The Right & Wrong Way To Use Transforming Cleansers

Over the last year, transforming cleansers have been on the rise in the beauty industry. We highlighted the emerging trend early on, and our prediction for this innovative product pattern holds true—and the momentum is only gaining pace in 2024.

In order to properly rid your skin of makeup and lingering sunscreen, you likely need to use some sort of makeup remover first to dissolve oil-based grime—then you can follow with a water-based cleanser to actually wash your face. But these days, you can find many two-in-one cleansers that function as a makeup remover and a water-based cleanser in one bottle. 

They provide a distinct benefit: the ability to remove stubborn makeup elements, such as foundation, mascara, lipstick, and sunscreen with a single product. Essentially, this eliminates the need for a separate makeup remover, like micellar water, oil, or a makeup wipe.

But here's the catch: Many of these dual-phase cleansers should go on dry skin first to remove makeup and SPF, then you add water to allow the second cleanse to commence. If you go in with a wet face to start, you aren't getting the most out of your two-in-one product.

Take the Renee Rouleau Better Than Balm and the Colorescience Barrier Pro 1-Step Cleanser as great examples—both of which instruct you to start on dry skin, emulsifying the product after a period of gentle massage.

Now, while these one-and-done cleansers are spiking in popularity, I have to remind you: Not every cleanser can be used in this fashion. See, when you use a two-in-one cleanser, you massage the product into your skin but also around your eyes—which can be irritating with some formulas. 

"Generally, anything exfoliating or designed to scrub the skin is best used after makeup has already been removed," cautions Issacs.

For example, a lovely physical exfoliant, like the Naturopathica Oat Cleansing Facial Polish, is a wonderful (and personally, a favorite) second-step product to slough off dead skin, but you don't want to use it too close to the eyes. How come? Because like many physically exfoliating products, this comes with tiny granules that can easily irritate the eyes if you're trying to squeeze off mascara. 

The same caution goes for chemical exfoliating cleansers with AHAs and BHAs like glycolic or salicylic acid—two ingredients certainly not meant for the eyes. 

Safety precautions aside, these exfoliating cleansers also just won't work as well when buffered with a layer of makeup or SPF. Instead, Isaacs reiterates the importance of using an oil cleanser before that exfoliating product, "so that the exfoliants can actually reach the skin's surface rather than simply attempting to break down the layer of makeup on top," he says. 

I was heavily skeptical of the promise made by two-in-one cleansers, but I was pleasantly surprised by the handful I've tested over the past year. Not only do they melt away makeup and SPF (leaving my damp rag clean), but they also keep the skin feeling nourished, making them a nice option for those who tend to feel stripped after their double cleanse.