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Why Do I Need 2 Different Face Cleansers in My Skin Care Routine?

Why 2 Different Face Cleansers in my Skin Care Regimen?

We recommend having two cleansers in your skin care routine because your morning and evening routines might vary. In the morning, your skin care routine is typically meant to prepare you for a full day exposed to things like sun, skin dehydration, or an excess of oils on the skin. Some ingredients don't work well under direct sunlight, and others are less suitable for evening use.

The right cleansers for your skin depends on your personal Baumann Skin Type; oily skin has different needs than dry skin.

To find your skin type and receive custom recommendations for your regimen, click here!

Why do i need two cleansers for my skin care routine?

Why Do We Often Advise 2 Cleansers?

When you get your skin care regimen advice from us, you may notice 2 different face cleansers in your skin care regimen.

The skin care routines that our dermatologists have chosen for you choose the cleansers best for your Baumann Skin Type.


These products are chosen primarily to maximize the benefits of the products that follow in your routine. You see- the cleanser you use will affect the absorption of the ingredients in serums and creams that you use after cleansing. 

Some ingredients like retinoids can irritate the skin when it is already being exfoliated, so your evening cleanser shouldn't be a strong exfoliant if your regimen also includes retinol.

Cleansers can change the pH of the skin, trigger exfoliation, and many other effects depending on the product.

In many cases, this means that a different cleanser should be used in the morning and night skin care regimen.


Know that our specialized team of Dermatologists have been curating the most effective AM and PM cleansers for decades. We know that taking our advice will result in clearer, healthier skin.


If you have already taken our tested and proven skin type quiz, you can find our recommended skin care routine for you here.Our custom regimens are the surest path towards healthy skin!

Why two Face Cleansers

Do I Use Both Cleansers Together?

In most cases, we do not recommend using both cleansers, or, “double cleansing” in either the morning or evening portion of your regimen. 

Only under very specific circumstances, if advised by your custom Baumann Skin Type regimen or another trusted dermatologist, should you double cleanse.

The “2 cleansers” we are discussing in this article refers to your morning and evening cleansers; double cleansing will be addressed in a future blog! We hope you check out our homegrown Skin care Library to check out hundreds of our other blogs on relevant skin care topics, ingredients, and scientific deep-dives!

Difference between morning and evening cleansers

Morning Cleansers

Your morning cleanser should play a role in preparing your skin for a full day exposed to sunlight and other factors that affect skin health. 

In many skin care routines, antioxidants are used in the morning regimen to protect the skin from sun and pollution. Vitamin C is often the antioxidant that is chosen. Other common antioxidants in skin care are:

For a full list of antioxidant ingredients in skin care, check out this guide!

Vitamin C does not penetrate well into the skin unless the pH is 2- 2.5. So, if you are using a Vitamin C serum in the am, the best cleanser choice is a low pH cleanser.

Examples of low pH cleansers:

If you have a sensitive skin type, a cleanser with soothing anti-inflammatory ingredients may be a better choice in the morning. For any skin type, retinoids should not be used in the morning as they cause damage to the skin barrier when exposed to direct sunlight for too long.

Which of these low pH cleansers is best for you depends upon your Baumann Skin Type, and the other ingredients in your regimen.


why two different cleansers

Evening Cleansers

Cleansers used at night must have enough detergents to remove sunscreen, dirt, makeup and pollution. For this reason, the cleansers used at night are stronger than morning cleansers. Unless you have very oily skin, you cannot use a strong foaming cleanses two times a day without experiencing some skin irritation or dryness.

Because evening cleansers are a little complicated, we will break them down by skin type below.

Evening cleansers for oily skin:

If you have oily skin, your cleanser needs to be strong enough to remove all the excess sebum, dirt, sunscreen, and makeup accumulated throughout the day. Evening skin care routines for oily skin often include retinoids, which should only be used at night. For that reason, your evening cleanser will likely be different from your morning cleanser. There are many great choices for oily skin types that focus on deep cleaning of the skin. There is an accessible range of prices and all of our featured products are backed by science.

For oily skin types, we recommend these foaming cleansers as the best for controlling excess sebum production and to use at night to remove dirt, pollution and sunscreen.


Evening cleansers for dry skin:

These cleansers are safe for the skin barrier and can be used twice a day without irritation. However, they often have a higher pH so are not as good to use prior to a Vitamin C serum as low pH cleansers are. This is why these non-foaming, low foam, or creamy cleansers are used in the evening while low pH cleansers are using in the morning.


Remember- these are general rules that can vary by Baumann Skin Type. It is best to follow the exact skin care routine instructions that we give you once we know you Baumann Skin Type. If you are advised to use two different cleansers- follow our advice to get the best results from your customized skin care routine.



Level up your skin care knowledge

Why do I need two cleansers?

You often are advised to use two different cleansers because your skin has different needs in the morning and at night. These needs vary based on your Baumann Skin Type and lifestyle.

Do I use both of my cleansers together?

Unless you were specifically advised to "double cleanse" in either the morning or evening, it is recommended that you use your morning and evening cleansers only at their appropriate times. Using an evening cleanser in the morning might leave your skin too dry, for example. Find your skin type to get a personalized regimen for your skin!

Best References on Why Two Cleansers in Skin Care Routine:

  1. Baumann L. Ch. 35 Skin Care Regimen Design in Baumann's Cosmetic Dermatology (McGraw Hill 2022)
  2. Baumann L. Ch. 33 Cleansing Agents in Baumann's Cosmetic Dermatology (McGraw Hill 2022)

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