when taking a slower and more methodical approach to cleansing. (Jegasothy notes preservatives in cleansers also commonly cause irritation, and may have been the culprit.) So to give the 60-second face wash challenge a real try, I made the switch to low-surfactant formulas for a month, opting for concentrations of around 5%. I also made sure to follow Jegasothy’s instructions and spend the full amount of time at the sink. Because, as she puts it, if you don’t use these gentle cleansers longer, you might not be giving them enough time to truly do their job.
With that in mind, I tested out my new crop of cleansers, making sure to give each a full 60 seconds to work their magic, and came up with a newfound obsession for gentle face washes. I loved the Holifrog Shasta AHA Refining Acid Wash, which houses a party pack of exfoliating acids—the combination closely replicates the cleansing action of higher surfactants, but is gentle enough that it doesn’t irritate your skin. When I wanted to switch things up with a solid cleanser, I reached for the Arcona Kiwi Cream Bar, which swaps out sulfates for saponins (plant-derived surfactants that create foaming action). The result is a gentle cleanser that works up a more traditional lather, but doesn’t strip your skin. A solid choice for acne: the Kinship Naked Papaya Gentle Enzyme Face Cleanser. The creamy gel combines papaya enzyme and probiotics to exfoliate and support a healthy microbiome.
I also found oil cleansers to be particularly clutch for 60-second washing because you don’t have to spend too much time scanning ingredients labels—most of them naturally contain very low or no surfactants. I had the best luck with Monastery Rose Cleansing Oil, which is free of surfactants, emulsifiers, alcohols, salts, and water. The ritualistic experience is a good bet for dry skin. After massaging it in for a minute, wipe everything off with a damp cloth—no splashing of your face (and countertops) required. Cleansing balms work similarly, and I had no problem eating up 60 seconds with Ranavat Botanics Luminous Ceremony Cream Cleanser, a luxurious cream-balm hybrid. It smells faintly of fresh-cut flowers and feels amazing when you massage it in. Although the hero ingredient is manjistha, an Ayurvedic herb meant to clear blemished skin, the formula still manages to feel intensely moisturizing.
One month after my cleanser overhaul, I was treated to a spectacularly unforeseen outcome: My monthly cystic zit never surfaced. Even better: Another 30 days of slow and gentle cleansing yielded the same result. Jegasothy points to increased surface blood flow and circulation as a key benefit of extended cleansing, while Robinson says that a longer wash with lower-surfactant cleanser is “absolutely” more advantageous. “There’s less stripping,” he explains. I’m chalking up the Great Zit Disappearance of 2019—and my newfound glow—to the new habit. While both experts said they couldn’t pinpoint my skin’s sudden clarity to this specific change, I’m with the internet on this one: The 60-second challenge is gold.
Erika Stalder is a freelance beauty writer in Los Angeles. Follow her on Instagram @erikaxstalder.