The 60 Second Cleansing Rule

Have you read “Girl, Wash your Face” by Rachel Hollis” ? I have to admit, I’m a little slow to that show.  I just got the book on Sunday from Sam’s.  I’ve been meaning to read it, but I’ve heard mixed reviews.  Of course I took seeing it at Sam’s as a sign that it was time to purchase it.  (If you want me to buy something, put it in Sam’s.)  I know this is a motivational book, but the title made me think about all my luminous beauties that don’t know how to properly wash their face, well how long they should wash their face. So, girl, I’m here to help you wash yo face better! 

You are probably like the thousands of other people in the world that only wash their face for a few seconds. Don’t worry, I’m not judging you (maybe I am a little) but I am here to tell you that is not enough.  Be honest, that’s barely enough time to get the drool off your face from the night before. Every day, our skin comes in contact with many free radicals and pollutants, and you need them off. The recommendation of myself and many other beauty professionals is to gently, yet thoroughly cleanse your skin for an entire 60 seconds. Okay, okay, stop you’re whining. It’s really not that big of a deal and your skin will thank you for it I promise.  I’ve always done this and you should too!

I know your head is probably still spinning from me asking you to cleanse your skin for 60 seconds.  Brace yourself, because I’m about to add to it.  Not only do I want you to cleanse for 60 seconds, I also want you to double cleanse at night. WHAT?! Double cleansing is huge especially if you wear makeup. I love, love, love an oil cleanser to remove makeup. It’s the BEST! Oil cleansers are great for all skin types because oil is attracted to oil and it really helps remove impurities without stripping your skin.  If you’re using a toner after you cleanse, you know you’re not getting all of your makeup off because you can see it on the cotton round. I won’t even discuss makeup wipes.  If you’re using them, you definitely need to double cleanse. Personally, depending on the cleanser, I like to use my oil cleanser for each cleanse because they leave my skin very hydrated. If you don’t like that feeling, you can follow up with a mild, oil free cleanser.  The 60 second rule still applies to the double cleanse, we’re just going to break it up in to two 30 second sessions.  

I wouldn’t advise you to do a 60 second cleanse if you’re using a harsh or exfoliating cleanser or anything with AHAs or BHAs.  I would, however, question why you’re using that cleanser every day.  I know you're asking, “What if I use a cleansing device?” Many of those devices have a timer on them, for what? 60 seconds.  I was a huge fan of the Clarisonic as it transformed my skin when I was dealing with hormonal acne but it even the most sensitive brush head became too abrasive for my skin.  I no longer use a Clarisonic and have switched to a FOREO (available at Lumi Beauty Studio).  It’s a silicone cleansing brush that you have to charge once a year - that’s it! No brush heads to replace, no bacteria build up, and it’s gentle enough to use every day.  It’s been a miracle tool. If you use one of these devices, I always advise against using them to remove makeup. My suggestion is to use your preferred cleansing device in the morning and use your hands at night making sure you’re cleansing for 60 seconds. 

Congratulations, you didn’t pass out! Good for you.  Because I love you so, your February skincare challenge is to cleanse your skin for 60 seconds twice a day for the entire month. I would love to hear about your progress, so make sure you check in on social media. Tag me and use #lumiskincarechallenge. Leave a comment if you will join me!