By and large, facial wipes (thank goodness) are pretty much a thing of the past among beauty fanatics.
Ineffective, environmentally damaging, and dreadful for your skin, lots of us have eschewed the convenience product in favour of quality cleansing formulas.
Over the last few years, thanks to the rise of no-nonsense skinfluencers (Caroline Hirons, Dija Ayodele and the like), more of us than ever are looking to invest in our skin and give it the love it deserves.
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But let's be totally honest, who has the time, or in fact the inclination, to spend hours layering on millions of different products in front of the mirror.
I'm of the opinion that a decent skincare routine needn't take over your life (I certainly don't have the stamina for the TikTok-adored Korean 10-step), instead, a few decent products and a spot of commitment will go a long way.
READ: The 10 best luxury facial oils to nourish your skin
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First things first, there is absolutely zero point in faffing about with expensive actives if you haven't got the basics nailed. If you do nothing else to your skin, you ought to cleanse it properly - not once, but twice.
To be clear, perfection is by no means the aim here. I can't pretend that I haven't stumbled into bed in the early hours still with a full face of makeup on, but the idea is to make these sorts of occasions the exception rather than the rule.
What is double cleansing?
Funnily enough, you might already be double cleansing, without consciously realising. The phrase essentially refers to using a cleanser to remove the day's residue (a delightful blend of makeup, pollution, sun protection and sweat), a heavy-duty balm, oil or cream will do the trick. Then you want to repeat the process, probably with something lighter like a milk, gel or lotion, to ensure that your skin is comfortable and balanced.
According to Joanne Evans, celebrity facialist and founder of Holland Park's Skin Matters, the double cleanse is "essential", considering what your face endures over the course of a single day.
"When it comes to thoroughly cleansing your skin, one cleanse is usually insufficient," she tells Hello! Fashion. "I always use an oil for the first cleanse. Any oil will do for this first stage of breaking through and melting away the dirt."
"After that, cleanse your skin again with a gel, lotion, or cream. This could be your toner as well to remove any residue left over, and to make sure every last bit of dirt is off at the end of the day," Joanne advises.
How we chose:
- Ingredients: All our 'first cleanse' product selections are packed with ingredients that will annihilate any traces of makeup, SPF and grime, and the 'second cleanse' options are lighter in formula and are designed to leave your skin feeling balanced and nourished.
- Performance and personal testimony: The cleansing-related beauty buys chosen below are products that I (Hello! Fashion's resident beauty obsessive Orin Carlin) personally really rate.
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