If you have acne-prone skin, you have probably been told to wash your face twice a day.
Morning and night.
For many women, that works well. But how often you cleanse can also depend on how oily or dry your skin is, whether you have been sweating, and how your skin feels after you wash it.
The goal is pretty simple. You want to remove what has collected on your skin without cleansing so often that your face starts feeling dry or irritated.
Why Twice a Day Is Usually Recommended
Twice daily cleansing is a good starting point for acne-prone skin.
There has even been some research looking at whether washing more often makes a difference.
In one small study, people with mild to moderate acne washed once, twice, or four times a day with a mild cleanser. The group washing twice a day saw some improvement in clogged pores, while washing four times a day did not give better overall results.
That is why I would not recommend washing your face several times a day just because it feels dirty.
For most acne-prone skin, morning and evening is enough.
Do You Need to Cleanse in the Morning?
Not always.
If you wake up oily or sweaty, washing your face in the morning may feel best. But if your skin tends to feel dry or sensitive, rinsing with water and cleansing at night may work better for you.
If you find washing twice a day regularly leaves your skin feeling tight or dry, I would also take a closer look at your cleanser. It may not just be how often you are washing, but what you are washing with.
What If Your Skin Gets Oily During the Day?
Your skin continues making oil after you wash it, so seeing some shine later in the day is normal.
You do not need another full cleanse every time your cheeks, forehead, or nose start looking oily.
This is where blotting sheets can be useful.
Gently press one onto the areas where you see shine and let it absorb the excess oil. This can help mattify your skin and give it a fresher look without making you feel like you need to wash your face again.
I like this option because you can take care of the extra shine without washing off the sunscreen, makeup, or other products you applied that morning.
When an Extra Cleanse Makes Sense
Sweating is different from everyday oiliness.
If you exercise, work outside in the heat, or do something else that leaves your face noticeably sweaty, wash afterward.
You can also work that cleanse into your usual routine.
If you exercise first thing in the morning, you may prefer waiting until after your workout to wash your face.
If you exercise in the evening, that cleanse may simply become your nighttime one.
How Do You Know If You Are Washing Too Much?
Pay attention to how your skin feels.
If your face regularly feels tight, dry, itchy, stinging, or more sensitive after cleansing, something in your routine may need to change.
You may also notice flaking or areas that start feeling rough.
Sometimes cleansing less often helps.
Sometimes the cleanser itself is too harsh.
Hot water and too much rubbing can also leave your skin feeling uncomfortable.
Your cleanser should remove what needs to come off your skin without leaving your face feeling stripped afterward.
You do not need that squeaky clean feeling.
Your skin should simply feel clean and comfortable when you are finished.
So, How Often Should You Wash?
For most acne-prone skin, twice a day is a good place to begin.
Wash in the morning and again before bed.
If your skin is dry or sensitive and feels better with a morning water rinse and an evening cleanse, that may work better for you.
Wash again when you have been sweating heavily.
And when a little shine shows up during the day, try a blotting sheet instead of heading back to the sink.
You do not need to keep washing your face throughout the day just because your skin is acne-prone.
Pay attention to how your skin feels, use a cleanser that leaves it comfortable, and adjust from there.
