How to win at cleansing your face.

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Fact: There is nothing enjoyable about cleansing your face.

Not only is it annoyingly time consuming, standing over a sink with cold water dripping down your cleavage is no one’s idea of a good time. Yeah, we’d totally forgive you for resorting to face wipes.

But there is hope, beauty therapist Sharon McGlinchy reckons that there’s a better way to cleanse. It’s easy, therapeutic AND actually good for your skin.

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Her number one rule when it comes to cleansing? As much as it hurts us to say this: step away from the wipes.

“Makeup wipes are quick and easy, and a godsend when travelling. But as a daily ritual, wipes are very stripping on the skin, and is very harsh for people with sensitivities. They also don’t not remove makeup thoroughly,” she explains.

And what's the one item you need for the perfect at home cleanse? "To cleanse properly, all you need is a good cream cleanser and everyday face washer that you probably already have at home - or a muslin cloth."

"When you remove your makeup at the end of the day with a lovely, steamy, warm washer rather than taking it off with a wipe, not only do you remove all the makeup and grime for the day, but you’ve activated superficial circulation, you’ve softened and loosed up surface dead skin cells, and left the healthy ones intact," says McGlinchy.

"It’s like exercise for your skin as well, keeping it in good condition for longer."

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Sharon shares her easy, 4-step cleansing routine:

Step 1

"The very first thing you do is half-fill your sink with warm to hot water."

Step 2

"Simply place the recommended amount of cream cleanser onto the face, massaging it into the skin for no longer than 10 to 15 seconds."

Step 3

You then immerse the cloth into the water, then squeeze it very tightly, so it’s barely damp. Next, place that lovely, warm, steamy face washer over your face for a slow count of five.

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The steam softens the cleanser, as well as all of the makeup, the oils on your skin, and grime of the day, emulsifying everything really easily. Wipe away with a firm but slow movement."

Step 4

"Then you immerse the cloth into the water again, squeeze the water out and compress your face for a second time. It feels lovely, like a mini-facial for the face.

"You can do this one step again in the morning, as it's unnecessary to do the full cleanse again. It's a great way to refresh the skin and remove any oils that have appeared overnight."

See, told you it was easy.

 What's your cleansing ritual?