For most of my life, I’ve washed my face much like you see it done in a television commercial: splash with water, rub some cleanser all over the place (often a foaming cleanser… shudder), rinse it all off, and dry with a towel. Pretty standard, right? Well, yes. It’s standard. But, sadly, it’s not at all correct.

In continuation of my skincare series, today I’m sharing the results of my research and testing on the optimal way to clean your face. After reading up, interviewing dermatologists and testing on my own face for many months, I’ve noticed a dramatic difference in my skin. All it took was some slight tweaks to both the products I use and the methods I employ.