It'sHip2B^2

I was about to have my post lunch face wash and I got to thinking about my particular habits. I would say that I wash my face perhaps 4 times day (not including the shower). I wash once in the morning, after lunch, when I get home, and usually once a few hours before my nightly shower. Of course, I might add a wash here or there as necessary. I seem to stick to my schedule even when on planes and in hotels.

Is it just me or do y'all have similar routines?

Mary2e

Twice a day and with product specifically for face washing.

Unless you have really oily skin or work in a dirty environment, I can't imagine needing to wash your face that often.

You're getting rid of the natural oils your body produces and stripping your skin of them. It's those oils that keep you from wrinkling.

CDTraveler

+1

It'sHip2B^2

I do have fairly oily skin. By lunch I sport a shine and my eye start to hurt a little for the oil getting into them. Plus at 30 I still get acne.

Mary2e

They sell products to specifically deal with the shine/oil/acne. As well, you can use blotting papers. I do not think that oil has anything to do with acne. Try using a toner with salicylic acid to keep that in check.

The downside of washing your face that often is that you're stripping the oil from your skin and it produces MORE oil to compensate.

scoow

+1 On the more washing = more oil.

Blotting papers are great, and you don't have to redo all your make-up as you would after washing your face.

oldpenny16

I would be so dried out if I washed more. I would look like stale toast!

emma69

Twice, usually just with a cloth and warm water as I find most cleansers too drying or am allergic to them - I don't wear make up normally, so no real grime to get off.

Agree with teh others that said if you wash too often, your skin will produce more oil to compensate - it is a vicious circle.

Nanook

Just curious...do you wear make-up? do you reapply it after washing your face?

east_of_the_sun

I cleanse my face with Cetaphil and water, once in the morning before I put on make-up and once in the evening to remove the make-up.
I'll add an extra cleansing ( and fresh make-up) if I'm going out to dinner, etc.

kipper

Same here (although I'm 33), although I only wash my face twice a day. I usually don't wear makeup, although when I do, I've found that the mineral makeups do wonders to absorb some of the excess oil. I keep a container of Clearasil or Oxy face pads in my car, and will, when I feel like my face is too oily, use those.

A good example is today--I was up and out of the house at my usual time, due to a doctor's appointment, but am working late to avoid taking sick time. My face feels very oily at this point, because it's been 11 hours roughly since I washed it. As I'm heading out to a dinner meeting immediately after work, I'll use those to remove some of the excess oil, then will wash my face when I do get home tonight.

I've also found that, in a pinch, when you aren't wearing makeup, hand sanitizer can at least make your face not feel quite so oily.

I use Murad's Clarifying Cleanser, as I've found that it does the best job of keeping my face reasonably acne-free. Oddly enough, I think I tried it only because someone on FT posted a link for a free travel-size or sample.

Analise

At least twice each day.

chgoeditor

Add me to the list of people who wash my face twice a day--at most. (I have combo skin.) If I haven't worked out or worn makeup all day, I may not wash my face at night.

If I find myself getting too greasy, etc., at midday, I might simply splash some water on my face and then dry it lightly.

When you say you have to wash at midday because your eyes sting from the oil, I question whether that's really what's happening. If you washed your face in the morning, put on *just* a light moisturizer and no makeup, do your eyes still sting by midday? Oil itself shouldn't make your eyes sting, but plenty of other stuff that you put on your face--particularly stuff close to your eyes--will make it sting. I try to be diligent about using eye cream at night, but one reason I don't use it more often is because it makes my eyes sting.

It'sHip2B^2

Make-up is only for very special occassions (every make-up I've tried is an acne catalyst for me). Usually I wash and apply salicylic acid and if I'm going to be outside I'll put on a sunscreen (I go directly from white to blistered and red). I've always put the stinking in my eyes down to the oil since my face is so shiny when it happens. When I wash in the afternoon I sometimes put a light moisterizer on the lower half of my face. I still will experience a stinging after 6 or so hours.

I do go though 1-2 blotting sheets per day when I use them. But at best they delay a facewash about 2 hours.

maria mathew

thrice a day....one time in the morning during bath; then after coming back from the office and then before sleeping..