Sunscreen, waterproof makeup, sweat, pollution, and excess oil all build up on the skin throughout the day. While a single cleanser may leave your skin feeling fresh, it isn’t always enough to remove every layer of residue.
It’s one of the reasons K-beauty has long championed double cleansing as the foundation of healthy skin. The two-step ritual has become synonymous with the luminous “glass skin” seen on K-drama stars and K-pop idols alike—not because it adds more products to your routine, but because it cleanses the skin more thoroughly.
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The Science
Double cleansing works by targeting two different types of impurities.
Oil cleansers and cleansing balms are designed to dissolve oil-based buildup, including sunscreen, makeup, and excess sebum. Following the principle that “like dissolves like,” they lift away stubborn residue without stripping the skin.
Water-based cleansers, on the other hand, remove sweat, dirt, and environmental debris while rinsing away any remaining oil cleanser. Together, the two steps ensure the skin is thoroughly cleansed without compromising its moisture balance.

Experts often recommend double cleansing for those who regularly wear sunscreen or long-wearing makeup, as it effectively removes both oil- and water-based impurities that can linger on the skin throughout the day.
The Regimen
Making the ritual easier to incorporate into your routine is Pond’s Korea’s No. 1 cleansing line—which has just landed in the Philippines.
Start with the Bright Beauty Clear Spa Cleansing Oil, which melts away sunscreen, long-wearing makeup, and excess oil while lifting away impurities. Despite its powerful cleansing abilities, it leaves skin feeling soft, moisturized, and refreshed.
If waterproof eyeliner, mascara, or transfer-proof lipstick proves more stubborn, reach for the Clear Face Spa Lip & Eye Makeup Remover. Its unique 1:1 oil-to-water essence ratio effectively removes long-wearing eye and lip makeup without irritating the delicate eye area, while the water essence leaves skin feeling refreshed and hydrated.

Complete your routine with the Pore Tightening Knot Cleanser, which can be used daily as a cleanser or left on as a wash-off mask. Infused with a five-peptide complex, it helps improve skin elasticity, while its patented knotweed extract helps manage excess sebum and minimize pore concerns such as blackheads and whiteheads.
More than chasing the coveted glass skin look, double cleansing is about giving your skin a truly clean foundation every day. With the Pond’s Korea Cleansing Line, the ritual becomes an effortless way to wash away the day’s buildup and start your skincare routine on the right note.
Featured Image and Photos: POND’S
Frequently Asked Questions
Double cleansing is a two-step skincare method using an oil-based cleanser followed by a water-based cleanser. Popularized in K-beauty rituals, it thoroughly removes waterproof sunscreen, sebum, and environmental debris without stripping the skin’s natural moisture barrier.
Always apply an oil-based cleanser or balm first on dry skin to dissolve makeup, sunscreen, and excess oil. After rinsing with lukewarm water, follow with a water-based cleanser on damp skin to wash away remaining residue, sweat, and dirt.
Yes, daily double cleansing benefits oily skin when using non-comedogenic formulations. Oil cleansers adhere to excess sebum and oil-soluble debris, lifting them from pores more effectively than water-based cleansers alone, preventing clogged pores and whiteheads.
Double cleansing is recommended even without makeup if you wear water-resistant sunscreen or are exposed to urban pollution. Chemical and mineral sunscreens are engineered to resist water, requiring oil cleansers for complete breakdown and removal.
The Pond’s Korea lineup in the Philippines features the Bright Beauty Clear Spa Cleansing Oil, the Clear Face Spa Lip & Eye Makeup Remover, and the Pore Tightening Knot Cleanser formulated with a five-peptide complex and knotweed extract.

Moira Del Rosario
Once immersed in fictional writing at UP Diliman, Moira del Rosario eventually traded imagined worlds for the fast-paced landscape of digital media as a Digital Content Writer for MEGA Asia, covering women’s stories across the region alongside the latest in beauty.
They spotlight women shaping culture today through profiles, exclusive features, and roundups on Asian representation at global fashion events. They also write about beauty through a growing lens—covering makeup, skincare, wellness, nails, and fragrance with curiosity and a strong eye for emerging trends.
Having worked in digital media for years, Moira is drawn to stories that beg to be unraveled—from the ever-changing landscape of pop culture and the inner workings of beauty to queer voices that deserve to be seen, celebrated, and championed.
