How to Double Cleanse - Step-by-Step Guide and Best Products

Double cleansing is exactly what it sounds like – it involves washing your face twice. However, it goes beyond washing your face with the same cleanser two times in a row. To properly double cleanse, you need to use two different types of cleansing to get the job done.

How To Double Cleanse?

Double cleansing should be the very first part of your routine. It is simple to do as long as you have the right products, such as an oil-based cleanser and a water-based one. It is also important to build in additional time into your skincare routine. Many people choose to double cleanse at night since it is important to thoroughly wash the skin of any makeup before bed so skin can effectively renew itself as you sleep.

The first step is to utilize an oil-based or emollient cleanser first to remove dirt, sunscreen and makeup. An oil-based product is better at dissolving makeup, especially harder-to-remove products like mascara and lipstick, because these products are commonly formulated with oil-like ingredients, which aren’t water soluble.

The second step is to use your favorite gel or cream cleanser, to help remove any leftover oil and debris, for a perfectly clean yet comfortable complexion.

The rest of your skincare routine is unaffected, as this only applies to your Getting Skin Ready® protocol.

Step-by-Step: How to Double Cleanse with ZO

The process is straightforward when you have the right products. Here is the complete sequence.

Step 1: Apply the oil-based cleanser to dry skin

Start with Balancing Cleansing Emulsion applied directly to dry skin – no water first. Massage gently in circular motions for 30–60 seconds, covering the full face, eye area, and neck. The emollient formula breaks down SPF, waterproof makeup, sebum, and airborne pollutants that a water-based cleanser cannot fully dissolve on its own.

Step 2: Activate with water and rinse

Add a small amount of water to your fingertips and continue massaging. Balancing Cleansing Emulsion transforms into a milky fluid on contact with water, lifting dissolved impurities from the skin surface. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water – not hot – and pat dry with a clean towel.

Step 3: Apply the water-based cleanser

With skin still slightly damp, apply your second cleanser. Gentle Cleanser is the all-skin-type option – a low-foaming formula that cleans thoroughly without stripping the barrier, leaving skin feeling comfortable rather than tight. Massage gently for 20–30 seconds and rinse.

Step 4: Continue with Getting Skin Ready®

Double cleansing replaces only the cleanse step. The exfoliation and toning steps that follow remain essential. After double cleansing, continue with Exfoliating Polish and your toner to complete the Getting Skin Ready® protocol before applying any treatment or corrective products.

The total additional time over a single cleanse is approximately 60–90 seconds. For consistent nightly double cleansing users, the skin is consistently cleaner going into treatments – which improves the absorption and efficacy of every subsequent step.

Benefits of Double Cleansing

Double cleansing ensures thorough removal of makeup + impurities from the face, which can offer the following benefits:

• Minimizes sebum, bacteria and product buildup
• Helps to prevent breakouts
• Helps to improve the absorption of other skincare products
• Is ideal for all skin types

Oil Cleanser vs Water-Based Cleanser: What Is the Difference?

These two cleanser types are not interchangeable – they clean the skin via fundamentally different mechanisms, which is precisely why using both in sequence is more effective than either alone.

An oil-based cleanser works on the principle that like dissolves like. SPF, sebum, makeup, and environmental pollutants are predominantly oil-based substances. An emollient cleanser – like Balancing Cleansing Emulsion – dissolves these on contact, lifting them from the skin surface before water is introduced. This is why it's applied to dry skin first. Applying a water-based cleanser to skin still carrying makeup and SPF is a much less efficient process; water does not break down oily films effectively.

A water-based cleanser cleans what the oil cleanser has already loosened: residual emulsified debris, water-soluble dirt, sweat, and any trace of the first cleanser itself. This second step also rebalances the skin after the first cleanse, restoring a comfortable, non-greasy finish. The formulation choice for this step – whether a gel, foam, or cream – should reflect your skin type.

Together, the two steps achieve a level of cleanliness that a single cleanser cannot match, regardless of how long or thoroughly it is massaged in.

Double Cleansing Products

Double cleansing requires two types of cleansers.

Balancing Cleansing Emulsion is an ideal choice for your oil-based cleanser. Upon activation with water, the emollient gel transforms into a milky fluid that is ideal for removing impurities, such as oil and makeup, from the skin. It is dye and fragrance free, provides soothing benefits to the skin and is indicated for sensitized and post-procedure skin.

Your second cleanser should be chosen based on your skin type and skin concerns. If you have oily or blemish prone skin, Exfoliating Cleanser would be recommended to help clear away impurities without leaving skin stripped or dry. For normal to dry skin, Hydrating Cleanser offers a creamy, lightly foaming formulation ideal for normal to dry skin. Gentle Cleanser works for all skin types, and leaves skin feeling refreshed and clean.

If you are unsure of your skin type or looking to build out your ideal at-home regimen, take our Regimen Finder quiz to discover the right products for your skin.