The Importance of Proper Makeup Removal and Cleansing

Almost every woman has probably gone to bed without removing her makeup at least once in her life. It may have been after a long night out or a hard day at work, but the next day she's probably regretted it as the sheets and her skin looked...rough! 

While doing this once may not bear much consequence, making it a habit will. Removing foundation, mascara, lipstick and other products before going to bed is essential if you want to keep your skin healthy and beautiful. 

That's why today we want to talk about the importance of removing makeup, skin cleansing, the best products to use and how being disciplined can help maintain glowing skin for years to come.

Why is it important to remove makeup before bed?

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of makeup removers and cleansers, let's look at how sleeping with your makeup on can impact your skin. 

Unfortunately, the list is pretty long! 

Makes the skin dull 

Sleep is the time when your body, including your skin, gets renewed. You've probably noticed that after a good night's sleep, your skin looks refreshed, a little plumper and smoother (albeit, you might need to splash a little cold water to get there!). 

When you sleep with makeup on, this epidermal renewal process is hindered, and instead of looking fresh, your skin looks dull and older. 

And after you finally wash your face, you might be so unhappy with your look, you'll feel like applying a fresh layer of makeup once again!

Clogs pores 

Most makeup will clog your pores, especially when worn for an extended period of time. If you remove your makeup at night, you give your skin a chance to breathe when you sleep, but if you go to bed with full makeup on, it keeps clogging the pores and eventually causes breakouts and acne. 

At night the makeup also mixes with your natural skin oil's and debris on your pillow, making matters even worse. 

Speeds up aging 

This one's a biggie. Even if you're using the right antiaging products but still go to bed with makeup on, your skin will still age at an increased speed. 

It's not just because your skin doesn't get to breathe or that your pores get clogged (which happens). During the day, your skin is exposed to free radicals. If you don't wash it off, these free radicals sit on your skin, speeding up the development of fine lines and wrinkles. Sheesh! 

Dries out the skin 

Wearing even the best makeup for too long exposes your skin to various dehydrating ingredients for way too long.  

Allowing makeup to sit on your face overnight hinders your skin's ability to naturally regenerate and lock in moisture, eventually making your skin look and feel dry.

Irritates the eyes 

Mascara, eyeliner and eyeshadow can cause severe eye irritation and even infection. It can happen during the day too, but when you rub your face into your pillow, it gets transferred into your eyes, leading to itchiness, dryness and even eyelid cysts! 

Besides that, mascara can make your eyelashes brittle, causing them to break and fall out! 

May cause infections and rashes

Lastly but not least, sleeping with your makeup on can harm your skin's barrier, injure your skin and cause acne, making it susceptible to infections and rashes. 

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Double Cleansing 

Did we convince you of the importance of removing makeup? It all probably sounds pretty scary, but the good thing is that all these side effects can be avoided by...simply washing your face before bed! 

Many people get confused about whether they should use makeup remover, cleanser, tissues or everything together and what's the difference between makeup removers and cleansers, so let's clear this up. 

Makeup removers are designed to specifically remove eye makeup, foundation, blush, contouring and other products from the surface of your skin. If you don't have a specific one.  Do a double cleanse with your cleanser.

Cleansers are used to remove sebum, sweat, grime and everything else from the skin to prevent pore clogging and other issues. 

And while both these products generally remove impurities, you get the best when using them combined. 

Why remove makeup before washing face? First of all, the makeup remover removes all makeup and then using a cleanser, you finish the job and ensure clear and smooth skin that's ready to absorb your serums and moisturisers. 

How to remove makeup before bed?

We understand, sometimes you're sooo tired, but trust us, removing makeup takes just a few minutes that pay off with dividends.

Here are the most common options.

Makeup removers. These specially designed products dissolve your makeup, remove even the thickest foundation and layers and layers of mascara. 

Micellar water. This relatively new product has become super popular in recent years. Micellar water is tiny oil molecules suspended in water that easily lift dirt, oil, and makeup up and away from your skin (no rubbing needed). Micellar water is usually suitable for even the most sensitive skin. 

Cleansing oil is another excellent option when you need to remove a thick layer of makeup. It's one of the most gentle products. and it leaves your skin smooth and supple.

Makeup wipes. While wipes can be handy when travelling, we recommend avoiding using them regularly. When wiping your makeup, you're smearing it all over, and the rubbing action can leave the skin irritated and even inflamed. Lastly, many wipes often contain harmful ingredients.

Skin cleansing 

So, you've removed your makeup with your makeup remover of choice. Now's the time for the next step - cleansing. And we're not talking just water. 

Even the best removers will leave some residue on your skin, so make sure you don't skip cleansing!

And if you're not using a makeup remover, no problem! You can achieve the same (or even better) results by double cleansing your skin. This means cleansing your skin with your face wash or cleanser twice.

Skin cleansing benefits

Besides everything we've listed above about the importance of removing makeup, there are more benefits to cleansing your skin deeply. 

Cleansing your skin properly from dirt, debris, and sweat prevents your skin from building up bacteria, pollutants, viruses, and dead skin, which eventually lead to blocked pores, blemishes, and premature aging.  

Regular facial cleansing is also imperative for keeping your skin moisturised. It helps manage pH levels of the skin, enables sufficient water and product retention and proper skin hydration.

Lastly, if you don't cleanse your skin correctly, the layer of dirt and buildup will prevent it from absorbing all the active ingredients from your skincare. Basically, your serums and moisturisers will have much less effect than they would on squeaky clean skin. 

When to cleanse your skin?

Washing your skin is essential even if you don't wear makeup, but of course, you should pay special attention if you do. 

Skin cleansing at night

The skin regenerates at night, so naturally, you should dedicate more time to your cleansing process then.

After removing your makeup with the remover of your choice, follow up with a cleanser. This will clean the skin properly and give it a chance to breathe and repair naturally. The skin will also be able to get the oxygen it so needs to regenerate. 

After cleansing, we recommend applying a moisturiser on damp skin to lock the moisture in and penetrate deeply to be the most effective. 

Skin cleansing in the morning

While your skin is not as "dirty" in the morning, it still has some excess oils that are generated overnight, possible debris from your pillow and dead skin. 

Gently cleansing your skin in the morning will remove all that and once again prepare it for your daytime skincare products. You may want to skip harsher cleansers for this part of the day, though. 

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How to best cleanse the skin 

After removing your makeup using cotton pads (or reusable pads), get your cleanser, apply to your face and massage it for a minute or so. 

This will help the active ingredients do their job without unnecessary rubbing or scrubbing.

Don't use too hot water as it will dry and irritate your skin by stripping it of its oils. Washing with cold water is not good either as it won't open your pores. We recommend rinsing off your cleanser in lukewarm water.

SCOUT All-natural Cleansers

We're proud of our all-natural, vegan and cruelty-free cleansers that cleanse the skin without irritating it here at SCOUT. 

Our Daily Revitalise Cleansing Crème with Lemon Myrtle, Papaya and Coconut gently removes buildup and purifies the skin, revealing radiant, healthy skin. 

It's infused with nourishing organic ingredients that help detoxify the skin whilst balancing natural oils.

The Super Fruit Wash-Off Cleanser with Blueberries, Grape Skin and Acai contains a potent, multi-fruit complex to remove dead skin cells.

The cleanser is rich in natural Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA's), which work to exfoliate the skin's surface gently and promotes increased cell turnover, increased collagen production and a brighter-looking complexion.