Why You Should Be Using a Morning Cleanser

Cleansers can be a confusing topic, but we believe in clarity. That’s why we want to give you a straightforward explanation to understand whether you need a cleanser in the morning or evening.

The answer? Both

That’s right. You need to cleanse your skin in the morning and evening. Why? Because your skin has different needs depending on the time of day.

Your skin requires a nightly cleanse to melt away the makeup, pollution, dust and SPF that can accumulate throughout the day. However, a morning cleanse removes impurities that collect on your skin’s surface during your nightly detox, such as sweat, grime, oils, and dead skin cells. That’s why morning cleansing is essential to start the day with a soft, glowing complexion.

Should you double cleanse in the morning?

Double cleansing is entirely up to the individual. At ELEMIS, we believe that double cleansing is a great way to keep your complexion feeling fresh and to unlock the potential of your other skincare products. It can be particularly beneficial is you have an oily complexion or combination skin. You may find that double cleansing helps keep your skin soft and refreshed, keeping excess oil at bay. This could also be the case if you sweat a lot while you sleep and need to adjust your skincare over the summer.

If you sleep with make-up on overnight (which we don’t recommend, but understand that life can get busy), then you should always double cleanse in the morning.

Now you know why morning cleansing is essential for keeping your skin in top condition, let’s look into what a good cleanser should do.

Remove buildup for a deep cleanse

You want a cleanser that effectively removes impurities, such as sweat and surface oils. Any toxins left on your face can clog pores or disrupt your skin barrier, resulting in breakouts and dry skin.

Hydrate for soft skin

You lose a lot of water through respiration and body heat overnight. This means your skin is thirsty when you wake up and needs quenching for a luxurious and luminous glow. Select cleansers with hydrating ingredients to condition and plump up your skin barrier. Here are some of our favourites:

Fermented Agave - Rapidly hydrates the skin and restores dryness. 
Padina Pavonica - A natural brown algae that replenishes the skin’s moisture. 
Avocado and pumpkin seed oil - These protect the skin’s barrier while rehydrating parched skin. 

You can find these hydrating ingredients in our Pro-Collagen Energising Marine Cleanser and Superfood Facial Wash.

Rich in nourishing ingredients

When choosing a cleanser, you want something that removes unwanted grime while replenishing your skin with nutrients. Cleansers that lack nourishment may cause dehydration and dryness, leading to feelings of inflammation, itchiness as well as fine lines and wrinkles.

Skincare infused with superfoods, such as broccoli extract, green tea, kombucha and fermented ginger, enrich every skin type. They restore your skin with essential vitamins and minerals, feeding your microflora for a healthy complexion.

Balancing to enhance your natural glow

Overnight, the loss of hydration and collection of sweat and dead skin easily throw off your skin's natural balance. That’s why reaching for a morning cleanser that harmonises your skin is vital. Some great balancing ingredients include:

Shea Butter - Rich and soft to the touch, shea butter deeply moisturises your skin. 
Castor Oil - Reduces water loss by sealing in hydration and creating a healthy glow. 
Rose - A fantastic antioxidant that protects your skin cells against free radicals and encourages cell turnover for rejuvenation. 
Elderberry Oil - Bursting with essential fatty acids to plump up your skin for a youthful appearance. 
Nettle Extract - Packed with antioxidants to nourish and promote glossy skin. 

You can cleanse with these balancing ingredients using ELEMIS Pro-Collagen Rose Cleansing Balm, Superfood Facial Wash, and Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Wash.

Suits your skin type

Your complexion is unique, so using a morning cleanser that matches your skin type is essential. Certain cleansers can irritate those with a sensitive complexion, whereas cleansers using heavy ingredients may not suit oily skin.

That means don’t choose the same cleanser as someone else. Even if they have healthy skin, those products won’t necessarily do the same for you. So, ensure you are mindful when choosing your ideal morning cleanser for a dewy-fresh complexion. 

Knowing what morning cleanser to choose for your skin type can feel like an impossible task. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of ELEMIS cleansers for every skin’s needs.

Superfood Facial Wash – hydrates dry skin

Dry skin can leave a tight feeling across your face, leading to itching, flaking and blemishes.
However, ELEMIS Superfood Facial Wash contains Organic Pumpkin Seed Oil. It softens the skin and protects your lipid barrier to stop moisture from escaping.

It’s also infused with Nettle Extract and Black Seed Oil, rich in amino acids to hydrate the skin and restore your skin barrier.

Pro-Collagen Rose Cleansing Balm – perfect for sensitive skin

Rose has incredible benefits for the skin. It’s a gentle, beautifying ingredient that’s ideal for sensitive skin. Our Pro-Collagen Rose Cleansing Balm is an infusion of English Rose Oleo Extract and Elderberry Oil to deeply clean sensitive skin, leaving a petal-soft complexion. 

Superfood Glow Cleansing Butter – revitalises dull skin

Daily life can make your skin appear dull and dreary. But our Superfood Glow Cleansing Butter is perfect for revitalising your skin. Fermented Acerola Cherry hydrates and refreshes, while the Fermented Rice Water increases cell turnover for buttery soft skin. 

Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Wash - for a smooth and even complexion

If you live in a city, pollution can be heavy, causing breakouts, dryness and an uneven complexion. So opting for a cleanser that suits your environment will yield the best results.

Our Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Wash has Tri-Enzyme Technology which breaks up unwanted grime and dead skin cells to reveal a smooth glow. Combined with White Truffle to balance microflora and Babassu to condition the skin, you’ll be radiant with this morning cleanser. 

Your cleanser is the first step in your morning skincare ritual. If you skip cleansing, other products cannot reach and penetrate your skin properly. After cleansing in the morning, smooth on an ELEMIS toner, followed by the perfect serum and an enriching moisturiser. And, of course, don’t forget to finish with an SPF.

A morning cleanser is perfect for a fresh, glossy complexion before your day begins. Invigorate your skin with nourishing, hydrating and revitalising ingredients using the right ELEMIS cleanser to achieve a morning glow.