You’re doing all the right things. So why is your skin still mad at you?
You bought the serum. You moisturized. You even drank water. And yet—your skin is dry, tight, breaking out, or just feels off.
Here’s the truth no one tells you in the skincare aisle:
Most people are over-cleansing.
And it's slowly wrecking your skin barrier.
What is the skin barrier, anyway?
Think of it like your skin’s bouncer. It keeps the good stuff (like moisture) in and the bad stuff (like bacteria and pollutants) out.
When your barrier is healthy, your skin looks calm, hydrated, and glowy.
When it’s damaged?
Redness. Flakiness. Breakouts. That “nothing is working” feeling.
And guess what can damage your barrier every single day without you realizing it?
Cleansers.
The Problem With Most Cleansers
A lot of cleansers are made to strip. They contain harsh surfactants, foaming agents, or active ingredients that promise to “clarify” or “purify” — which really just means they’re going in too hard.
Sure, they’ll remove makeup and oil.
But they’ll also remove your natural moisture, protective oils, and any chance your barrier had at staying balanced.
Signs You Might Be Over-Cleansing:
- Your face feels tight or squeaky-clean after washing
- You get dry patches and breakouts at the same time
- Serums sting when you apply them
- You’ve switched products a hundred times with no improvement
What to Do Instead
1. Switch to a gentle, hydrating cleanser
You want a cleanser that respects your skin, not punishes it.
Revive Cleansing Milk (our favorite, obviously) is designed to:
- Cleanse without stripping
- Hydrate while you wash
- Use ingredients like sweet almond oil, glycerin, and vitamin C to nourish, not stress
2. Ditch the double cleanse (unless you need it)
If you’re not wearing heavy sunscreen or makeup, one gentle cleanse is enough. Your skin is not a dirty dish.
3. Listen to your face
If your skin feels better when you do less — trust that. That’s your barrier healing.
TL;DR
Your skin doesn’t need to be scrubbed raw to be clean.
A well-formulated, barrier-friendly cleanser is the quiet MVP of any routine — and possibly the one thing standing between you and the glow you’ve been chasing.
Stop stripping. Start healing. And let your cleanser be the gentle, supportive bestie your skin deserves.
