Washing Your Face With Cold Water Can Level Up Your Cleansing Routine

About the Expert:

Matthew Miller is a licensed esthetician. He just launched his first skincare product Vers. 

Benefits to Cold Water Face Washing

According to Miller, washing with cold water can help calm the skin, whether it’s inflamed due to the weather, breakouts, or anything it’s going through. It works in the same way that icing helps inflammation when you’re injured. “The only negative is that warmer water can soften the skin a little bit more allowing for activities to penetrate more easily,” says Miller. “However, for both scenarios, we aren't talking major differences.”

Are There Any Negatives?

Miller notes that the only potential negative to washing your skin with cold water is that it might block products from penetrating your skin more easily. This is because cold water can quickly shrink pores, which will block the product from getting in there and clearing out any gunk and debris. 

If you’re dealing with chronic acne or an acne flare up, cold water could make it worse. It can help reduce inflamed skin that’s puffy, but not inflamed skin that’s due to acne. 

How Water vs. Cold Water Face Washing

According to Miller, you should never wash your face with hot water because, “Hot water can lead to possible stripping of skin or dehydration.” Of course, you also run the risk of burning your skin. “Cold water would be better for more sensitive and dry skin types,” says Miller.

However, Miller doesn’t recommend hot or cold water for face washing, saying, “The more appropriate temperature for all skin types is lukewarm water.” That’s because you want to mimic your skin’s natural environment when caring for it. And lukewarm or room temperature water is the closest thing the skin’s used to. This means your water should be around 68 to 72 degrees. 

If you really want to use cold water to wash your face, try washing it first with lukewarm water and doing a second double cleanse with cold water to get the soothing benefits while still clearing out your pores during the first wash.

Tips to Level Up Your Face Washing

Don’t Rush the Process

Miller says you should spend about 45 to 60 seconds cleansing your skin. “Really make sure you're going over every area in little circles,” he says. 

Pat Skin Dry

Miller recommends that your skin isn’t dripping wet when you’re about to apply products after you wash it, but it should be damp. “Keeping your skin damp when applying serums or creams will help your products become more effective,” says Miller. 

Double Cleanse

If you wear makeup and/or sunscreen throughout the day, Miller says you should be double cleansing. First use a balm or oil cleanser to clear out makeup and other products from the skin, then follow up with a water-based cleanser.

Final Thoughts

Although washing your face with cold water in the warmer months may be tempting, it’s not good to do within your normal skincare routine. Since washing your face with cold water can close the pores off to the cleansing properties of the products, make sure to at least cleanse once with lukewarm water before cleansing with cold water. Overall, you can’t go wrong with cleansing with lukewarm water for all skin types.

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