I used to wash my face like it owed me money.
Every morning. Every night. Sometimes midday if I felt “greasy.” I had a lineup of foaming cleansers, micellar waters, exfoliants, and charcoal scrubs that promised to suck the impurities out of my pores like a Dyson vacuum. I wasn’t lazy—I was dedicated.
And yet, my skin kept breaking out. Angry whiteheads, inflamed cysts, flakey patches that somehow felt oily at the same time. The more I tried to “clean” it, the worse it got.
If this sounds familiar, I need to tell you something nobody else really talks about: you might be over-washing your face—and your skin is retaliating.
The Lie: “Clean skin = Clear skin”
We’re taught to believe that dirt causes acne. That if your skin is breaking out, it must be because you’re not washing it enough, or hard enough, or with the right cleanser.
But here’s the thing: acne isn’t caused by dirt. It’s caused by a combo of things—like excess oil (sebum), clogged pores, bacteria, and inflammation. And ironically, washing your face too much can crank up all four.
How?
Because your skin isn’t just a blank canvas. It’s a living barrier with a microbiome—a whole ecosystem of good bacteria, lipids, and natural oils that protect it. When you scrub it raw or strip away all the oil with harsh cleansers, your skin panics. It goes into overdrive, producing even more oil to make up for what it’s lost. That’s the “boomerang effect.”
Think of it like this: imagine your skin is a roommate. If you keep throwing away their stuff and redecorating the apartment every morning and night, eventually they’re gonna snap and do some real damage.
I Thought I Was Helping—Turns Out, I Was Hurting
I used to use a benzoyl peroxide cleanser and an exfoliating scrub and astringent toner—all before breakfast. I thought I was “purifying” my skin. What I was really doing was nuking it.
I didn’t realize that dryness, tightness, and that squeaky-clean feeling were actually red flags. That “tight” feeling? It’s not a sign your cleanser worked. It’s a sign your skin barrier is waving a white flag.
I didn’t understand that my skin needed some oil to function normally. Not the gunky, pore-clogging kind, but the good stuff that keeps it soft, balanced, and protected.
So, What Actually Helped?
I did something that felt so wrong it was almost rebellious: I stopped washing my face so much.
I cut back to cleansing just once a day—at night, with a gentle, non-stripping cleanser. In the morning, I started rinsing with plain water or using a hydrating mist. No scrubbing. No foam. No 10-step ritual.
And I moisturized. Like, actually moisturized. Even when I had breakouts. Even when my skin felt oily. And guess what? After a couple weeks of protesting, my skin chilled the hell out.
Less inflammation. Fewer breakouts. More balance. For the first time, my skin felt normal—not like it was at war with me.
If Your Skin's Freaking Out, Try Doing Less
Gen Z has grown up with a TikTok-fueled skincare culture that’s obsessed with 12-step routines, “skin purging,” and buying every serum that goes viral. But sometimes the best thing you can do is back off.
Let your skin breathe. Let it repair. Let it find its own rhythm without you micromanaging every pore.
It’s scary to stop scrubbing. I get it. You think, “If I don’t clean my face obsessively, it’s just going to get worse.” But often, it gets better. Softer. Calmer. Less angry.
Because skin isn’t something you’re supposed to fix. It’s something you’re supposed to support.
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