Today we’re turning our attention to something that should be simple, but it’s totally not. We do it day and night, but we’re never 100% sure we’re doing it right. And whether you learnt the ropes from your mum, magazines or Dr. Google (minds out of the gutter for a moment, people), properly cleansing your face (as in, so makeup traces = 0) requires some serious know-how.

We’ve learned the hard way. We’ve religiously adhered to a cleanse-tone-moisturise regimen, only to wake up to yet another burgeoning blemish starring at us back in the mirror. It’s frustrating to say the least – especially if we’re dropping some serious $$$ on the good stuff.

But what we’ve learned is that the good stuff can’t actually do its thing when it’s battling through a barrier of makeup, so the removal process is key.

Basically, skin that looks clean often isn’t.

Jumping in the shower and scrubbing your face with Cetaphil just isn’t going to cut it. Don’t get us wrong, we <3 Cetaphil, but one product can’t do it all. You’re going to need a few – think of investing in the right ones now like a downpayment on your skin for later (like suede protector for your Isabel Marant Dicker boots – totally worth it).

This 4-step guide will get you a cleaner, clearer-looking complexion overnight. Our skin’s never looked better.

By Carmen Hamilton.

What we like to think we look like when we get home from a night out.

Hold a cotton pad with eye makeup remover over your eyes for 30 seconds each, then wipe away. Elizabeth Arden All Gone Eye & Lip makeup remover works a treat.

Make sure all eye makeup is completely removed before moving on.

step 1

Now remove the rest of your makeup using a gentle cleansing water like Bioderma Crealine H2O cleanser and makeup remover.

 

step 3

Now for the crucial step that’s often missed (or skipped on purpose) – oil cleanser.

If your skin is naturally on the oilier side, you’d probably assume putting anything like this on your face will make you break out, but it actually does the complete opposite.

Oil cleansers work on the basis of ‘like for like’. The oil actually dissolves dirt and draws-out pore-clogging oils. It will also ensure every single last scrap of makeup is removed.

step 3

Then comes the actives…

Once you’ve completely cleared your skin of makeup and daily grime, it’s time to call-on the heavy-duty stuff. We’re talking BHAs, AHAs, glycolics, etc. designed to tend to your specific skin problems – whether it’s breakouts, blocked-pores, ageing, dullness (or all of the above).

As an alternative  option, you can skip the actives and go for a Clarisonic with a gentle, foaming cleanser like Aesop’s Fabulous Face Cleanser.

step 4

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Squeaky clean.

Clear complexion, here we come.

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