Face washing is one of the most underrated parts of grooming. Now understandably, not all of us struggle with clear skin-- but regardless, everyone still has to deal with all those environmental nasties like pollutants, allergens and micro-creepy-crawlies (bacteria). So even if you’re blessed by the skin gods (lucky you), your face is still a warzone of grossness. This truth raises a common question for most guys: how often should I wash my face? Here’s our basic guidelines.
How often should I wash my face?
The general rule of thumb is to wash your face twice per day: once in the morning and once at night. The morning lets you remove the uglies that congest your skin while you sleep, and the night lets you remove the ones accumulated throughout the day. Simple enough, right? The only exception to this rule applies if you workout, mostly since it’s unhygienic to keep your face dressed in sweat.
Why wash your face twice daily?
When you cleanse too often, you degrade your skin’s natural moisture balance, making it dehydrated and inflamed. Or alternatively, your skin may overcompensate for the dryness by producing more oil, leading to breakouts. So when addressing the famous question, “how often should I wash my face?”, your best approach is twice daily.
Should I use hot or cold water when washing my face?
Temperature matters. Without getting overly sciency here, let’s keep the facts basic. Warm water opens your pores, allowing for deeper cleansing, while cold water shrinks your pores, protecting your skin. Using this logic, you should first wash your face with warm water and then splash on some cold water afterwards.
What is the best face wash for men?
A face wash made with natural oils is your go-to. Since it’s gentler than the average drugstore variety and has anti-bacterial properties, it safely and calmly rinses away dirt and grease. If confused, consider this logic: you're taking your girlfriend rock climbing for the first time-- is it better to slowly acclimate her to heights or just have a helicopter drop her off at the peak and let her panic to the top?
Obviously, the former method, the gradual one, leads to improvement-- and it’s just like your approach with your skin. A generic face wash is the intense shortcut; it’s packed with harsh additives, which can work powerfully, but at the expense of leaving skin irritated, dry and and acne-prone.
So for any man that’s ever wondered, “how often should I wash my face?”, stay true to these holy guidelines for handsomeness. Never cut corners because laziness doesn't equate with excellence. Keep that face fresh, clean and ready to take on the world-- or a mountain.
Stay groomed and glorious, guys!
