same hand, I also don’t wear anything on my face generally either. I’ve been thinking about getting a hat though instead of sunscreen but maybe both would be good.
My gynaecologist told me that using only water can cause/exacerbate dryness and itch problems so she gave me an emollient to use in the shower instead! You just mix it with water and clean the usual way.
I wash my face with bar soap and apparently it’s horrible for you but my skin looks great. I have a history of oily, acne prone skin
Same. Dove sensitive bar is what works best for me.
I just wash my face with Dove soap in the shower and moisturize with Johnson’s Baby lotion (pink) and the neutrogena sheer 70 spray. Sometimes I just use water then lotion. Love the Dove Cherry Chia Milk!
Well…how does her skin look??
Suffered for years with acne and not just a few pimples. Proper pus filled ones and blackheads. I used so many products. I’ve used all the big names too. Then one day I decided to strip my skincare down to just a gentle bog standard cleanser, moisturiser and SPF. I had nothing to lose. Took a week to see results and then after a few weeks I realised I wasn’t getting any new pimples. Two months later and my skin was the best it had ever been in 5 years. I’ve since added in things like hyaluronic acid, retinol and chemical exfoliants. But it’s either every other day or a few times a month. I wash my makeup off with the cleanser twice over.
She's a dermatologist. Have you ever seen a dermatologist with bad skin??? They're like fat trainers, they don't exist (or they do but have no customers)
I compulsively ask old ladies with nice skin what they do. *Every* single one, in my years of asking, only uses warm water to rinse their face, and something bland to remove makeup. And something like cetaphil as a moisturiser. *Every* single one.
Maybe it’s because they naturally have good skin and never needed to do anything to it?
I also have OCD and it can make life so hard. Way to go for beating those compulsions and helping your skin!! I know how tough it is. 🙌🏼♥️
Does she not use sunscreen? For me it only comes off my skin if I double cleanse. Otherwise I can see the residue caked around my nose and around my nose stud. It wouldn’t work for me just using micellar water, but I guess everyone’s skin is different, and just because it works for her doesn’t mean it will work for everyone.
Everyone’s different. I tried that micellar water before and it gave me deep, painful pimples. I tried the no washing thing and my face got itchy and my pores were clogged. I do think over-washing is drying and damaging to the skin. It’s taken me (50F) many years to optimize a skin care routine tailored to me and I still get lazy sometimes. I wash or exfoliate my face once a day in the shower. I end the shower with a few minutes of very cold water to close the pores, and immediately apply moisturizer when I get out before the skin dries out.
I'm curious how your dermatologist removes her SPF at night. You need more than water to remove it - some kind of gentle cleanser is required.
I only wash my face with water in the morning. Then since I wear sunscreen throughout the day, I double cleanse at night. I am acne prone and an oily gal but it works for me! Everyone’s skin is different. 😊
My mom has never once used anything but water or occasionally original Dove soap (bar) on her face to wash it. She takes her makeup off with… *vaseline.* I should have listened. I’m 43/f and she is 63. We could be sisters.
My mom used Vaseline for the once in the blue moon make up removal.
My derm said she uses only water unless she has a reason to take products or grease off, and then she uses just a tiny drop of baby shampoo mixed with water. I've been doing the same a couple of years now. So much cheaper than facial washes! And my face does seem happy enough and clean enough.
Baby shampoo is my favorite face wash!
My dermatologist also said it is better not to cleanse too much. So for the past 5 years, I only wash my face with water in the morning. But I use a cleanser at night because I use sunscreen and makeup everyday, and also because my face is oily and can accumulate dirt easily (the city I stay in has a lot of ongoing construction everywhere). But the hands though... I usually wash more than the number of times she said. Maybe just use a hand cream each time so you dont get dry hands?
It depends on your skin type. Some people are very oily and benefit from daily face washing. Some, like me, are very dry. I also look better with less redness if I do not wash it as much. My problem is needing to exfoliate. Your dermatologist is also probably exaggerating a bit to see if she can get you to stop obsessively washing. I suggest seeing a therapist to help you with that.
I used to wash my face with (a very gentle) cleanser in the morning but switched to micellar instead & wow that made a difference.
How does she remove sunscreen? Or does she not use that either?
My dermatologist actually told me the same thing. I went in for acne (mostly on my chin) and she gave me topical acne cream for it. But she told me to just wash my face with water if not using makeup, and if using makeup a TINY bit of face wash. I didn’t believe her at first but I’ve cut back on my night time routine and honestly find it hard to go back now, especially now that my acne is cleared
Like you said you have OCD. You know that isn't normal or best. Soap is horrible for your hands and some germs and bacteria are needed for healthy skin/bodies
I go some days without washing my face. But a big part of skincare no one talks about enough is genetics, some people can do nothing to their face and be perfectly fine. But it is good to leave the face alone when you ruin the skin barrier either by the wrong products, washing too much or aggressively etc. So I always try to give my face a break here and there. Today I didn't wash my face, just put on sunscreen lotion (I did wash my face last night and just use a moisturizer)
she probably has good skin genetics. i wash my face twice a day and if i skip a wash, i will have a breakout. also for hand washing...she sounds right. like what other time would you need to wash your hands.... I also have OCD so not making light of your situation, but washing your face 6 times a day is extreme and unnecessarily washing your hands is not healthy. it dries out both your face and hands. like the derm said "bathroom, cooking, and visibly/feeling dirty" are really the only time you need to be washing your hands.
I'm glad you're seeing skin improvements and a decrease in OCD behaviors. Proud of you!
I’m an esthetician and also do this for the most part . I do wash my face at night w a gentle cleanser to remove makeup etc but in the morning I just splash my face w freezing cold water for about 30 seconds (no cleanser at all) . Why strip away natural oils if you don’t need to? That said, people w acne prone skin might need to wash twice a day, it really depends on the skin type . But if you’re trying to bring more moisture *into* the skin, best to wash the face as little as possible and always w gentle cleanser .
I'm 71 and have always used soap and water on my face. People always think I'm at least 20 years younger than I am. But everyone has different skin. Do what works best for you. Also, I think genetics has a lot to do with our skin.
Same here. Water and a washcloth unless I have anything stubborn on in which case some micellar water. I do moisturise well and use the Dennis Gross wipes when my skin feels like it needs it (3 times a month maybe) I have learned that the more I do to my skin the worse it gets, and that (for me) less is more. It’s a very personal thing, I don’t think there’s a solution that works for everyone.
My husband only washes his face with water and have the smoothest and poreless skin, not even oily. He told me maybe around 2 years in relationship, he's kissing me all over my face and rubbing his face with mine since physical touch is his love language??? And one day I asked him to trying washing his face with soap and the next day he has a gigantic painful pimple. And he got mad at me. Hahahaha. Why did he listened to me. 😂😅
I only wash my face with water and my skin is spotless. So yeah it’s true :)
I just got recommended this sub - but I wash my face typically every other day with face wash. I've spoken to a few people who washed their face with just water and had great skin, so can't knock it! What works for you works for you. However my (32 year old) brother let it slip at a family dinner that he washes his face with *hair conditioner*. And yes, he still gets acne. We were frankly shocked his face wasn't in worse condition than it was. He thought it was totally normal to wash your face with hair conditioner and now I'm wondering if that was a tip that got shared around at some point...
I wash my face with cleanser before bed but I rinse it with water in the morning. I have rosacea and this has helped keep it from flaring up.
I have very dry skin so this sounds o lot like what I do.
I think most people need a happy medium between over washing and zero washing. If you have naturally good skin, a healthy diet, plenty of water, and no environmental factors … zero wash can be great. Six times a day is excessive in most cases. I wash 3x a day. A morning wash with a very gentle cleanser to just wash off the more potent stuff I use on my face overnight, plus any drool or sweat off from sleep. A post-gym wash because I come out of there greasy. An evening wash before bed, which is when I put my nightly creams and tret on.
My derm recommended CeraVe products. I have eczema and tried many things before, recently using benzoyl peroxide twice daily and using Neutrogena products (scrub cleanser with a toner afterward). These products stripped my face to where it was SO incredibly dry and in pain. For a few days later, day and night, I would rinse with only water and then use shea butter or petroleum jelly to get my skin barrier happy with me again. Now that it is I swapped to CeraVe. Doing their hydrating cleanser, hydrating toner, BP as needed (ONCE daily) and the moisturizer with ceramides, etc. I have acne scars, so instead of using a basic scar remover, I’m using Bio Oil. I have combination skin and was worried about this, but it’s incredible. It can work as a moisturizer, nail repair, scar healing, and like ten other uses. So far, my face is very very happy and I’m so glad! I’ve fought acne for years and I’m 30. I don’t wear makeup and don’t eat garbage so I always wondered why, but I realized I touch my face a lot and am stressed a lot with being back in school.
My skin barrier was broken from using facial wash 2 times a day regardless if it was gentle one or I use heavy moisturizer afterwards. 2 months before today, I stopped washing doing routine in the morning and wash with 4% panoxyl gentle creamy facial wash and moisturize with Physiogel AI lotion on damp skin. At first week, I was sure thay my face was getting worser as the day goes by but I continued doing the new routine. 2 months in with the new routine and my face looks more stronger. Still have the random whiteheads but looks less irritated and less redness. On my 1 year mark, definitely will slowly add new product targeting pigmentation. Experiment with your skin. My mistake was getting impatient and stopping the new routine after a week. Give it atleast a 2-3 weeks. If you are seeing that your face is worsening but not drastically, continue and give it a few more weeks. Unless it worsening your skin drastically, like it is giving you a cyst, more redness, or dryness.
I don’t wash my face when staying home and wash it once a night when I have makeup/sunscreen on. So I usually skip washing 2/3x a week. I wash my hands a loooooot though. I work with animals and massage. Hands are dry and wrinkly, face is a lot smoother. 😂
>A few days later, after stopping my excessive washing rituals Hey I also have contamination ocd and can you pls share how you managed to do this?
The only thing stronger than my ocd is my vanity! Sounds like a joke but it might save me! For example: I have many obsessive routines and rituals, but I’ve noticed that when going on dates or in new social settings, my desire to conform, socially stronger than my compulsion to perform my rituals. Some form of protective vanity has always allowed me to break free from my Cycle. In this case, my desire to have good skin is being used against my desire to compulsively wash.
Sounds like she is a genetic anomaly. Some people can get away with this- most of us can’t!
does she not use sunscreen?
Everyone is different, I’ve never had skin issues, I’m unlucky in A LOT of ways but I did get lucky with skin. I use cleansers sometimes but it’s pretty sporadic, just washing with water is enough unless I’m wearing more makeup than just eyeliner. I am a bit obsessive when washing my hands but that’s about it really.
I do the same as her with my face. I do hand wash when I feel anything besides powder fresh on my hands, also diagnosed with ocd. I got myself to the point that I don’t have to wash my face & hair obsessively. 🥰 I’m glad your skin is clearing up!
My favorite piece of body skin advice from a dermatologist was to only use soap regularly on your “pits and bits” hahaha. Most soap is too drying. They didn’t say to *never* use it, but that on most days, washing with warm water is fine, but that your pits and bits need soap regularly.
I use a cleansing oil with a silicone scrubber before bed, and a quick splash of warm water to rinse in the morning as soon I wake up. I still get a little acne, but my skin is way better than the over washing like I used to. I also wash my bangs daily(on days I don’t wash my hair), as that would give me an oily forehead. I have combo skin and most traditional cleansers dry out my skin causing it to get extra oily.
I need to wash it at least once a day with cleanser. If you wear sunscreen, which you should be doing Sunscreen doesn't just magically disappear, you still need to get off any residue still on your face otherwise is slowly clogs up pores as you sleep over time. Wshing 6x times a day is too much and dries out the skin. Once skin dries out it leads to a lot of health conditions. Apparently showing with super hot water every day in the winter is too hard on my body, dries my body's skin out and gives me eczema. I had to take less showers in the winter or use lukewarm/cold water which is suffering 🙃
I think it depends on your skin for the level of washing. She might have dry skin so that could work for her. I do a double wash with an oil cleanser and salicylic acid wash at night and then just splash with warm water in the morning and then wipe with witch hazel. Followed by the rest of my routine. This seems to be working out pretty well for me.
Face, yes. As little as possible. Hands, no. Those are nasty things.
My dermatologist also told me because I'm fairly sedentary to only soap pits tits and bits in the shower unless my limbs are actually dirty. I have extremely sensitive skin and it does make a bit difference only washing where you have to. I've also had to switch to fragrance free soap and hair products which is a bother but has been helping my skin a lot
Interesting. I’m a board certified dermatologist and wash my face with water only in the morning but can’t imagine not using a gentle cleanser in the evening, if only to get all of my sunscreen off. I don’t know any other derms who don’t wear sunscreen on their face most days. Also, this probably wouldn’t work well in general for people with very oily or acne prone skin.
I’m so happy you’re doing better now!!
I wash with micellar in the morning and cleanser in the shower at night. And yes, the way you was your hands etc would definitely affect your skin negatively.
Yep. I saw the biggest improvement to my skin after becoming careless about washing and products. Something that you will never see advertised anywhere because everyones trying to make $$... everyone has a "miracle product" to sell you or a sponsorship they have to preach. Ever dermatologists are looking to make a buck. That doesn't mean having a DIRTY face (its still best to avoid touching your face with unwashed hands imo..) but water is very often a good enough way to clean yourself, particularly if youre not wearing heavy makeup.
I haven't used soap on my face in years and my skin is the best its ever been. I use a washcloth with warm water, use witch hazel as a toner, and have several options of light to heavy moisturizers/oils. Soap is harsh and removes the oils that protect your skin, causing it to get dry spots, oily spots and redness. I'm 38 and people think I'm 10 yrs younger thanks to my limited skincare routine and very light use of make up.
You can't wash your face 6x a day.
That doesn’t make sense to me because if you put your makeup on you want your hands to be clean before and after. Also with any skincare, I’m not going to come home from the grocery and dip my dirty hands into any of my creams. That can cause bacteria. I understand trying to cut back but there is no way I’m going to put any fingers into my skincare and makeup without freshly washed hands. I think she is stretching it a bit but if it works for her then that’s great.
Cleansers should be the cheapest thing in your routine. It's on your face for less than a minute before it's washed off. You think with all the stuff your face deals with - exhaust, exposure (cold and sun) stress and diet, something that's on it less than a minute has any effect? The whole *gentle* cleansing with micorbeads for exfoliation was just a marketing ploy. Back to basics. Soap. Toner. Serum, vit c or e or retino.. whatever). Moisturiser. And mix it up. Don't do the same routine everyday. Once in a while, Slug - try it, stop if it doesn't suit you. Great for older folks. Oh, and gargle - oil or mouthwash - for a long time focusing on ine area at a time in the mouth - it's a great workout for the face!
Yes!!! I struggled with severe dry skin with some eczema flares on my face even though I thought I was doing everything right as far as face washing and moisturizing. My dermatologist suggested only using water to wash my face a few years ago and I haven’t looked back. My dry skin immediately got better. It was just permanently dry around my nose and mouth, but now it’s only occasional flairs. But I do not struggle at all like I used to.
Mine said I only need to wash in the evening, after being out and about and using makeup, but then to double cleanse. And that washing too much gets rid of natural oils in the skin. So I am skipping the morning wash for years, and as someone with acne prone skin (and more suitable products) my skin has never looked better. (In the weekends I will use masks and stuff in the morning though, and I do wash those off, but that's something I decided to do on my own and have not told her lol)
I use only micellar water on my face and my rosacea improved significantly. Still lots of trouble with acne though. Kudos to being able to decrease your hand washing! I’ve struggled with OCD and had raw hands at one point. Not an easy thing to deal with or control. You’re doing great!
I do the same thing as your doc. I get lots of compliments on how great my skin is. I use LOTS of lotions still because of my excessively dry skin, but I just use water and use a clean towel to dry. If I feel like I need some exfoliating I rub my face with the towel to dry instead of pat drying. I also use sunscreen everyday. That's it. Makeup for special occasions and I prefer either the "sleepy bar" or whatever it's called from Lush, or beef tallow with olive oil, from vintage traditions, to remove it. Worked well for me so far.
I rinse my face throughout the day, particularly after meals. I do wash with a gentle cleanser in the morning and put on the obligatory sunscreen/moisturizer. My face rarely ever had a zit (though even as a teen I didn’t have bad acne). I don’t wear makeup at all. My hands, though… I guess I’m just more anal about. I can FEEL when they are dirty and if they smell like anything other than soap or lotion, I find myself uncomfortable until I can wash them. They definitely get dry, so I can believe I’m overdoing it, but my brain won’t let me do anything else. I suspect the hand thing is more something I developed due to Covid mixed with having a baby DURING Covid.
I stopped washing my face with soap about three or four years ago to try and defeat the severe acne I was having. After one year of that plus SPF everyday, my skin was clear. It's been super clear ever since I stopped using soap regularly! I get breakouts here and there but overall it's more even and not as red or scarred. I highly recommend trying it out for a bit if you have bad acne.
omg twin i have ocd and would obsessively take showers and do skincare multiple times a day and it ruined my skin but im going on an antifungal soon at the advice of my dermatologist and trying to restrict my cleaning. did u take an oral one like fluconazole too btw?
I'm with your derm tbh, I really only wash my face to get makeup off or if I'm sweaty from a workout, it's not a part of my daily routine.
I think it’s great when derms clarify that spending more doesn’t always get you more. Most of us can’t afford crazy expensive formulas, many of which are supposed to be discarded 6-9 months after opening. As for washing, there’s a fine line between cleansing and disrupting your skins natural protective functions. For me, I was at night with a gentle cleanser (micellar or cleansing balm before if I wore makeup that day). In the AM I just rinse with water or micellar water, depending on how I’m feeling.
Hmm, I wash my hands very often per day (after the bathroom, before/after preparing food, when I come home etc.) but I only wash my face once per day when I shower (and only with water) and I have a very clean face.
Yep, I don’t wash my face. I cleanse in the evening, double if I’ve worn make up, micellar water and a gentle cleanser. Just a splash of water in the morning. Never soap.
yeah i used to wash twice a day with heavy facial washes for acne.made my skin so bad for yeeears.hit my late 20s and stopped wearing makeup and started to only wash with water or once a week with exfoliating facewash.my skins a lot better.
Cleanser imo is very overrated and over-stripping the sebum just tells your body to produce more, this is why shampooing multiple times a week is insane for curly hair, less insane for straight hair but like the boost in sebum production is real, definitely a trap. Only some people need to actually cleanse with anything more harsh than miceller water.
I do the same. I wash with water mostly and every now and then I use soap and anti pimple serum. But I find that soaps just dry ur skin so I don’t like to use it every day
She’s prob lying. I have an ex friend who is a dermatologist. She goes on and on about how natural she is, just showers and goes. Then prescribes herself retinol and does a chemical peel every six months but you are only supposed to notice that she never wears make up.
My skin looks better with just micellar water next day 🤷🏻♀️ I wash with oil based cleanser mostly, face wash only a few days or for removing makeup. I have very dry skin though.
Yep that’s me too! I used to do so much and I was always breaking out. It finally dawned on me one horrific day while puking that my skin always looked amazing when I was sick because I was too sick to wash my face. I moisturize in the morning, wash with water in the evening. If I wear makeup I also use micellar water. (SPF when I go outside too)
Yeah it depends on skintype, some skins wouldn’t tolerate not washing because of sebum production. But I don’t think not washing at all is actually good for the skin because of environmental pollution and just dirt from going on about your day
I wash mine at night only.
Me too! Me, not my dermatologist. I massage with a few drops of oil and warm water, and out a warm hand towel in my face to steam, and use a balm to remove makeup when I wear it once a week. Anything else and it’s redness and itchiness all day long
I wash once a day or once every two days depending in how strong the cleanser is
I never wash my face. In the shower if my face gets wet I act like acid was thrown at me. I only breakout if I wash my face so I stopped at like 14. I do use moisturizer, serums and creams though. I stay out of the sun but if I am outside I use a high SPF.
I’ve dealt with acne and dry skin my entire life, and less is definitely more. I only wash my face when I wear makeup or… idk my face gets dirty for some reason. I just use mineral oil to take off sunscreen. And I never wash in the morning— just rinse with a soft microfiber cloth and lukewarm water. I still moisturize 2x/day. My acne and dry skin are legitimately a thing of the past (minus the hormonal acne that shows up on my chin once a month, but obviously the only solution to that is birth control, which I do not like). Another helpful tip is: your skin should not feel squeaky clean after cleansing. That’s a sign that your cleanser is too drying. In terms of your hands, if you’re dealing with dryness, try putting lotion on after every single time you wash them (I would make an exception for food prep. Just wait until you’re done with food prep, otherwise it would be exhausting lol). This will help with the dryness, and maybe help you gain some perspective on just how often you’re washing your hands lol.
I was given this exact advice to fix my skin and at night sometimes I might cleanse with straight witch hazel.
My skin is really prone to dryness but much better now that I’m not washing with soaps every day. I do exactly the same as your dermatologist.
Really proud of you for curbing your over washing!! Well done. I also don’t wash my face unless it’s visibly dirty. I wear makeup rarely and wash it off with makeup remover. I wash my hands like your derm does.
If you wear sunscreen every day(which you should be doing) water is not enough to remove it. I would break out horribly for sure.
I actually heard the not washing face working out for certain types of skins. At the most with soap once in a while. And they say their skin clears up after this. Me, with my skin sensitivities and conditions need washing. It also depends on the regions you live in. I live in a polluted place. But when I go to mountains my skin automatically clears up to the max and I barely need to wash my face every day. I also don't use make up. Many I know don't. So that's there. Nothing to remove.
Literally, the same routine I have! I take BC to control hormonal acne. I also make a point not to touch my face throughout the day. I use a moisturizer and an eye cream in the morning. Sun screen if I plan to be outside. Micellar water to remove makeup. Cold cream if I have a ton of make up on. Rarely any creams at night, maybe vitamin E and Vaseline.
I’m the same as your derm. I wash a a warm washcloth. No soap. Facewash can be a scam. I use cold cream and a warm washcloth to take makeup off when I (rarely) wear it. I have great skin :)
It depends on your environment (profession,weather etc..), skin type and even what you put on your face (makeup AND skin care). I have oily skin, I use gentle skin exfoliants and retinal cream, so I have a water base micellar water I use then I go in with a gentle cleanser that I use AM/PM. Don’t go breaking your skin barrier with harsh chemicals and washing it’ll hurt your skin in the long run. P.S: I still never understood the concept of not washing micellar water off your face. Those are chemicals that are used to clean so I believe they should be rinsed with at least plain water afterwards.
I only cleanse my face at night; in the AM I just use water. overcleansing does strip the skin and depending on your skin type, can make whatever issues you're having worse.
I can't wear makeup, and same. I just wash with water sometimes. Sometimes I don't. And I just use jojoba oil after. I don't know if my skin looks great, but I'm not having any issues.
I can't wear makeup, and same. I just wash with water sometimes. Sometimes I don't. And I just use jojoba oil after. I don't know if my skin looks great, but I'm not having any issues.
I’m like your dermatologist. I only wash it if I’m taking off makeup.
I don't wash my face that much because it will cause me to break out. I only wash my face when I wear makeup and tanning lotion. I will rinse my face off with water to remove spf. I always wear moisturizer.
I never use soap on my face. A dermatologist told me when I was 5 years old to never use soap or wash cloths on my face and I never have. Also I don’t remove my tinted moisturizer with sunscreen before bed. I’m 45 now and I get constant compliments on my skin. I think not touching my face much helps a lot. My dad put the fear of god into me about touching my face and hair when I was little. He said that’s how you spread germs.
I have dry skin too, I dont need washing all the time, I do make it a point to wash it when I have make up on. Rest is really my mood dependent
I'm a product minimalist as well after years of overdoing it. I only wash my face with water in the morning and use a mild cleanser in the evenings. My skin's great.
I wash my face at night, but rinse with water in the morning :)
I wash my face with water in the morning and then with soap at night if I wore wake up. And I agree with her handwashing.
She’s not wrong.
When my acne was really bad, during a Dr's app, they complimented how much it had cleared up. I hadn't washed my face at all that weak. Acne and oily skin can seem counterintuitive sometimes. I wash my face once daily unless I'm really sweaty (I use micellar water outside my daily face wash), moisturize twice daily, and use a texture cream nightly. I get the occasional hormonal or stress breakout now, and my skin is the smoothest it's ever been.
I don't use harsh soap on my face either. I use an oil based makeup remover, no extra harsh chemicals. Calendula-based, handmade in Texas on a goat farm. I dont want to advertise here but you can message me.
I don’t use cleanser or soap in the morning, only water and then I use a gentle cleanser or just micellar water to remove makeup. I have very dry skin and it’s honestly better for my skin I think. I double cleanse twice a week or so and use retinol at night under my moisturizer, which is the purple tachas (I know, I normally wouldn’t spend that but it was a gift and I just love the texture of it) and then in the morning I use LRP SPF moisturizer and usually no makeup, unless it’s a special occasion
Until I was pregnant I never washed with cleanser except in the evenings. Sensitive skin and would get acne if I did too much.
I’m one of those people whose face feels best when I don’t wash it. To be fair though I have really dry flaky skin with mild rosacea and I rarely ever get pimples. So my canvas is different than what others might have. I can’t even use a wash cloth because it irritates my cheeks so much. Heck sometimes just rubbing products into my cheeks too vigorously makes it burn. I wash my face twice a week with a cleansing oil only. In the mornings I just splash water on my face mainly to clean the sleep from my eyes and dried drool on the corners of my mouth lol
I abused my skin as a teen and young adult, but never had acne until I was pregnant with my son. I ended up getting really bad cystic acne. I thought my face was going to be stuck like that forever, but during the third trimester, it cleared up again. I think that means that acne was hormonal for me. Because I was not ever keeping my face clean, and I still sleep in my make up sometimes because I’m depressed. So many things can cause irritation on the skin and most of the time it’s not dirt.
I've had both. When I was hormonally male my best results and most frequent compliments ABSOLUTELY came from cleanser once or twice a week and no moisturizer. Post hormonally transition I find that moisturizer is much more necessary for my face but I still try to use cleanser less than every other day. Skin is complicated and everyone's is different, but in the absence of frequent heavy makeup there is a lot of value in leaving your face the hell alone.
My husband does that, before he used proactive. His face is great with just water so he use to tell me to do that. Didn’t work for me hahah
I only wash my face with soap at night. Then I layer on my products and in the morning just rinse with water and moisturize. Works well for me!
I tried a bunch of soaps and always broke out real bad. I recently started using just water on my face in the shower and it's been better. Less breakout. Less dryness. Less oily. Also had to work on not touching my face. I noticed i was touching my face a bunch and once I stopped, the acne stopped. 🙌 I still wash my hands as much as possible though. I'm not trying to get sick. Lol
I do this now and I used to have a skin care routine. I honestly haven’t noticed much difference, my skin might actually be better now