Cleanse your face without irritation: amounts and steps
5 min read Skincare Updated 1 November 2026 By Anna Sophie Schulenburg
You cleanse your face without irritating it when you wash it once in the evening with a pea-sized amount of mild cleanser and lukewarm water, for 30 to 60 seconds with your fingertips, and then pat it dry. In the morning, lukewarm water is enough for most people. You have got it right if, ten minutes later, your skin does not feel tight and does not feel “squeaky clean”.
“Squeaky clean” sounds thorough, but it means the cleanser has taken away more skin oil than your skin needs. Most irritation from cleansing comes from doing too much: too hot, too often, too long or with too much friction. The product is less often to blame than the way you use it.
The rules at a glance
| What | What works | Signs it is too much |
|---|---|---|
| How often | in the evening with cleanser, in the morning lukewarm water | your skin already feels tight by midday |
| Amount | one pea, for face and neck | it foams so much that you have to rinse for a long time |
| Temperature | lukewarm, about as warm as your hand | your cheeks are red after washing |
| Duration | 30 to 60 seconds | your face feels rough afterwards |
| What to use | your fingertips | a brush, sponge or exfoliating glove leaves red streaks |
| Drying | pat dry with a clean towel | your cheeks are red after rubbing |
If your nose already shines when you get up, use a small amount of cleanser in the morning on your forehead, nose and chin only. Whether that applies to you is shown by the water test for your skin type.
Cleansing your face, step by step
Step 1 — Wash your hands and loosen eye make-up. Wash your hands with soap first. Loosen waterproof mascara and eyeliner beforehand with a soaked cotton pad: hold it on the closed eye for ten seconds, then draw it downwards.
Step 2 — Spread the cleanser. Wet your face with lukewarm water. Put a pea-sized amount of cleanser into your wet hands, rub it briefly and spread it with your fingertips in small circles: first over your forehead, nose and chin, then across your cheeks, up to the hairline and under the chin.
Step 3 — Rinse. Rinse with lukewarm water until your skin no longer feels slippery. This usually takes five or six handfuls of water. Many people overlook residue at the hairline and around the nostrils.
Step 4 — Pat dry and moisturise straight away. Press a clean towel onto your face without rubbing. Apply your cream within two to three minutes, while your skin is still slightly damp. What comes next, and in which order, is set out in the simple morning and evening skincare routine.
Which cleanser suits which skin
| Cleanser | How it feels | Suits | What to watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cleansing cream or milk | creamy, barely foams | dry and sensitive skin | rinse well, or a film stays behind |
| Gel or foam | lathers up, feels fresh | normal, combination and oily skin | if your cheeks feel tight, keep it on them for less time |
| Cleansing oil or balm | oily, turns milky with water | first step for waterproof make-up | then wash again with a mild cleanser |
| Micellar water | clear as water, on a cotton pad | on the go or without a basin | rinse with water afterwards, and do not rub with the pad |
| Solid soap | lathers strongly | not really for the face | classic soap is alkaline, while the skin's surface is slightly acidic |
One cleanser per routine is enough. Two in a row degrease your skin twice over without making it any cleaner.
Double cleansing: only when something won't come off
Double cleansing comes from routines with a lot of make-up. First, an oil or balm dissolves waterproof sun protection, foundation and mascara; then a mild cleanser takes the oil away. It makes sense on days with waterproof sun protection or long-wear make-up. On all other evenings, one pass is enough. For how to layer make-up and skincare so that everything comes off easily in the evening, see the order of skincare and make-up.
The eye area needs its own treatment. The skin there is thinner, and rubbing pulls at the eyelids. How to remove eye make-up and care for the skin afterwards is covered in caring for the eye area.
Common mistakes and how to correct them
| Mistake | Better |
|---|---|
| Washing your face under a hot shower | at the basin, with lukewarm water |
| Using a cleansing brush every day | your fingertips, and the brush at most once a week on the T-zone |
| Exfoliating glove on the face | only on the body |
| Make-up removal wipes without rinsing | wash with water afterwards |
| Using cleanser morning and evening on dry skin | water only in the morning |
| The same towel for a week | a towel just for your face, fresh every two to three days |
| Reading tightness after washing as “clean” | switch to a milder cleanser |
How to tell you are cleansing too much
Your skin feels tight ten minutes after washing, and the cream stings when you apply it. Your cheeks go red after drying, and small flakes form around your nostrils. Sometimes the T-zone shines more a few hours later than it did before, because the skin quickly replaces the oil it has lost.
If two of these points apply, cleanse only in the evening for a week, for less time and with a milder product. If your skin still stings with the products you usually use, take a rest phase in which you strengthen your skin barrier before you introduce anything new.
Caring for your skin with MONAT
MONAT sells three face cleansers in Germany, and you need only one of them. The Be Gentle™ Creamy Cleanser stays creamy and suits dry, sensitive skin. The Be Balanced™ Foamy Cleanser lathers up and suits normal and combination skin; if your cheeks feel tight afterwards, it is too strong for you. The Barrier Booster™ Hydra Refresh Cleanser is meant for the phase in which your skin reacts to almost everything. How to choose between the first two is set out in the comparison of Be Gentle™ and Be Balanced™. Ranges and names change, so the product page in the German MONAT shop always has the final word.
Quick questions
Is water alone enough in the morning?
Yes, for dry, normal and sensitive skin. Overnight, only skin oil and traces of night cream build up on your skin, and lukewarm water dissolves them. If your T-zone shines in the morning, use a small amount of cleanser there.
Do I need to cleanse in the evening if I don't wear make-up?
Yes. Sun protection, dust and the skin's own oil from the day do not come off completely with water alone.
How long should a cleanser stay on the skin?
30 to 60 seconds. Longer does no good: dirt and make-up come loose within that time, and your skin loses more oil with every extra minute.
Can I wash my face with soap?
Better not. Classic soap is alkaline, and the skin often feels noticeably tight afterwards. A mild face cleanser is designed to suit the slightly acidic state of the skin's surface.
Which cleanser suits your skin type and routine is something the free skin analysis asks about.