Double Cleansing: The step that makes every other skincare product more effective

Throughout the day, your skin accumulates far more than meets the eye. Sunscreen filters, excess sebum, pollution particles, makeup residue, perspiration-these impurities, each with different properties, gradually settle on the skin's surface and become trapped within the pores. Even the most meticulous cleanse cannot effectively remove every type of residue in a single step.

Inspired by Asian skincare rituals, where skin preparation is considered an essential part of healthy skin, double cleansing combines two complementary cleansing steps to purify the skin with precision. Today, it is widely recognized by skincare experts as the foundation of a clearer, more radiant complexion and the key to preparing the skin for optimal performance from the products that follow.

At the end of summer, this ritual becomes even more important. After weeks of sun exposure, the skin naturally thickens as part of its protective response while layers of water-resistant UV filters build up on its surface. Without thorough cleansing, this combination of residues can contribute to clogged pores and the appearance of post-summer blemishes.

At CODAGE, every step of a skincare ritual is designed with a specific purpose. Double cleansing is far more than an additional step-it is the foundation of healthy-looking skin: skin that is purified, balanced, and perfectly prepared to absorb the active ingredients in the rest of your skincare routine.

Why a Single Cleanse Isn’t Enough

Every day, your skin is exposed to two distinct types of impurities, each requiring a different cleansing approach:

• Oil-soluble impurities (lipophilic): sunscreen filters, oxidized sebum, and makeup residues are hydrophobic. They adhere to the skin and cannot be effectively removed with water alone. A traditional water-based cleanser is not enough to dissolve them thoroughly.
• Water-soluble impurities (hydrophilic): perspiration, certain pollution residues, and environmental particles are water-soluble, yet they can accumulate within the pores after a full day of exposure.

To effectively remove both types of impurities, two complementary cleansing steps are required: an oil-based cleanser to dissolve oil-soluble residues, followed by a water-based cleanser to eliminate water-soluble impurities and deeply purify the skin. This is the foundation of the double cleansing ritual.

The CODAGE Double Cleansing Ritual

Step 1: Dissolve Oil-Soluble Impurities with the Cleansing Balm

The first step is based on a fundamental skincare principle: oil dissolves oil. The CODAGE Cleansing Balm is formulated to instantly dissolve oil-soluble impurities while transforming cleansing into a truly sensorial ritual.

As you massage it into the skin, its rich balm texture melts into a silky oil that envelops the face, neck, and eye area. Upon contact with water, it emulsifies into a delicate milk that rinses away effortlessly without leaving a greasy residue.

Its high-tolerance, detoxifying formula helps to:

• Detoxify and soothe: Moringa oil helps capture pollution particles, while Immortelle Floral Water and bisabolol soothe even the most delicate areas, including the eye contour.
• Nourish: A blend of botanical oils-including camellia, avocado, and hemp oils-combined with organic shea butter helps preserve skin comfort while protecting the skin's lipid barrier.

How to use: Massage onto dry skin using gentle circular motions. Add a small amount of water to emulsify, then rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water.

Step 2: Complete the Cleanse with the Cleansing Gel or Cleansing Cream

Once oil-soluble impurities have been dissolved, the second step removes water-soluble residues and leaves the skin perfectly cleansed. The ideal formula depends on your skin type:

• The Cleansing Gel for combination to oily skin: Formulated with willow bark extract-known for its purifying properties and ability to promote skin renewal-and zinc, it helps unclog pores while regulating excess sebum. Enriched with aloe vera and niacinamide, it purifies without stripping the skin and transforms into a light, refreshing foam.
• The Cleansing Cream for dry and/or sensitive skin: Rich in organic shea butter and nourishing botanical oils, including coconut and apricot kernel oils, it gently cleanses while protecting the hydrolipidic film and providing immediate comfort to dry, delicate skin.

How to use: Dispense a small amount into your hands and work into a lather with a little water. Apply to damp skin, massage gently over the face and neck, then rinse thoroughly with clean water.

Discover the Double Cleansing Ritual: Cleansing Balm + Cleansing Gel

Discover the Double Cleansing Ritual: Cleansing Balm + Cleansing Cream

The Finishing Step: Perfecting Solution 02

Once the skin has been thoroughly cleansed and dried, complete your ritual with Perfecting Solution 02. Apply it with a cotton pad over the face, neck, and décolleté, or use it locally on targeted areas.

Its formula combines salicylic acid with a blend of fruit acids to gently remove dead skin cells, unclog pores, and refine skin texture. Enriched with seawater, it helps oxygenate and revitalize the skin. Perfectly purified, the complexion is left more receptive to the active ingredients in the skincare products that follow.

Complete Your Personalized Skincare Routine

Once your skin has been perfectly cleansed and freed from impurities, apply the CODAGE serums best suited to its specific needs-whether hydration, radiance, dark spots, or visible signs of aging. This is the heart of the CODAGE philosophy: delivering a precise, personalized solution for every skin concern through our targeted serum collection.

Finish your ritual with your Cream or Fluid to lock in hydration, strengthen the skin barrier, and prolong the benefits of the products applied beforehand.

What Double Cleansing Really Changes

A single cleanse moves impurities around; double cleansing removes them. By targeting different types of impurities through two complementary steps, it helps reveal skin that looks clearer, more radiant, and perfectly prepared to receive the benefits of the rest of your skincare routine. It is not an extra step-it is the essential foundation that makes every product that follows perform at its best.

Discover CODAGE Cleansers

Is double cleansing suitable for all skin types?

Yes. The key is choosing the right second cleanser for your skin's needs: the Cleansing Gel for combination to oily skin, or the Cleansing Cream for dry or sensitive skin. As the first step, the Cleansing Balm is suitable for all skin types, including sensitive skin.

How often should you double cleanse?

Double cleansing is best incorporated into your evening skincare routine. This is when the skin benefits most from removing the day's buildup of makeup, pollution, excess sebum, and sunscreen filters. In the morning, a single gentle cleanse suited to your skin type is generally sufficient to remove overnight impurities and prepare the skin for the day ahead.

Can double cleansing irritate or dry out the skin?

No-and this is where the choice of formulas makes all the difference. An effective double cleansing ritual should respect the skin's natural balance rather than compromise it. Harsh cleansers can weaken the skin barrier, but the CODAGE Cleansing Balm nourishes and soothes while dissolving impurities. The Cleansing Gel and Cleansing Cream purify without stripping the skin. The result is skin that feels perfectly clean, comfortable, and never tight.

What is the difference between the Cleansing Gel and the Cleansing Cream?

The Cleansing Gel offers purifying and sebum-regulating benefits, making it ideal for combination to oily skin or for use during the warmer months. The Cleansing Cream provides nourishing and soothing care, making it the perfect choice for dry, sensitive skin or during the colder seasons.