Hygiene is number one. Yes, I do believe that cleanliness is important when it comes to skincare and makeup. Most people are not feeling it when they clean their body parts without a sense of lather across the skin which indeed helps to remove dirt and excess oil after a long day of activity outdoor. The chemicals, called surfactants that are always included in most body wash or facial wash can surround and dissolve dirt and oil which makes it easier for you to wash them away with water afterward. The chemicals also support you to remove dead skin cells that cling to your skin for hours.
However, it hasn't been so long since I talked about skin with a friend of mine who's currently pursuing her skincare business (this makes her knowledgeable about skincare) and she happens to have the same skin type as mine, which is super dry. She spilled some secret to me about her glowing and healthy skin that changed her life. She said she never washes her face with facial wash anymore in the morning. This kind of took me aback, how could you start your daily activities outside without washing your face? Doesn't it feel nasty? Moreover, how about the residue of night skincare? Won't they clog your pores?
She explained that facial wash can be harmful for the skin barrier if the usage is constant with an uncontrolled amount of product used. Therefore, she said she has been washing her face with a facial wash only once, right before she starts her night skincare routine and that's enough. Now, she no longer has that dry-skin concern. And guess what, I'm genuinely intrigued.
I personally have super dry skin that sometimes my makeup doesn't even stick to my face without proper skin prep. The worst-skin moment is whenever I'm driving, no matter in what direction I shifted my air conditioner so that it didn't hit my face directly, I always got out of the car with super dry skin that it felt uncomfortable for me to stretch my face. With notes, I never skip my skincare routine and I always take a big chunk of moisturizer to apply.
There are indeed several benefits you can get from skipping facial wash, especially in the morning. According to Elle, not using facial wash in the morning means that you're not stripping all the skin barrier that is built all night. Rinsing your skin only with a splash or two of water can refresh your skin without ruining the naturally hydrated skin because of the skin barrier. It is also said that if you're only sleeping with night cream and serum, using a cleanser will try to remove the good oil and moisture you just spent the night infusing into your skin.
Hearing the testimony my friend gave me and what the internet persuaded, I started to challenge myself for skipping the morning facial wash. This made my morning shower only include body wash and brushing my teeth. For the face, I only splashed enough running water and made sure I cleaned all the residue from my night skincare routine. Then I continued with my usual morning routine with my moisturizer, serum, and sunscreen. Now you want to know what I felt about my first day of skipping the morning face wash. Well, it felt normal. It felt like my skincare was well absorbed into the skin even more and getting hit by air conditioner was not as uncomfortable as it used to be.
However, what needs to be understood is that this kind of method doesn't always work for all skin types. Maybe, dry and normal skin types will find this as their new holy grail. However, those with super oily and acne-prone skin can benefit from a good wash in the morning as it can help reduce oil and kill bacteria. Therefore, make sure to get to know your skin type. This way, you will know what's best for your skin. But as for me, skipping facial wash in the morning is life-changing!
(DIP/tim)