Dermatologists settle it: this is how often you should wash your face for cleansed - not stripped - skin

How often to wash your face is one of the few beauty questions that most people would like the answer to.

This is because cleansing our skin is as much of a nailed-on essential as shampooing our hair and brushing our teeth - or at least it should be. "Cleansing is the cornerstone of all good skincare routines," explains Fiona Brackenbury, aesthetician and skin expert, "get it wrong, and it can play havoc with your skin."

Luckily, this is actually very simple to get right. Picking the best cleanser for your skin type and clarifying how often you should use it is pretty much all there is to learn. Let this expert-approved cheat sheet be your guide. 

How often should you wash your face?

As a general rule, most skin experts agree that twice daily is best. "You should cleanse twice a day, both morning and evening," says Nurse Dawn Attewell, skin specialist and founder of Dawn Attewell Aesthetics.

This is because your AM and PM cleanses play different roles. "In the morning, it's important to wash your face to remove excess oil," says Dr Elif Benar, dermatologist and founder of Dr Elif Clinic. "In the evening, I'd recommend a double cleanse to rid the skin's surface of makeup, SPF, debris, and toxins that may have built up." As it sounds, double cleansing means using one product to dissolve makeup and grime, then another to deep-clean the skin.

Wondering what type of cleanser you should use? "I highly recommend using a gentle cleanser in the morning and then, in the evening, an exfoliant," says Dr Manning.

Dr Benar agrees that gentle skincare acids make excellent PM washes. "An AHA [alpha hydroxy acid] cleanser is excellent for daily use, once in the evening," she says. "AHAs weaken the bonds that hold dead skin cells together to brighten skin, make tone more even, reduce fine lines and improve hydration."

Is it ok to wash your face once a day?

There is a school of thought that many of us are over-cleansing our skin, and that skipping a morning face wash is the best way to prevent any barrier-stripping damage. As ever, the experts say this comes down to skin type.

If you're oily, combination or prone to congestion, "Washing your face in the morning can help prevent a buildup of bacteria that you may have picked up from your pillow or hair during the night," explains Attewell. "A morning wash will also remove excess oil from the skin, preventing blemishes and breaking out and helping our skin to absorb ingredients."

The exception to this is those with sensitive skin, "Overwashing the skin can cause irritation, dryness and that 'tight' feeling that occurs when the skin is stripped of its natural oils," says Dr Benar. "If twice a day is too much for your skin type, take it down to once in the evening." 

If your skin is feeling tight after washing, switching to a gentler cleanser may be a better first call than ditching your morning wash altogether. 

How do you know if you're over cleansing?

Learning how often you should cleanse is the basis of a great skincare routine, but it is possible to have too much of a good thing. "There’s no need to wash your face more than twice a day - any more and it may dry out your skin," says Aparna Salaskar, senior beauty and laser therapist at Aesthetics International.

According to Brackenbury, this is because, "Over cleansing will damage the protective skin barrier, leaving the skin vulnerable and for bad bacteria to flourish causing breakouts. Natural oils will also be stripped from the skin leaving it feeling dry and dehydrated which can cause sensitivity and redness." 

If you are an ultra-diligent cleanser, follow a skincare routine for acne or just love the feeling of a fresh and foamy face wash, it can be tempting to over-cleanse. But twice a day really is the limit for everyone. 

Can I cleanse with just water?

Washing with water alone offers the sensation of having cleansed, but not the benefits, explains Dr Victoria Manning, of River Aesthetics. "This will not remove debris, dirt and makeup. Water alone won't cleanse your skin or break down these oils which have built up throughout the day." If you really struggle to get on board with lather and rinse cleansers, a swipe of micellar water on a clean reusable pad is a better option than water alone - and very little effort.

While they may not work as well as a true cleanse, a bottle of micellar water is always handy to have in a pinch. As for plain old water, our experts agree there's no harm in a refreshing splash of H20, but it's not a substitute for the real thing. "It's a bit like rinsing the dirty dishes with just water and putting them away in the cupboard ready to be used again," explains Brackenbury. That's us convinced!