This Free Towel Hack Made My Cakey Makeup Look So Much Better

Why Does Makeup Look Cakey?

The way you prep your skin is always going to influence the outcome of how your makeup looks, and I realized on those days where my makeup looked terrible that I was being a little lazy about it. Think about it: When was the last time you used a physical exfoliator on your skin? This can be done with silicone face brushes or even products that have exfoliating beads inside. 

Even if you are religious about using your AHA/BHA chemical exfoliating cleanser (my personal favorite is the SKINMEDICA one), you should be using a physical exfoliant about once a week. 

But if I don’t want to purchase a new product with physical exfoliators inside or purchase an expensive silicone spinning brush, is a towel okay? 

Is Exfoliating Your Face With a Towel Safe?

Ah, the million-dollar question. According to Rocio Romero, PA-C, practice director at Row 89: yes. 

The trick is, like the TikTok video said, to keep it very gentle, she says. “I actually like it. It gives such a nice, smooth skin, and makeup sits so much better on it. To do it safely use a soft towel, or gauze, and go very lightly.” Make sure you’re also not using a used towel or one that has been wet and dried many times, as this can cause bacteria growth. 

“Sometimes I skip the towel and just use a gauze so I can throw it away,” says Romero. “Either way, always make sure you're exfoliating with something clean, not an old towel.”

Who Should Avoid Towel Exfoliation?

According to Romero, if you have sensitive skin, you should mix things up a bit. “Put a little face oil or moisturizer on first, so while the towel is exfoliating the skin, the oil or moisturizer is hydrating it and keeping irritation away,” she says.

Additionally, Romero says, “This is something you should skip if you have any active breakouts or skin irritation.” Wait until that clears up before resuming.

How to Exfoliate With a Washcloth During Your Nighttime Routine

If you know you’re going to have a busy day the following morning, use your towel exfoliator hack to introduce a little self-care at night when you’re cleansing your skin the way you normally would anyway. 

“I love using a washcloth to cleanse my skin at home,” says esthetician Amity Murray. “It is how my mom and my grandmother cleansed their skin.”

Apply an oil cleanser to your skin, she says, and rub it in with the towel (gently!) instead of your fingers. “I love to do this with the LUSH Turmeric & Argan Oil cleanser. It is the perfect accompaniment because the washcloth removes the cleanser as well as any makeup, sunscreen and gently physically exfoliates the skin, removing any dead skin that would naturally fall off.”

Need a step-by-step? “My main tip and trick for this method is to have a few fresh washcloths on hand,” says Murray. “Apply a generous amount of your chosen oil cleanser, massage into dry skin over makeup etc then take a warm washcloth and apply it to the skin, and remove. This is a wonderful way to cleanse your skin especially in the winter, it feels amazing.”

Is the Towel Exfoliation Hack Worth Trying?

What I love about this hack is that it’s totally free for anyone to do at home, especially in a beauty world that’s always coming out with the next big tool to use in your skincare routine. Sometimes if my makeup doesn’t sit right on my nose or my forehead (forever my problem areas!), I’ll actually remove the makeup, do this towel exfoliator hack and reapply. 

It makes my makeup look better every single time, and it’s even more reassuring to know that it’s esthetician-approved. Just make sure to always use a clean towel or washcloth and use very, very gentle pressure on your skin.