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Double cleansing: the Korean face cleansing method, step by step

FromGermany.ma routine

Double cleansing: the Korean face cleansing method, step by step

First an oil that dissolves make-up, sunscreen and sebum, then a gentle cleanser that takes away the rest. Double cleansing explained step by step, with SKIN1004's Centella oil, Neutrogena's Hydro Boost gel and a small-budget Balea version.

Time
5 min
Steps
6
Level
Beginner
Essentials
619 DH

Small-budget version: 135 DH (choose it in the product list)

Discover the routine

5 products · 979 DH

In short

Double cleansing means cleansing your face twice in a row, at night. First a cleansing oil, balm or milk on a dry face, which dissolves make-up, sunscreen and sebum; you emulsify it with a little water, then rinse. Then a gentle water-based cleanser, gel or foam, before patting dry and applying your skincare; in the morning, one gentle cleanse is enough. It suits every skin type, oily and combination included, as long as the products are gentle and you rinse well.

Updated on 17 October 2026

Double cleansing is a skincare habit common in Japan and South Korea that became known worldwide with the rise of Korean beauty. It has no single inventor, and its principle fits in one sentence: oily things dissolve in oil, water-soluble things wash away with water. Sunscreen, make-up and sebum belong to the first group; sweat and dust to the second. Two products, each doing its own job, rather than one cleanser pushed to work harder.

In Morocco, the question comes up almost every night: the sun calls for daily sunscreen, often water-resistant, which a foam alone removes poorly. FromGermany.ma built this routine with products bought from dm in Germany: SKIN1004's Madagascar Centella oil to dissolve, Neutrogena's Hydro Boost gel for the second cleanse, Weleda for the cleansing milk and the moisturiser, and Balea when budget matters. It contains no scrub, no exfoliating acid and no retinoid: it cleanses, nothing more, and leaves room for the skincare in the morning and night face routine and the glass skin routine.

Step by step

The routine, step by step and in order

0 of 6 steps done

SKIN1004 Oil face Madagascar Centella Light Cleansing Oil, 200 ml

Step 01 of 06

Night — Dissolve with a cleansing oil, on a dry face

Essential
When
At night, first, with dry hands and a dry face
How often
Every night your skin has had sunscreen or make-up on — in Morocco, almost every night

This is the first cleanse. Sunscreen filters, make-up pigments and excess sebum are all oily: they dissolve in oil far better than in soapy water. Applied to a dry face with dry hands, the oil has time to break everything down; in contact with water, it would turn milky too early and dissolve less well.

How to: Two or three pumps into your palm, then massage with your fingertips in small circles for about a minute. Focus where SPF builds up: the sides of the nose, the chin, the hairline and the edges of the face. Avoid the eyes, as SKIN1004 asks.

Essential

SKIN1004

SKIN1004 Oil face Madagascar Centella Light Cleansing Oil, 200 ml

491 DHView product

SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Light Cleansing Oil, with centella asiatica extract and six plant oils, designed for sensitive, normal and dry skin according to the maker, which recommends a foam afterwards: that is double cleansing. Milk texture, fragrance-free: Weleda's sensitive almond cleansing milk, certified natural cosmetics. Small budget: Balea's argan cleansing oil, fragrance-free, which also removes waterproof make-up and suits the eyes and lips according to the maker.

Alternative

Weleda

Weleda Milk cleanser sensitive almond, 75 ml

245 DHView product
Alternative

Balea

Balea Oil l'argan cleansing 100 ml

75 DHView product

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Product list and prices in Morocco

Available essentials are ticked. Add or remove what you like: only ticked products go to the cart. Prices in dirhams, updated live.

The essentials

Alternatives

What is double cleansing?

Double cleansing means cleansing your face in two stages, at night, with two different kinds of product. The first is oil-based — cleansing oil, balm or milk — and goes on a dry face: it dissolves sunscreen filters, make-up and excess sebum. The second is water-based — gel or foam — and removes the rest: sweat, dust and traces of the first product.

People speak of Korean double cleansing because Korean beauty made it famous, but the habit is just as rooted in Japan, where cleansing oils are part of everyday skincare. Its point is not to cleanse harder; it is precisely to avoid having to: each product works on what it can dissolve, without rubbing or starting again with a harsher cleanser.

  • First cleanse: oil, balm or milk on a dry face, then emulsify with a little water and rinse.
  • Second cleanse: a gentle gel or foam on wet skin, then a lukewarm rinse.
  • Then: pat dry, followed by moisturising skincare.

Double cleansing in the right order

At night, the whole thing takes three to five minutes. The order is not up for debate: the oily product first, on dry skin, then water. Reversing them would mean putting the oil on wet skin, where it turns milky too early and dissolves less well. In the morning, only steps 3 to 5 remain.

  • 1. Cleansing oil on a dry face, one minute of fingertip massage.
  • 2. A little lukewarm water: the oil turns milky; massage a little more, then rinse.
  • 3. Gentle gel or foam on wet skin, thirty seconds to a minute, lukewarm rinse.
  • 4. Pat dry with a clean towel.
  • 5. Skincare: serum if you use one, then moisturiser; in the morning, SPF 50 last.

Double cleansing for oily or combination skin

It's the most common worry: putting oil on skin that already shines. Yet a cleansing oil is not a skincare oil. Its emulsifier turns it into a milk in contact with water: properly emulsified and rinsed, it leaves with what it dissolved, sebum included, and does not stay on the skin. If an oily film remains, the rinse was too short or the emulsifying step was skipped — not that the skin is too oily for this method.

On oily skin, the real trap is the opposite excess: two stripping cleansers, or a third wash just to be sure, leave skin feeling tight. Stick to a light oil, a gentle alcohol-free gel such as Neutrogena's Hydro Boost, and a gel moisturiser. On combination skin, the oil goes over the whole face; if your cheeks are dry, Weleda's fragrance-free milk also works for the first cleanse. Finally, a cosmetic routine does not treat acne: if breakouts are numerous, painful or persistent, talk to a dermatologist.

  • A light oil: two or three pumps are enough; more product doesn't cleanse better.
  • Careful emulsifying and a longer rinse on the T-zone (forehead, nose, chin).
  • Second cleanse with a gentle gel, once only.
  • A gel moisturiser afterwards: oily skin can be short of water too.

Morning or night?

Double cleansing is a night-time step. That's when the skin carries what needs dissolving: the day's sunscreen, make-up, built-up sebum and dust. In the morning there is none of that: one gentle cleanse with gel removes overnight sebum and leftover cream, before moisturiser and SPF 50.

The American Academy of Dermatology advises washing your face twice a day, morning and night, and after heavy sweating, with lukewarm water. Double cleansing morning and night would therefore add washes with nothing to remove. After a workout or a hot day, one extra gentle cleanse helps; the oil only comes back if you have reapplied sunscreen or make-up. On hammam evenings, if you haven't applied anything since, one gentle cleanse is enough.

Oil, balm or milk: which one to choose

All three do the same job — dissolving what is oily — with a different texture. Oils and balms contain emulsifiers that let them rinse off with water; milk is already a blend of oil and water, lighter, easy to rinse, but better suited to light make-up than to waterproof mascara. The right choice depends on your skin and what you wear during the day.

TextureWho it suitsIn our rangeHow to use
Cleansing oilEvery skin type, oily and combination included; handy with water-resistant SPF or long-wear make-upSKIN1004 Madagascar Centella; Balea with argan oil (small budget)On dry skin, a minute of massage, then a little water and rinse
Cleansing balmThose who like a melting texture; solid, it melts into an oil on contact with skinL'Oréal Paris Revitalift 60-second balmA hazelnut-sized amount on dry skin, massage, then rinse carefully
Cleansing milkDry or sensitive skin, light make-upWeleda sensitive almond milk, fragrance-freeMassage over face and neck, avoiding the eyes, then rinse

Mistakes to avoid

Most disappointments with double cleansing come down to a few habits that are easy to fix.

  • Applying the oil to a wet face or with damp hands: it emulsifies too early and dissolves less well.
  • Skipping the emulsifying step: rinsed off in one go, the oil leaves a greasy film.
  • Using pure argan or olive oil: these are skincare oils with no emulsifier; they don't rinse off with water and don't belong in this step.
  • Picking a stripping second cleanser or adding a third wash: skin feels tight, all the more with hard water.
  • Rinsing with hot water or rubbing with the towel: lukewarm water and patting, always.
  • Double cleansing in the morning: one gentle cleanse is enough.
  • Slipping in a scrub or exfoliating acid straight after: cleansing is not exfoliating, and those products have their own schedule.
  • Massaging the oil too close to the eyes: SKIN1004 asks you to avoid any contact. For mascara, Balea's oil is also made for the eyes according to the maker.

Frequently asked questions

What is double cleansing?

It's a two-stage night-time cleanse: a cleansing oil, balm or milk on a dry face to dissolve make-up, sunscreen and sebum; then, after emulsifying and rinsing, a gentle water-based cleanser (gel or foam) to remove the rest. Pat dry, then moisturise.

What is Korean double cleansing and how does it work?

It's the same double cleansing, made popular by Korean beauty. The oil dissolves what is oily (SPF, make-up, sebum) and, thanks to its emulsifier, rinses off with water; the water-based cleanser then removes what is water-soluble, such as sweat and dust. Two gentle products rather than one stronger cleanser.

Is double cleansing suitable for oily skin?

Yes, as long as the oil is properly emulsified and rinsed: it then leaves along with the sebum it dissolved. Choose a light oil, a gentle alcohol-free gel and a gel moisturiser, without piling on washes. A cosmetic routine does not treat acne: if breakouts are numerous or painful, see a dermatologist.

Should I double cleanse morning and night?

No. At night, yes, whenever you have worn sunscreen or make-up. In the morning, one gentle cleanse is enough: there is nothing oily to dissolve, and washing twice a day suits most skin.

Can I double cleanse with argan oil?

Not with pure argan oil: with no emulsifier, it doesn't rinse off with water and leaves a film. Keep it for skincare. For the first cleanse, use a cleansing oil formulated to rinse off, such as Balea's cleansing oil, which contains argan oil and an emulsifier according to its ingredient list.

Which oil for a centella double cleanse?

SKIN1004's Madagascar Centella Light Cleansing Oil, with centella asiatica extract and six plant oils, designed for sensitive, normal and dry skin according to the maker. It pairs with the same brand's Madagascar Centella Ampoule Foam. It contains essential oils (bergamot, geranium, rose) according to its ingredient list: for very reactive skin, go for Weleda's milk or Balea's oil, both fragrance-free.

Is double cleansing useful if I don't wear make-up?

Yes, if you wear sunscreen, which is advisable every day in Morocco: filters, especially water-resistant ones, come off better with an oil-based first cleanse. On evenings when you have worn neither SPF nor make-up, one gentle cleanse is enough.

What is a simple daily face cleansing routine at home?

At night: cleansing oil on a dry face, a little water, rinse, then gentle gel, pat dry and moisturiser. In the morning: gentle gel alone, moisturiser, then SPF 50 sunscreen last. Lukewarm water every time, never any rubbing.

This routine describes how each product is used; full ingredients and directions are on each product page. If your scalp or skin is irritated, ask a health professional before starting.

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