Earlier this week I was lucky enough to attend a panel talk hosted by beauty oracle Sali Hughes in partnership with Japanese skincare brand Tatcha.
Sali was joined by dermatologist Dr. Anjali Mahto and neuroscientist Dr. Claudia Aguirre, who specialises in the skin-mind connection (ie., how your mood and mental health are reflected in your skin).
At the event, I was surrounded by the best in the beauty world, with aesthetics expert Dr. Brendan Khong seated at my table. He has the most beautiful, clear, even skin I've ever seen – truly the best advert for his own clinic. Upon chatting to him, he revealed that he never, ever uses a face cloth, a muslin or – god forbid – a flannel on his flawless face.
Dr. Anjali agreed, explaining that if we use a cloth, muslin or similar, we can end up rubbing our faces too vigorously. As for flannels? "Flannels can worsen inflammation,” she cautioned. Instead, she washes her face with her fingertips and cleanser for 1.5 minutes, no accessories needed.
Dr. Brendan Khong elaborated on his approach. "I always use only my fingers. It's more hygienic and gentle on my skin." He looked horrified when I said I used a muslin cloth – and even more so when I said I don't use a fresh one every day.
"If you're going to use a cloth, you must use a new one every single day," he cautioned, noting that they harbour germs, especially if left wet, plus the makeup you've removed with it stays on the material. Yuck!
Cleansing with fingers only? I don't understand
If fingers only is Dr. Khong's cleansing method of choice, I won't question it, as his skin is truly a dream come true. Fellow skin expert Dr. Tego Kirnon-Jackman agreed with Dr. Zhong. "Fingers are less abrasive," she said.
© Getty ImagesMy concern with only using fingers is that residue of the cleanser will remain on my face. If I don't wipe it with a cloth, surely it'll just stay there. Dr. Khong says not. "If it's a good cleanser, it won't leave any residue behind."
Dr. Tego Kirnon-Jackman says to ensure all your cleanser is removed, we should use circular motions for a few minutes to dissolve oil, grime, and makeup.
© Getty ImagesCurious if I'm the only beauty journalist left in the world who uses flannels and the like in my routine, I asked as many of my peers as I could how they cleanse their face.
I can confirm I was very much in the minority. Most of the people I asked said they use muslin cloths, or round makeup remover pads – but only once and then it goes straight in the wash.
A surprising number agreed with Dr. Khong's fingers-first approach, especially when using a gel cleanser – some followed with a cleansing balm and a face cloth to get deeper if they were wearing makeup.
© Getty Images/Tetra images RFOne answer that came up time and time again, including from facialists, was Clean Skin Club's Towels, £11.98 for 20. They're single-use (big red flag for me!) but promise to be biodegradable, so not damaging to the environment like facial wipes of yesteryear.
The other failure of flannels
As if my beloved flannels hadn't been criticised enough, Dr. Anjali cautioned that we're very rough with our faces if we're wiping it with a cloth - and we don't even realise. "Watch yourself in the mirror and you'll see how rough you're being, which can damage the skin barrier and cause inflammation."
With just our fingers, there's none of the rough stuff – we're more likely to take care and be mindful of our cleansing if we're using the tools we were born with – and this fits into Tatcha's theory of skin care as a ritual and a moment just for you, rather than something to be rushed through.
Sali pointed out that if you look online, anyone showing off their Japanese skincare routine is unlikely to actually be Japanese. That's because they know that if you're filming your routine, you're unlikely to be truly in the moment. It's no longer just for you, and that's the approach J-beauty goes for.
© Getty ImagesTrying fingers-only cleansing
With my flannels firmly in the beauty sin bin, I gave fingers-only cleansing ago. I went in first with Formula's Nourishing Cleansing Balm, £18, and followed with the Boots Ingredients Nourishing Rice Ferment and Hyaluronic Acid Milky Cleanser, £9.
I massaged the cleansing balm in for several minutes, as recommended, then splashed it off with water, then followed with the milky cleanser. These are both cleansers I use frequently and rate, but when I only used my fingers, I was left with lots of eyeliner and mascara residue under my eyes.
Maybe with more practice - or an oil cleanser - I'd get on better without a flannel or cloth, or if it was a no-makeup day, maybe fingers alone would do the trick. For now, I'll be sticking to using a muslin or flannel to clean my makeup off, but I'll be sure to use a new one every day - promise!
