The Surprising Reason You Should Wash Your Face Less, According to the Founder of January Labs

The Benefits of Washing Your Face Less Frequently

We’ve always been told that washing our faces twice a day is the key to a glowing complexion. However, according to January Labs founder January Coss, washing our faces too often can actually do more harm than good.

Key takeaways

Wash your face once daily at night using a gentle, sulfate-free cleanser to remove dirt and makeup.
Rinse with cool water in the morning instead of cleansing to maintain the skin's protective moisture barrier.
Avoid hot water, which damages protein structures and strips essential lipids; use lukewarm or cool water instead.
Apply moisturizers and serums to damp skin to lock in hydration and prevent transepidermal water loss.
Allow two to four weeks for the skin to adjust and naturally downregulate excess oil production.

Overwashing Can Disrupt the Skin’s Protective Barrier

Our faces have a delicate ecosystem of good bacteria, oils, and microorganisms that help protect it from pollution and other external aggressors. Washing too frequently can strip away these natural defenses leaving skin dry, irritated, and prone to breakouts.

By cutting back on how often we wash our faces, we allow this protective barrier to repair and strengthen itself naturally.

The Power of Your Skin’s Acid Mantle

Your skin maintains an “acid mantle” – a mixture of sweat and oils that allow skin to regulate pH balance. Frequent face washing can neutralize this acidity leading to a higher skin pH, which encourages bad bacteria growth.

Washing less helps preserve your acid mantle so your skin can fight bacteria and regulate moisture more effectively.

How Often Should You Really Wash Your Face?

January Coss recommends washing just once per day, ideally at night when you can wash away the day’s dirt, oil, and makeup.

In the morning, she suggests simply rinsing with water or using a gentle, non-foaming cleanser to help maintain skin’s moisture barrier.

Other Tips for Healthy, Glowing Skin

Use a gentle, sulfate-free cleanser
Moisturize while skin is still damp after cleansing
Exfoliate 2-3 times per week to slough off dead skin cells
Apply serums packed with nourishing ingredients like hyaluronic acid
Always remove makeup fully before bedtime

Understanding Reactive Seborrhea and the Oily Skin Paradox

One of the most counterintuitive aspects of reducing your face-washing frequency is the impact it has on oil production. Many individuals with oily or combination skin believe that frequent cleansing is the only way to manage shine. However, the skin operates on a sophisticated feedback loop. When you use harsh surfactants or wash too frequently, you strip away the sebum that the sebaceous glands have worked to produce. In response, the body often enters a state of “reactive seborrhea,” where the glands overcompensate by producing even more oil to replace what was lost. This creates a frustrating cycle: the more you wash to remove oil, the more oil your skin produces.

By transitioning to a once-a-day washing routine, you are essentially retraining your sebaceous glands. Initially, you might notice a slight increase in oiliness as the skin continues its high-output production out of habit. However, over the course of two to four weeks—the typical length of a skin cell turnover cycle—the glands begin to realize that the surface lipids are remaining intact. This signaling eventually leads to a downregulation of oil production. The result is a more balanced complexion that maintains a healthy glow without the greasy residue. It is important to distinguish between “healthy lipids,” which keep the skin supple and waterproof, and “excess oxidized oil,” which can lead to congestion. A single, thorough evening cleanse is sufficient to remove the latter without triggering the former.

For those dealing with chronic dehydration alongside oiliness—a condition often referred to as “oily-dehydrated skin”—this reduction in washing is even more critical. When the barrier is compromised by over-cleansing, water evaporates from the deeper layers of the dermis (Transepidermal Water Loss, or TEWL). The skin then tries to seal that moisture in by pumping out more oil. By washing less, you preserve the lipid bilayer that prevents TEWL, allowing the skin to retain its internal hydration and naturally slowing the oil pumps.

The Impact of Water Quality and Temperature on Barrier Integrity

While the frequency of washing is a primary concern for January Coss, the mechanics of how you wash—specifically the water you use—play a secondary but vital role in skin health. Most people ignore the chemical composition of their tap water, yet “hard water” contains high concentrations of minerals like calcium and magnesium. These minerals can react with even the gentlest cleansers to create a “scum” or residue that sits on the skin, clogging pores and causing irritation. If you live in a hard water area, reducing your washing frequency is even more beneficial because it limits the skin’s exposure to these mineral deposits.

Temperature is another critical variable. Many people find a hot shower or a steaming splash of water therapeutic, but high temperatures are incredibly damaging to the skin’s delicate protein structures. Hot water causes vasodilation, which can exacerbate redness and rosacea, and it more effectively dissolves the very lipids you are trying to preserve. To support a reduced-washing lifestyle, always use lukewarm or cool water. Lukewarm water is effective enough to help the surfactants in your evening cleanser lift dirt and makeup without melting away the essential waxes and fats that constitute the skin barrier.

In the morning, when January Coss suggests a simple water rinse, the temperature should be cool. A cool rinse helps to constrict blood vessels, reducing morning puffiness, and refreshes the skin without stripping the beneficial oils produced during sleep. If you find that tap water alone feels drying, consider using a thermal water spray or a filtered shower head. These small adjustments ensure that when you do wash, you are doing so in a way that respects the skin’s biological limits.

Navigating the Transition Period: The 28-Day Adjustment

Shifting from a twice-daily washing habit to a once-daily routine is rarely a seamless process. Because the skin is a living organ with its own memory and rhythm, there is a necessary adjustment period. For the first 7 to 14 days, you may experience what feels like a “purge” or a period of increased congestion. This isn’t necessarily a sign that the method isn’t working; rather, it is the skin recalibrating its pH and microbial balance. During this time, the dead skin cells that were previously being aggressively scrubbed away may accumulate, and the oil glands may still be overproducing.

To manage this transition without reverting to old habits, utilize localized treatments rather than full-face washing. If you feel excessively oily in the T-zone by mid-day, use a clean, damp microfiber cloth or a high-quality blotting paper to lift excess oil without disturbing the acid mantle. This addresses the aesthetic concern of shine without sending the “emergency” signal to your sebaceous glands that triggers more oil production. It is also helpful to temporarily simplify your makeup routine during this transition. Using lighter, non-comedogenic products makes the single evening wash more effective and reduces the urge to scrub the skin.

By the third week, most people observe a noticeable change in skin texture. The redness often associated with over-cleansing begins to fade, and the skin feels less “tight” after the evening wash. This is the point where the skin’s natural exfoliation enzymes, which are pH-dependent, begin to function optimally. When the acid mantle is preserved, these enzymes can efficiently dissolve the bonds between dead skin cells, leading to a smoother texture that many people previously tried to achieve through physical or chemical over-exfoliation.

Seasonal and Environmental Scaling of Your Cleansing Routine

A rigid skincare routine often fails because it doesn’t account for the changing environment. The advice to wash less is a foundational principle, but it can be scaled based on external factors like humidity, pollution, and physical activity. In the winter months, when indoor heating and cold winds strip moisture from the air, the “wash less” philosophy is your greatest defense against seasonal eczema and flakiness. During this time, even the morning water rinse should be minimal, and the evening cleanser should be at its most emollient.

Conversely, during the summer or in high-pollution urban environments, the skin faces different challenges. Sweat itself is primarily composed of water, salt, and urea; it is not inherently “dirty” and can often be removed with water alone. However, when sweat mixes with city pollution—specifically particulate matter known as PM2.5—it can create a pro-inflammatory film on the skin. In these specific edge cases, if you have spent a long day outdoors in a polluted city or have had an intense, sweat-heavy workout, a second gentle cleanse might be necessary. The key is to use a non-foaming, milk-based cleanser that lifts the pollutants without disrupting the underlying lipids.

For those who exercise regularly, timing is everything. If you work out in the morning, your “morning rinse” should happen after your workout. If you work out in the late afternoon, you might choose to move your main daily wash to immediately after your gym session rather than waiting until right before bed. The goal is to ensure that salt and environmental debris don’t sit on the skin for extended periods, while still adhering to the principle of minimizing the total number of surfactant exposures per 24-hour cycle.

The Role of the Skin Microbiome in Disease Prevention

Modern dermatology is increasingly focusing on the skin microbiome—the trillions of bacteria, fungi, and viruses that live on our skin surface. A healthy microbiome is dominated by beneficial species like *Staphylococcus epidermidis*, which produces antimicrobial peptides that fight off pathogenic bacteria like *Staphylococcus aureus* (linked to eczema) and *Cutibacterium acnes* (linked to acne). When we wash our faces too frequently, especially with antibacterial soaps or high-pH foaming cleansers, we commit “microbial genocide,” wiping out the beneficial colonies that act as our first line of defense.

Washing less allows these beneficial colonies to thrive and maintain an environment that is inhospitable to pathogens. A robust microbiome also plays a role in wound healing and UV protection. Some studies suggest that certain skin bacteria can even help process skin oils into moisturizing fatty acids that further strengthen the barrier. When you reduce your washing frequency, you are essentially “rewilding” your skin, allowing it to return to a state of biological equilibrium that was common before the advent of modern, aggressive hygiene products.

To support this microbial ecosystem, look for cleansers that are labeled “microbiome-friendly” or contain prebiotics (nutrients for good bacteria). Avoid products with high concentrations of essential oils or harsh preservatives like parabens and formaldehyde-releasers, as these can act as broad-spectrum antimicrobials that kill both good and bad bacteria. By focusing on preservation rather than eradication, you create a self-regulating system where the skin is better equipped to heal itself from breakouts and environmental stressors without the need for heavy intervention.

Optimizing the “Main Event”: The Evening Cleanse Technique

Since the evening wash is the only time you are using a surfactant, it must be performed with precision to be effective. Many people rush through cleansing, spending only 5 or 10 seconds scrubbing their skin. This often leads to leftover residue, which then tempts people to use harsher soaps or wash twice. Instead, adopt the “60-second rule.” Spend a full minute gently massaging your sulfate-free cleanser into your skin using your fingertips. This gives the ingredients time to break down the bond between the skin and the day’s accumulation of sunscreen, makeup, and oxidized sebum.

The technique should involve light, circular motions, focusing on areas prone to congestion like the creases of the nose and the chin. Avoid using washcloths or spinning brushes, as these provide mechanical exfoliation that can be too aggressive when your goal is barrier preservation. The fingertips provide enough friction to cleanse without causing micro-tears in the stratum corneum. If you wear heavy water-resistant sunscreen or long-wear foundation, you may find that a “double cleanse” is necessary—using a pure oil or balm first, followed by your gentle cleanser. While this is technically two steps, it is still part of a single daily cleansing event and is far less stripping than a single wash with a harsh detergent.

After cleansing, the way you dry your face is equally important. Never rub your face with a towel; instead, gently pat it dry. Better yet, leave the skin slightly damp. As mentioned in the original article, applying serums and moisturizers to damp skin is crucial. This is because damp skin is more permeable, allowing active ingredients like hyaluronic acid to pull that surface moisture into the deeper layers of the skin, effectively “locking in” the hydration before the air can evaporate it.

The Relationship Between Diet, Internal Hydration, and Cleansing

While external care is vital, the effectiveness of a “wash less” routine is significantly enhanced by internal factors. The quality of the sebum your skin produces is directly influenced by your diet. Diets high in refined sugars and dairy have been shown to increase levels of Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1), which stimulates the sebaceous glands to produce thicker, more inflammatory oil. When your oil is of a lower quality, it is more likely to clog pores, which might make you feel like you need to wash more often. By focusing on a diet rich in Omega-3 fatty acids (found in flaxseeds, walnuts, and fatty fish), you can improve the fluidity and anti-inflammatory properties of your sebum, making it easier for a gentle, once-daily wash to keep your pores clear.

Internal hydration also dictates how your skin responds to cleansing. If you are chronically dehydrated, your skin will feel tighter and more irritated after even the gentlest water rinse. Drinking adequate water and consuming water-rich foods like cucumbers and watermelon helps maintain the “turgor” or bounce of the skin cells. This internal pressure makes the skin more resilient to the physical act of washing and helps the acid mantle recover more quickly after its pH has been slightly altered by tap water.

FAQ

How often should you wash your face?

January Coss recommends washing your face just once per day – ideally at night to remove the day’s dirt, oil and makeup. In the morning, simply rinse or use a very gentle cleanser.

Why is washing your face less better?

Washing less helps preserve your skin’s acid mantle and good bacteria that act as natural defenses against pollution and bacteria. It prevents over-drying and irritation as well.

What happens if you wash your face too much?

Too much washing can strip away protective oils and microorganisms leading to dryness, irritation, a higher pH, and increased breakouts.

How do you repair your moisture barrier?

Use gentle cleansers without sulfates or soap, moisturize skin while it’s still damp, use serums with hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid, and avoid over-exfoliating.

What is the best way to wash your face?

Use a gentle, non-foaming cleanser and wash just once per day – ideally at night. In the morning, simply rinse with water or use a very mild cleanser. Be sure to moisturize after cleansing as well.