If you had to make a short list of my most prominent personality traits, it would go something like this: She only watches scary movies, loves her very old dog, and takes really good care of her skin.
But just because I take good care of my skin doesn’t always mean I’m reaping the benefits. As I have mentioned again and again, I have exceptionally dry skin, which always causes it to look dull and lifeless, especially during the cold season. I’ve tried everything from drinking a gallon of water every day for the past seven years to spending money on expensive products that promised me they would cure my dry skin for good (which they didn’t). Very few elements of my skincare routine have made any difference – until now.
The phenomenon of not washing your face in the morning has been circulating on the Internet for some time. Some swear by it, others say skipping this step would have devastating consequences for the skin. As someone who uses retinol at night and has recently struggled with adult acne, I was extremely hesitant to try it because I try at all costs to deviate from my skin routine, shape or form in any way. But after finally skipping my morning face wash out of desperation, I have a few thoughts:
The benefits of not washing your face in the morning
After speaking to my dermatologist about the dryness of my skin, she said that she recommended that I forego a morning cleanser as long as I splash my face with water first to rinse away any residue from the night before (she also explained that the skin is moist be). Skin makes my first skin care step, hyaluronic acid, more effective).
My dermatologist explained to me that skipping cleansing in the morning could help combat the dryness of my skin because it would strip my skin of one less thing of its natural oils (even though I did use a moisturizing cleanser).
What happened when I stopped washing my face in the morning?
Everything I do to my skin is about keeping it as hydrated as possible, and I’ve been a fan of CeraVe’s Hydrating Cleanser for years. My dermatologist recommended it to me years ago and I’ve never looked back – so I used it when washing my face in the morning.
It’s worth noting that I often work out in the morning, which leaves me super sweaty. Of course, on days when I work up a sweat in the morning, I break my new rule of not cleansing to prevent bacteria from living on my face throughout the day.
After I stopped washing my face in the morning, I noticed a difference in the dryness of my skin within a few weeks. Previously, even after applying my usual serums and moisturizers, my skin would look dry again within a few hours of completing my skincare routine. When I skipped washing, it suddenly felt hydrated for longer. I felt like the glow from my vitamin C serum and moisturizer was actually visible, plus that glow lasted all day.
It’s officially been over a year since I stopped cleansing my skin in the morning and I can honestly say that I feel much more confident in my skin. I’ve noticed that it looks different day and night, and I dare say I would even describe my skin as more dry-normal than just dry, which I haven’t been able to say since high school. I have less flakes, fewer dry patches and my skin looks healthier overall. As long as I rinse my face thoroughly when I wake up, skipping cleansing doesn’t make my skin feel any less “clean.”
After all the time and effort I’ve put into getting my skin in top shape, I never thought that skipping a step would be the key to success, but for me it was.
