When I started the journey of learning about Korean Skincare about a year and a half ago, I did not start off with the double cleanse, but with just a gel cleanser. I have never had a lot of luck with cleansers as I find that they tend to dry out my skin, but as time has gone on, and I have learned more about the reasons behind double cleansing, I have added the oil based cleanser into my routine.
THE MAKEUP REMOVER & OIL CLEANSER
My skin has always hated oil based products, but when I decided to start doing the double cleanse after learning that it is the best way to remove make-up, sunscreen, etc. the Green Beaver Co. Sensitive Skin Makeup Remover became an instant favourite. This is one product that I will never substitute with something else. I does an excellent job of removing my make-up (including my waterproof mascara), and has not irritated my skin at all.
I do this step every night regardless of make-up as it also cleans off my sunscreen. I noticed a huge difference in my skin after implementing this step, and it made me realise that I should have been doing it all along.
THE WATER BASED CLEANSER
Initially, I was using the gel cleanser from Cerave, but decided to try some of the Korean brands instead after the bottle was empty. I was anxious to try a foaming cleanser as they typically dry out my skin, but so far the Pure Fit Cica Cleanser from COSRX has been working really well. It does create a gentle lather as you rub it on your skin, but it doesn't tend to get overly bubbly and settles down into more of a paste as you rub it around.
This step is important as it cleans off the things left behind on your skin that cannot be cleaned with the oil based cleanser. I use this cleanser every night as my second step.
THE TONER
While the next step is typically exfoliation, it is not something that I do every day and I will get to it in another post, the next thing that I do after cleansing (on a non-exfoliating night) is apply Pixi Collagen Botanical Collagen Tonic to a reusable cotton pad, and then wipe and pat my face.
The toner was another product that I was anxious about because I had bad experiences in the past with alcohol based toners, but I know it is an important step because it helps to clear off any residue and dirt left behind from the cleansers.. Thankfully as time has passed, people saw the need for alcohol-free toners like this one, and I have absolutely no problems with it.
My Korean Skincare Routine: Nourish
My Korean Skincare Routing: Protect
Healthy Body: The Beginning of My Korean Skincare Routine