The "Lazy Wash": 4 Alternatives to Washing Your Face

On the record: I do NOT recommend or endorse going to bed without washing your face and properly moisturizing it.

Off the record: it happens to the best of us. As hard as we try to treat our skin with the utmost respect, there are nights where we’re stumbling in at 2 in the morning or had a long day and we JUST. DO. NOT. feel like putting our tired faces under a stream of running water and lathering it with a face wash. We’d rather let our heavy eyes “rest” while dozing off with a full face of foundation and a perfected cat-eye and face the consequences in the morning, right?

On the record again: DO NOT GO TO SLEEP WITH MAKEUP ON. I cannot stress this enough. No matter what your state is before going to bed, you will be so happy in the morning that you took the extra time and effort to wash your makeup off. BUT if you absolutely refuse to do so, I have a couple tips for the lazy “wash,” not involving water or cleanser (but I still think you should wash your face!!)

I am not an advocate of face wipes (they can throw off the pH in your skin, causing even more problems) so although this seems to be the most logical step when not washing your face, I’ll give you four alternatives that have proven to work for me (and are a mix of DIY and purchasable)! Click on the titles for a link to each product.

1. Simple Brand Micellar Water

You might have been hearing about this stuff from all your fave beauty gurus lately. For some reason, there’s been a crazy surge in popularity for this, and I’ve tried it and it really works as a makeup remover plus a gentle toner. Also, you can’t beat the price! Throw it on a cotton pad and go to work on that beautiful face, no need to wipe it off.

2. Coconut Oil

I use coconut oil for everything. Think I’m kidding? I have a tub of it in my kitchen for cooking and a jar in my bathroom for everything else (check out this video for different uses, it’s older but has a lot of info!). Anyway, coconut oil is everything you could want in a makeup remover-- all natural, gentle, antibacterial/antifungal, and moisturizing. Worried about using an oil on your skin? Coconut oil is for the most part, non comedogenic, meaning it won’t clog your pores (however if you have really large pores, this may not be the best option for you) so you can slather it on, trust! I get mine in a large tub from Costco for my kitchen and the Trader Joe’s brand for my bathroom.

3. Bioderma Crealine H2O Micelle Solution

I will never not recommend this stuff to someone. It’s my holy grail. It has no scent meaning no added perfumes, it’s super sensitive and gentle, and can remove the toughest waterproof mascara and eyeliner in one swipe. This solution leaves my face feeling clean and moisturized (although you should definitely still put a moisturizer on after!). It’s a little pricier, but SO worth it.

4. Honey and Baking Soda

Okay, I’m assuming since you don’t wanna wash your face that you’re not going to want to take the extra step to throw this together, but I thought it was important to give one more natural DIY that can be whipped together with stuff you probably have around the house! All it takes is one tablespoon of raw honey (anti-bacterial and tastes good?!) and a teaspoon of baking soda mixed together and applied to the face; rub off with a warm washcloth (see, you still don’t have to put your face under running water!).

Alright, those are my tips for the “lazy wash.” Now you have no excuse to go to bed with makeup on. Leave a comment below with your favorite face wash alternative, or tell me when the last time you went to bed with makeup on was!

xx