Serums get the spotlight. Cleansers do the work. I have been saying it since the studio first opened: cleansing is the “be-all and end-all” of a skin care program — the foundation of all the goodness your skin will receive from everything that follows. We believe in it so much that forty-five minutes of our one-hour facial is devoted to cleansing. Here's why it's the step I'm strictest about, and how to find the right cleanser for your skin.
Why cleansing matters more than any other step
Over the course of a day, your skin collects sunscreen, makeup, its own oil and sweat, and whatever the city throws at it. Uncleansed skin harbours toxins, bad bacteria, waste matter and pollutants — and left in place overnight, that film sits in pores, dulls the complexion and gets in the way of everything you apply afterwards.
That last part is the one most people miss: when the skin is cleansed properly, it can actually absorb the beneficial ingredients you're paying for. A $150 serum applied over the day's build-up is money down the drain. A proper cleanse is what lets the rest of the routine do its job — it's the highest-leverage sixty seconds in skincare.
And it cuts both ways. The wrong cleanser — usually one that's too harsh — strips the skin's barrier, leaving it tight, flaky or reactive. If your skin “squeaks” after washing, that's not clean; that's stripped. The goal is skin that feels comfortable, soft and ready.
The double cleanse — my golden rule
I always recommend double cleansing, ideally both morning and night. Think of it like taking a shower: you wouldn't skip it and expect to feel clean. Skin is no different.
The first cleanse — the PreCleanse stage — is where oils, milks and balms live, and it's vital for your skin's health even when you're not wearing makeup. It removes so much more than makeup: oil-soluble waste, skin secretions, sunscreen and the residue of yesterday's products.
The second cleanse is what I call the “treatment” cleanse — a custom-fit cleanser chosen for your individual skin. This is where gels, foams, creams and active formulas come in, and it's the choice that matters most. The full menu of types is below.
How I cleanse (the studio method)
First cleanse: apply the product with dry hands to a dry face. Massage all over — including the eyes and lips. No cotton pads needed; use your hands. After a minute or so, add water: an oil emulsifies into a milk-like consistency, ready to be lifted. Rinse with plenty of tepid water. Voilà — the skin is ready for the next cleanse.
Second cleanse: make sure the face is thoroughly water-moistened. Take a small amount of cleanser — with a gel or foam, less is definitely more — and really lather it between the palms, almost creating a “cappuccino” foam, before applying to wet skin. You'll get a perfect cleanse that's economical, easy to remove and doesn't disrupt the skin.
And be gentle throughout: lukewarm water, light pressure, thirty to sixty seconds, and pat — don't drag — dry.
The types of cleansers (and who they're for)
1. Pre-cleanse oils and milks — the first step of a double cleanse
Oil dissolves oil. A pre-cleanse melts away sunscreen, waterproof makeup and excess sebum, then rinses off as a milky emulsion so your second cleanser can work on skin, not residue.
- Dermalogica PreCleanse — the classic deep-cleansing oil, brilliant even for oily skin
- Dermalogica Micellar Prebiotic PreCleanse — a milky micellar first step that supports the skin's microbiome
- Dermalogica Oil To Foam Cleanser — a genuine two-in-one: goes on as an oil, rinses as a foam, so you double cleanse in one step
2. Gel and foaming cleansers — for normal, combination and oily skin
The workhorses of the treatment cleanse. Gels and foams lift oil and grime thoroughly and rinse clean — the natural home base for anyone whose skin leans normal to oily.
- Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel — the iconic soap-free gel that suits practically everyone
- SkinCeuticals Simply Clean Gel Cleanser — gently exfoliating gel that shifts waterproof makeup, ideal for combination and oily skin
- SkinCeuticals Soothing Cleanser Foam — a dense, cushioning foam gentle enough for sensitive and post-treatment skin
3. Cream and milk cleansers — for dry, mature and sensitive skin
Creamy, low-foam textures cleanse without disturbing the skin's moisture balance. If your skin feels tight after a gel, this is your category.
- Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Cleanser — lipid-enriched cream that nourishes dry, depleted skin as it cleanses
- SkinCeuticals Gentle Cleanser — a creamy, non-foaming classic for dry, sensitive or post-procedure skin
- Marini SkinSolutions Age Intervention Gentle Cleanser — mild, non-irritating cream cleanser, lovely around the eyes
- Juliette Armand Elements Hydra Cleansing Milk — a rich cleansing milk for normal, dry and sensitive skin
4. Exfoliating cleansers — for dullness, texture and uneven tone
These build a low, daily dose of chemical exfoliation into the wash itself — glycolic or lactic acid loosens the dead surface cells that make skin look grey, so you rinse dullness down the sink instead of scrubbing at it.
- Marini SkinSolutions Bioglycolic Facial Cleanser — our most popular cleanser full stop: non-foaming, hydrating glycolic cleansing that leaves skin soft, not stripped
- Marini SkinSolutions Bioglycolic Oily Skin Cleansing Gel — the same glycolic depth, tuned for genuinely oily skin
- Dermalogica Daily Glycolic Cleanser — brightening glycolic wash with calendula and jojoba to keep the barrier comfortable
- SkinCeuticals Glycolic Renewal Cleanser — a soft-foaming 8% glycolic gel for a clearer, brighter finish
- Dermalogica Skin Resurfacing Lactic Acid Cleanser — the gentler-acid option, ideal for skin showing visible signs of ageing
5. Enzymatic cleansers — exfoliation for sensitive skin
Fruit enzymes digest dead surface cells without acids or grit — polish for people whose skin protests at everything else. Teen-friendly, too.
- Marini SkinSolutions Clean Zyme Papaya Cleanser — green papaya enzymes for an immediately more polished, radiant look; pairs beautifully with the Skin Zyme Face Mask
6. Clarifying cleansers — for breakout-prone and congested skin
Salicylic acid is oil-soluble, so it cleans inside the pore where congestion starts — the category to reach for when skin is breaking out or feeling congested.
- Dermalogica Clearing Skin Wash — foaming salicylic wash for adult, breakout-prone skin
- Dermalogica Clear Start Breakout Clearing Foaming Wash — the younger-skin version; works on face, back and chest
7. Ultra-gentle cleansers — for reactive and sensitised skin
When skin is flaring, reactive or over-processed, cleansing should give it nothing to react to: pH-balanced, non-foaming, no residue.
- Dermalogica UltraCalming Cleanser — a gel/cream hybrid so gentle it can be wiped off without water on the most reactive days
- Juliette Armand Elements Sensitive Cleansing Gel — olive-oil-based cleansing for sensitive skin and the eye area
A quick cheat sheet
- Oily or combination: gel or foaming cleanser; add a pre-cleanse oil at night
- Dry or mature: cream, milk or lactic-acid cleanser
- Dull or uneven tone: glycolic cleanser
- Breakout-prone: salicylic (clarifying) cleanser
- Sensitive or reactive: ultra-gentle or enzymatic cleanser
- Wearing makeup or SPF daily (everyone should be): double cleanse in the evening
My pro tip
Avoid face cloths, “washers”, brushes and machinery — they can be too intense for most skin types. I prefer hands. They're intuitive: they know the contours of your face, and they can feel for texture and changes in the skin. They are the perfect cleansing material — and the reason forty-five minutes of my one-hour facial is spent on cleansing. In the chair it becomes a powerful session of lifting, sculpting and lymphatic drainage, and the radiance it gives the skin is incredible.
The bottom line
Great skin isn't bought in one hero product — the routine does the work, and the routine starts at the sink. Get the cleanse right and everything else you use works harder.
Not sure which category your skin falls into? That's what I'm here for — book in at the studio in Toorak and we'll match you to the right one in person — and you can experience what forty-five minutes of proper cleansing feels like for yourself.