You may have heard of “water cleansing” from TikTok; this is the newest TikTok hack that has gone viral, and for the first time, I didn’t make a face when I heard it.
And that’s because I’ve been practising it for the past 10 years – well before TikTok was even a thing – and I attribute it partially to my above-average complexion.
What is the “water cleansing” hack?
“Water cleansing” means washing your face in the morning with only water. No cleanser; just water.
This hack went viral after TikToker Ava Lee shared about it.
@glowwithava Reply to @em_s010 important: assuming you double cleansed and went to bed with a clean face!!! #watercleanse #beautytipswithava ♬ original sound – AVA
Lee said that this hack works because over-cleansing can strip your skin barrier. She says that she washes her face in the morning without any cleanser, and only with water, and this has helped saved her skin.
Celebrities who practise “water cleansing”?
I first heard this hack from Taiwanese host Dee Hsu. (Source: @elephantdee / Instagram)
I first heard about this from popular Taiwanese host Dee Hsu (or Xiao S) on her talk show Kangsi Coming. She said that water-cleansing helps retain the natural oils that accumulates on her skin overnight, which lubricates her skin naturally.
Celebrities like Fan Bingbing and Cecilia Cheung have also confessed to practising this beauty hack.
Doing “water cleansing” for the last 10 years
I was intrigued when I first heard this beauty tip from Dee Hsu and decided to try it. Honestly, I don’t remember if I’ve only practised water cleansing for 10 years or longer because I feel like I’ve been doing it for most of my adulthood. (I’m 37 this year.)
It felt weird at first; I wasn’t used to having a much faster morning routine and my skin felt “grimy” at first. But I quickly got used to it and started seeing benefits from it.
Indeed, my skin became less dry than before and surprisingly, I haven’t really had much pimples in the last 10 years of practising this hack.
In fact, anyone who has seen me in person would probably agree that my skin condition is above average.
Were there times I’d wash my face with a cleanser in the morning?
Yes, there were definitely exceptions.
There were days when my skin felt oilier than normal (usually close to the start of my period), when I would reach out for a cleanser in the morning.
Otherwise, I typically wash with water only, dry off, then start my morning routine with a toner, followed by a serum, a moisturiser, and then sunscreen. And this routine hasn’t given me any significant issues so far.
Should you try “water cleansing”?
This is a hack that has certainly worked for me and I’ll recommend anyone to try it.
However, as with all hacks, there’s never a tip that’s one-size-fits-all, so always listen to your skin and tweak your routine accordingly.
If you’re keen to give this a try, I urge you to persist for at least two weeks so you can really see if it works, and be extra observant about the changes that you see in your skin. You can always put a halt to it and revert to your old routine if you feel that it’s not giving you the benefits that you want.
Good luck with it and if you’re trying it and are sharing your thoughts on social media, remember to tag Daily Vanity so I can hear from you!
