While it’s easy to get excited about using a buzzy new skincare product or shaking up your usual routine, many still opt for a rush job when it comes to cleansing: the most basic but essential of steps. But a quick swipe of a face wipe or splashing your face with water in the shower just won’t cut it.

Taking the time to remove your makeup and thoroughly wash your face will ensure that you see visible improvements day after day, cleanse after cleanse. Cleansing is the first step in all skincare routines and is beneficial in so many ways. If not removed properly, dirt and pollution accumulate on the surface of your skin and could potentially contribute to breakouts, dehydration and ageing, while facial cleansing is also an important factor in helping skin maintain a proper level of moisture. Cleansing helps manage the pH levels of the skin; enabling sufficient water and product retention, for proper skin hydration. It can also contribute to the effectiveness of your skincare to follow: without cleansing, your skin would be covered with a thick layer of dirt and grime that can render it difficult for the active ingredients in even the priciest serum to penetrate the skin properly. Have we won you over yet?

We know that taking your makeup off at the end of the day can be a chore, but try re-framing it as a joy. Use it as a little extra time to indulge yourself and wind down before you sleep, and choose beautiful formulations that leave your skin clean, nourished and ready for the rest of your routine.

Cleansing formulas we love

We like to keep a selection of cleansers on hand to swap in and out when needed, some of our favourites being:

Dust & Glow Powder-Based Detox Cleanser & Mask

We love a multitasking beauty solution, and this 100 percent plant-based cleansing powder  activated by the water in your shower is an absolute winner. Formulated with charcoal, kaolin and a pre-and probiotic complex to gently cleanse, rebalance and improve skin’s radiance, it is a great option for oily, combination and problematic skin that might need something a little extra when the humidity levels are high. 

Trilogy Clarifying Cleansing Gel

Also designed for combination or oily complexions, this non-drying gel cleanser refreshes and invigorates your complexion with a deliciously natural mint and melon fragrance. The formula includes witch hazel to rebalance and tone, while salicylic acid helps clear your skin without leaving that all-too-familiar tight or dry after-feel. Trilogy’s blend of omega-rich jojoba, grape and rosehip seed oils are also in the mix, for beautifully soft, plumped skin.

Tailor Skincare Oil Cleanse

If you have sensitised or dry skin, Tailor Skincare’s award-winning Oil Cleanse is a wonderful option. It kicks impurities out with cold-pressed New Zealand hazelnut and kanuka oils, whilst organic sunflower oil and vitamin E  gently nourish and protect delicate complexions. For best results, apply the cleansing oil over your makeup or bare skin and massage it in an upward circular motion to assist the pores to unclog. Spending one or two minutes concentrating on areas with makeup or breakouts, then with a wet or dry Tailor Towel, gently wipe the face and neck to remove impurities, excess oils and congestions drawn out by the cleanser. Magic.

Now, Take It Off

It can be all too easy to reach for the nearest disposable wipe when it’s late at night and all you want to do is hit the pillow. But the ugly truth is that many wipes on the market are made of synthetic fibres, pile up quickly in the bathroom rubbish bin, and don’t degrade when they reach the landfill. Synthetic wipes are often made of plastic fibres such as polyester and rayon, and one disposable wipe can take up to a hundred years to decompose. 

Microfibre cloths are the perfect eco-friendly option for removing your makeup, and many do double duty as makeup removers and gentle exfoliators. Be sure to clean them regularly to avoid transferring dirt and bacteria back onto your skin, and always allow them to dry fully between uses. 

A true beauty steal, the super affordable Take It Off makeup removal towels are made from the finest threads of polyester, where each thread is one hundred times thinner than a human hair. When woven together, they create a surface area significantly larger than that of traditional fibres, allowing them to attach themselves to the most microscopic specks of dirt and oils, and absorb them gently from your skin. Tailor Skincare’s Towels are another great choice, and suitable for even the most sensitive skin.

The Cleansing Tool

For really serious cleansing, we love the FOREO LUNA fofo, which is a travel-friendly, ultra-hygienic cleansing brush from the cult Swedish brand that comes with app-driven skin analysis. Delivering a deep yet gentle cleanse for glowing skin, its clever sensors analyse your facial zones and measure hydration to create your very own skin profile and bespoke cleansing routine. How amazing is that? We also love that no replacement brush heads or similar are required with sustainable practices in mind, and that the fofo is made from body-safe silicone and free of phthalates and BPA.