Washing your face can be a pain if you’re a teenager. Maybe you think it takes too much time. Maybe you don’t want to deal with acne. But incorporating it into your morning and evening routine can make it painless. Your will find that to wash your face properly takes less than two minutes, and all you need is water, cleanser and fingertips. With just these, you can remove makeup, dirt and oil buildup and keep your pores clear to lessen acne outbreaks. Gently washing your face twice daily is one of the best ways to maintain the long-term health of your skin.
Step 1
Keep your hair back from your face. Pull long hair into a ponytail. Push bangs back with a hair band or clips.
Step 2
Wash your hands so that you don’t spread dirt and germs from your hands onto your face.
Step 3
Cup your hands under warm running water, and bend over the sink to splash the water gently on your face. Warm water is best; both hot and cold water can irritate the skin.
Step 4
Work up a lather in your wet hands with a mild facial cleanser, either bar or liquid. Turn the faucet off with your arm or elbow to conserve water. Begin to wash your face gently with soapy fingertips.
Step 5
Move your fingers in a circular motion around your face, beginning at the top of your forehead along the hairline. With hands on either side, wash along the sides of your face and behind your ears. Move down your jaw line and onto your chin, then up to catch the area between your nose and upper lip. Work your fingers out toward your cheeks, then in to wash your nose, taking care to catch the corners of your nostrils which can be easily missed. Still making circular motions, move your fingertips up the bridge of your nose to the space between your eyes and finally onto the middle part of your forehead. Do not scrub your face.
Step 6
Rinse your hands after turning the faucet back on. Cup them under the running water, bend over the sink and gently splash water onto your face to thoroughly rinse away the cleanser. Close your eyes to prevent any soap from burning them. Don’t forget to rinse behind your ears.
Step 7
Pat your face dry with a clean, absorbent towel. Be gentle; don’t rub.
Step 8
Perform this routine twice a day, in the morning and before bed. Wash your face, too, after exercise. Remember that washing too often and scrubbing too hard can irritate your skin and dry it out, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Things You'll Need
- Warm water
- Mild facial cleanser
- Clean towel
