There are a few things that, as someone who takes pride in their skin, I’ve always counted as non-negotiable parts of my skincare routine. First up and most importantly, is SPF—daily, not sporadically—to protect the skin from UV rays as well as combat visible signs of ageing. Next, as someone with dehydrated skin, which often leads to unwanted oiliness, a hydrating serum packed with hyaluronic acid has always been a must. And, lastly, a morning cleanse, to remove the oil I mentioned previously, which would undoubtedly build up on my skin while I slept.
Then, around six months ago, everything changed. I started seeing a wave of skincare experts and influencers take to social media proudly showing off their plump, glowy complexions. And their secret? They’d ditched the morning cleanse. Some, like skinfluencer BambiDoesBeauty, had taken to not washing their face at all on waking, preferring instead to let their natural oils marinate on the skin to hydrate and strengthen the skin barrier, while others shared that, in fact, water was all you needed to gently cleanse without stripping the skin.
