I don't wash my face, am I disgusting?

[EmmaFaye29]

After years of trying different cleansers, toners and moisturisers, I realised that all they do for my skin is dry it out and make it look worse/more oily. I now use nothing. Water gets on my face in the shower but that is it. I'll use a bit of moisturiser in the winter if I feel I need it. My skin honestly looks and feels 100x better but I feel what I'm doing is somehow "wrong" and a bit grose. Anyone else?

Thing is though, just for the purposes of debate - you wouldn't "wash" your clothes or dishes in only water, would you? You need some sort of surfactant (soap, basically) to remove the dirt. It doesn't seem so bad though, to wash face in only water.

to the PP who has eczema - perhaps hot water is not best for the face, lukewarm would probably be better?

Whatever works, if your skin looks better then why not

Same. Soap is so drying and cleansers so greasy! It's a powerful industry and people get sucked in.

Do none of you 'water only' people use SPF? You need to put your money where your mouth is and post some pics. I've known a few water / soap and water only merchants who have been v proud of their skin. Their dull, patchy, sun-damaged skin 🤷🏻‍♀️

I’ve only ever used water (although I use a flannel) and at 50 I have very few wrinkles/lines.

Water only.
No SPF except in the height of summer.

Today 20:55Pinkyandthebrainz

Your face is covered in sweat on a morning so YABU not to wash it with more than water then.

Yours may be. Mine is just fine.

Agree but would recommend sunscreen.

If I wear make up then I remove it in the evening with Simple face wipes, then in the shower in the morning I just give it a rub with a flannel and hot water. My skin gets dry sometimes so that has a slight exfoliating effect. I use moisturiser a couple of nights a week and that's it. Any soaps just make my skin look worse.

I use a small amount of good quality soap and water, but more crucially I freshen it up before bed with a wipe over with plain witch hazel (clear bottle from Boots, dead cheap).

Skin is totally clear (I wear v minimal makeup in work and nothing at weekends). Age 53 and usual taken for someone quite a few years younger - happy with that 🙂

In the past I’ve used The Ordinary Lactic Acid 10% which was amazing at clearing gunk from skin, but post-menopause I don’t need anything quite so effective at deep cleaning.

I use a mild cleanser but haven't used soap for years. I use a moisturiser however, I live in NZ and need one with sun screen or my face would burn, even in winter.

I use micellar water to take off make up, usually the next morning! If no make then no I never wash my face.

Never wear makeup, don't have a skin cleansing or moisturising routine - just water on face in shower, no soap.
No skin problems at all.

Normally just water but on days I run I do use a face soap to get rid of sweat and sea air. Only moisturise when I can tell it's dry. Haven't worn any make up since February:

Is it disgusting to treat your face skin the way the majority of the population of the world does?

It's a really odd question if you step outside the bubble that constantly tells Western women that they are inherently vile and need to artificially improve themselves to be vaguely acceptable.

Warm water and a flannel for me. Washes and exfoliates

Water in the shower and occasionally cleanse if I’m feeling grubby or have worn makeup (v rare). Have an outdoors job though so use spf moisturiser when I remember. Always had clear skin.

I only wash it if I’ve worn makeup. I use wipes and then wash it to make sure it’s all off. If I’m not wearing makeup, I don’t wash it. I do use face masks occasionally, though.

Definitely agree on the brainwashing. I use a clean flannel and warm water - this doubles as an exfoliator so don't need that, either.

I'm mid 40s and get asked about my skin all the time! Could be genetic though as my mum is the same.

Nip+Fab is the only brand that works for me. Clears my skin without drying it out. I use the face wash and toner (salicylic acid range) in the morning then just the toner in the evening and my skin has visibly improved.

I only ever wash my face with water, unless I've been wearing makeup (which is rare) and even then I splash my face with water after cleansing. I use a bit of moisturiser on my face, but nothing else. I'm sure that's why I have good skin in my mid-50s.

Mainly water here. Anything else dries my skin out.
SPF in the summer.
Moisturiser as needed in the winter.
I had eczema on my face as a teenager so never developed a make-up habit, nor complex rituala for cleaning/ moisturising.

Still get IDed at 39, for challenge 25, that's 14 years younger.

Well my close friend never washes her face and her skin looks amazing. Plus she’s the only mum in our group so must be more tired/stressed and she’s pretty much glowing! I’m jealous that I now have become addicted to skincare and feel weird without it.

I don't wash mine either. It gets wet when I bath/shower and thats it. I use coconut oil to moisturise if it feels dry but the rest of the time nothing. I don't wear make up and rarely get spots.

I wash it with a flannel with just water

No soap, no creams, no makeup

That sounds disgusting to me! I use a face scrub (St Ives apricot or oatmeal) every day. It still never feels very clean but that may be due to my diet.