Short answer: Different tools suit different jobs. For facial cleansing and general makeup removal, Victoria’s preferred tool is a professional facial sponge, used gently with the appropriate cleanser. Fingertips are acceptable, but she prefers a sponge for more thorough cleansing. For eye makeup, she uses small sterile, non-impregnated gauze squares with Eye-Onizer Gentle Makeup Remover, then discards them. Gauze is for eye makeup removal, not for cleansing the whole face. Whatever you use, take eye makeup off first, cleanse gently, and go to bed with a completely clean face.
Here is what each tool does, and where it fits in an evening routine.
Two jobs, two tools
Removing eye makeup and cleansing your face are separate steps. Take eye makeup off first with a dedicated eye makeup remover, without scrubbing, then cleanse your face gently with lukewarm water and light pressure. If you reapplied makeup for the evening, cleanse again before bed. How to Remove Makeup goes through the steps in more detail.
Eye makeup removal: small sterile gauze squares
For eye makeup, Victoria uses small sterile, non-impregnated gauze squares with Eye-Onizer Gentle Makeup Remover. “Non-impregnated” means plain gauze that has not been soaked in anything beforehand, so the remover is the only product on it.
Apply the remover according to its directions and use the square gently over the closed eye, without pressure or rubbing. Use a fresh square as needed and discard each one after use. These plain squares are not the same thing as commercially pre-moistened makeup wipes, and in Victoria’s approach they are not used to cleanse the whole face.
Facial cleansing: a professional facial sponge
For facial cleansing and general makeup removal, Victoria prefers a professional facial sponge. Used gently with an appropriate cleanser and lukewarm water, a professional facial sponge helps thoroughly remove cleanser, makeup and the day’s sunscreen without the need for heavy pressure. Victoria prefers it to fingertips for more thorough cleansing.
After each use, rinse out all the cleanser, squeeze the sponge gently and let it dry fully in open air. Follow the manufacturer’s care and replacement directions, and replace a sponge sooner if it tears, discolors, smells unpleasant or no longer rinses clean. How to Keep Your Skincare Tools Clean covers sponges alongside mask brushes and spatulas.
Fingertips
Fingertips are an acceptable way to cleanse. They are always with you, and you can feel how hard you are pressing. General dermatology guidance often suggests fingertips, lukewarm water and no scrubbing. Wash your hands first, and rinse well so no cleanser or makeup is left behind. Victoria’s preference for a sponge comes down to thoroughness.
A washcloth
A washcloth is familiar and inexpensive. Its weave adds some mechanical action, and that texture can be more than your face wants, depending on how rough the cloth is, how hard you press and how often you use it. Hygiene is the other drawback: a cloth folded over the tap stays wet between uses and is harder to keep clean. If washcloths suit you, use a fresh, fully dried one for each cleanse and keep the pressure light.
Friction depends on how you use the tool
Every option here, fingertips included, creates some mechanical action. That does not turn every cleansing tool into an exfoliant: pressure, texture and frequency decide how much a tool does. Physical vs Chemical Exfoliation explains where mechanical action ends and exfoliation begins.
If your skin feels tight, stings or looks pink after cleansing, try lighter pressure or a softer tool. These signs have many possible causes; if redness or discomfort persists, ask a dermatologist or licensed skincare professional. Automatic bristled facial cleansing devices are a separate question, covered in Are Facial Cleansing Brushes Good for Your Skin?
The tool does not replace the cleanser
A soft tool cannot make up for a harsh cleanser, hot water or scrubbing. Choose a cleanser that is appropriate for your skin, within your budget; Why Your Cleanser Matters covers what to look for. Finish with a lukewarm rinse and pat your face dry with a soft towel.
Cleansing tools are for cleansing. The rest of the routine goes on with clean fingertips: an appropriate toner or mist, serum and moisturizer, each according to the product’s directions.
Victoria’s approach
Victoria Nash, founder of Esenté Skincare, has been a licensed aesthetician since 2003. She also owns and operates Younger You Clinique and is an experienced skincare educator. She draws on her professional experience at Younger You Clinique when evaluating skincare products and their performance. Her choice of tool depends on the job. For facial cleansing and general makeup removal, she prefers professional facial sponges, used gently with the appropriate cleanser; fingertips are acceptable, but she prefers a sponge for more thorough cleansing. For eye makeup, she uses small sterile, non-impregnated gauze squares with Eye-Onizer Gentle Makeup Remover and discards each square after use. Eye makeup comes off first, then the face is cleansed, so you go to bed with a completely clean face.
Examples from Esenté’s range for these steps include the Orchid Reviving Cleanser, a non-foaming cleanser, and Eye-Onizer Gentle Makeup Remover. Other formulations may suit your skin, preferences and budget equally well. Esenté works with boutique manufacturers to develop and select formulations that meet the brand’s ingredient, performance and quality criteria. The Professional Facial Sponges in the Legacy Collection are supplied by another company; their directions say to submerge them fully in warm water so they expand before use. If you are unsure which tool fits your routine, send your question through the Ask Victoria page.
Frequently asked questions
It depends on the job. Victoria prefers a professional facial sponge, used gently with the appropriate cleanser, for facial cleansing and general makeup removal; fingertips are acceptable. For eye makeup, she uses small sterile gauze squares with a dedicated eye makeup remover.
Both can work if you are gentle. Fingertips let you feel your pressure. A washcloth adds texture, so a rough cloth rubbed hard can irritate skin. Victoria prefers a soft professional facial sponge for a more thorough cleanse.
In Victoria’s approach, small sterile, non-impregnated gauze squares are used with an eye makeup remover to take off eye makeup before facial cleansing. Each square is discarded after use. For the whole face, she uses a professional facial sponge.
No. Non-impregnated gauze squares are plain and dry until you apply a remover, and they are used for eye makeup removal only. Commercially pre-moistened makeup wipes are a different product and are not part of the approach described here.
A washcloth creates some mechanical action through friction. Whether that amounts to exfoliation depends on the cloth’s texture, how hard you press and how often you use it. Rubbed hard every day, it can do more than you intended.
About the author. Victoria Nash, founder of Esenté Skincare, has been a licensed aesthetician since 2003. She also owns and operates Younger You Clinique and is an experienced skincare educator.
Reviewed by Victoria Nash, licensed aesthetician, founder of Esenté Skincare and owner of Younger You Clinique. This article is educational and is not medical advice. Ask your dermatologist or licensed skincare professional about products appropriate for your own skin and medical history.
