If you had to make a short list of my most notable personality traits, it would go something like this: 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 mean I benefit from it. As I’ve mentioned many times, I have exceptionally dry skin, which – especially during the cold months of the year – basically means it always looks dull and lifeless. I’ve tried everything from drinking 10 gallons of water a day for the past seven years to splurging on expensive products that promised to cure my dry skin forever (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 a while. Some swear by it, others say skipping this step wreaks havoc on skin. As someone who uses retinol at night and recently struggled with adult acne, I was extremely hesitant to try it since I try to deviate from my routine in every way when it comes to my skin. But after finally skipping my morning cleanse out of desperation, I have some thoughts on it:
The Benefits of Not Washing Your Face in the Morning
After speaking with my dermatologist about the dryness of my skin, she said she would recommend skipping a morning cleanse as long as I splash my face with water beforehand to rinse off any residue from the night before (she also explained that moist skin makes my first skincare step, hyaluronic acid, more effective).
My dermatologist explained to me that skipping a morning cleanse might help with my skin’s dryness since it would be one less thing stripping my skin of its natural oils (even though I use a moisturizing cleanser).
What Happened When I Stopped Washing My Face in the Morning
Everything I do to my skin is to keep 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 I washed my face in the morning.
It’s worth noting that I often work out in the morning, which makes me super sweaty. Of course, on days when I break a sweat in the morning, I break my new rule of not cleansing my face to avoid having bacteria living on my face all day.
After not washing my face in the morning, I noticed a difference in the dryness of my skin within a couple of weeks. Before, even after applying my usual serums and moisturizers, my skin would look dry again within a couple of hours of completing my skincare routine. When I skipped washing, it suddenly felt hydrated for longer periods of time. I felt like the glow from my vitamin C serum and moisturizer was actually visible, and more importantly, 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 I feel much more comfortable in my skin. I’ve noticed a world of difference in how it looks, and I dare say I’d even describe my skin as dry-normal rather than just dry, which is something I haven’t been able to say since high school. I have less flaking, fewer dry patches, and overall my skin looks healthier. 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 to its best, I never thought skipping a step would be the key to success, but for me, it has been.