When it comes to cleaning your face, once may be fine...but twice is divine. Dermatologists and beauty experts alike are singing the praises of double cleansing—and with the benefits this skincare ritual provides your skin barrier, we’re positive you’ll find that this method is much more than a trend.

Pressed for time? Longing for radiant skin? Here’s how to say hello to your freshest, cleanest, and healthiest skin in just a few minutes.

What in the World Is Double Cleansing?

Double cleansing is pretty much what it sounds like: simply taking a second pass at washing your face (and typically this is done right before bedtime.) But you don’t use just any old cleansers—there’s some serious science to this. The first pass involves using a cleansing oil (or micellar water) to break down and lift away the heavy stuff like make-up, sunscreen, dirt, grime, and pollutants. Once this outer coating is gone, you then use a water-based cleanser to work deep into your pores and wash away any remaining sweat, dead skin cells, and impurities.

We know, adding one more step to your skincare routine sounds like a lot, but hear us out! Double cleansing is easy—and it’s also a great way to steal a few sacred minutes of peaceful time for yourself at the end of each day. All you have to do is shut the door behind you, take a few mindful breaths, and follow these simple steps:

• Step 1: Spread a thin layer (1-3 pumps) of a premium botanical cleansing oil (like Valentia’s) over your dry face. Massage in gently for one to two minutes and then wipe your face clean with a warm, wet cloth.
• Step 2: While your face is still damp, work a small amount of a pure botanical water-based cleanser like Valentia Cleansing Milk on your hands. Massage into your face using circular motions to deeply clean all your pores. To finish up, splash some lukewarm water on your face and rinse off the cleanser. Then pat your face dry with a soft, clean towel.

Is Double Cleansing Really Necessary?

When you have an abundant life, finding just 10 extra minutes at the end of your day can be a challenge. But here’s why it makes sense to put the “hard no” on hold and give double cleansing a chance. For starters, a single wash just doesn’t do the best job of getting your face truly clean. And if you don’t completely remove that layer of make-up, sunscreen, sebum, grime, and pollutants first, it means even the best facial cleansers can’t really get to your pores to do the deep cleaning job they were designed to do.

Double cleansing is like giving your water-based facial cleanser a powerful boost—allowing its antioxidants, nutrients, and other beneficial ingredients to really reach your skin and work their magic to keep your complexion clear, bright, and healthy. (And if your skincare routine also includes serums and eye creams, double cleansing allows them to do a better job for you too!)

But that’s not all. If you settle for only a quick, single facial wash before bed (or worse yet, skip washing your face entirely), old makeup and pollution particles that sit on your skin overnight can oxidize—which over time may challenge your skin’s health and leave you looking older than your years. Double cleansing helps reduce the hours that your skin is exposed to certain harmful pollutants, and allows your facial cells to breathe and rejuvenate while you sleep.

Is Double Cleansing Right for Everyone?

Virtually everyone could benefit from a gentle double cleansing routine. If you live in a big city, wear make-up regularly, or have oily skin, double cleansing is really critical because it ensures that you get all the products, excess oil, and pollution off your face at the end of each day. But even if you choose to go au naturale and live on an isolated farm, embracing double cleansing will still help lift away heavy sunscreens, dirt, excess sebum, and pollutants that unfortunately can be found in even the most pristine regions of this planet.

To get the most from your double cleansing though, it’s important to use only the highest quality botanical formulas that are free of any sort of dangerous synthetic additives or preservatives. Valentia Cleansing Oil is a pure, nourishing blend of Mother Nature’s finest oils—including jojoba, olive, rosehip, laurelwood, carrot seed, camellia, and hemp—to hydrate, balance, brighten, and smooth your entire face as it gently cleans away make-up, sunscreen, and impurities.

When you’re ready for your second wash, our water-based Valentia Cleansing Milk is a soothing and hydrating elixir that’s gentle enough for even sensitive skin—and it works in harmony with your healthy microbiome. Yucca root and willow bark team up to thoroughly bathe every pore without drying out your complexion, as soothing fruits and flowers like apricot and jasmine nourish and reveal your most luminous, fresh, and agelessly beautiful face.

The bottom line: Your naturally cleanest face is also your healthiest and best looking one. Double cleansing is one of the simplest and most relaxing ways to gently uncover your uniquely gorgeous glow—which makes investing a few extra minutes each evening well worth the radiant reward.