Do you wear make-up?  If you answered yes than you definitely need to do a double cleanse in the evenings.  A double cleanse is exactly what it sounds like - cleansing your skin twice.  Yes, twice.  If you wear make-up washing your face just once in the evening isn't enough.  In order to make sure you've truly removed all your make-up, including eye make-up, you need to invest a little bit more time in your evening skin care cleansing routine.

  If you only cleanse once there really is little chance that you are properly removing your make-up and skin care products plus the dirt and pollution that accumulated on your skin throughout the day.  By cleansing twice you ensure that before you go to bed your face is truly clean.  Cleansing twice doesn't add a lot of extra time to your bedtime skin care routine, and it is worth the effort since sleeping with your make-up only leads to more skin care trouble down the road.  Even if you don't wear make-up you definitely need to consider a double cleanse in the evenings in order to truly make sure your face is clean before you go to bed.

Make-up Removal

The first part of a double cleanse concentrates on removing your make-up along with skincare products and all the dirt that has stuck to your skin during the day.  There are various cleansing products on the market that can be used in order to remove make-up and grime.  One such product is a cleansing oil.  Even if you have acne or oily skin you can still use a cleansing oil.

  Two cleansing oils to try are Dermalogica's PreCleanse or this one by Clinique.  You actually apply cleansing oil to dry skin, gently massage it into your face, and then rinse with room temperature water.  If you are used to first wetting your face when cleansing using a cleansing oil can take a little getting used to.  (By the way using a cleansing oil to remove make-up is not the same things as the oil cleansing method) 

Another make-up removal option is a balm which have a thicker consistency from oils and might appeal to more people.  Once again Clinique makes such a product or if you are feeling adventurous you could try a Korean make-up remover.  Keep in mind you also apply these products on dry skin as you do the cleansing oils.  Yet another option is a micellar water which is a cleansing water; these are recommended by top make-up artists and don't need to be washed off.  One of the best known products in this category is Bioderma, but not everyone is so impressed by these products.  On the other hand, as already mentioned since you don't need to wash a cleansing water off it is a great product to have on hand when camping for example.  

Probably the easiest way to remove your make-up is with a cleansing wipe.  There are so many cleansing wipes out there that choosing a favorite can be difficult.  Cleansing wipes come in all shapes, sizes, and prices.  Just check out the number of different type of wipes that Neutrogena sells.  When it comes to convenience nothing beats cleansing wipes.  

Now do you need a separate eye make-up remover?  That is up to you and how well your overall make-up remover works.  If you use water-proof eye make-up  you really might need a separate eye make-up remover. Lastly, remember that all the above mentioned methods are just step one in a two step process.

Second Cleanse

Now that you've removed your make-up or most of it you need to wash your face again.  If your face is already damp proceed with cleansing with your favorite cleanser.  If you have normal or dry skin use a milky cleanser.  People with oily skin or acne prone skin may want to use a cleanser with active ingredients such as salicylic acid in order to help their skin.  You can use a sonic cleansing brush like the Clarisonic or a konjac sponge with your favorite cleanser for extra cleaning power and gentle exfoliation all at once.  Rinse your face with room temperature, never hot water, and pat your face dry with a clean,cotton towel.

Now your face should feel smooth and soft - refreshed.  Your skin is definitely more than ready for the next steps in your skincare routine.