Double cleansing: should we really be cleaning ourselves twice in each shower?

This idea has suddenly gained huge popularity online. But is it just a way to sell us more products – and could it potentially damage our skin? Gone are the days of the speedy shower; a quick lather with a squirt of shower gel will, apparently, no longer cut it. Double cleansing – once the remit of facial skincare and shampoo routines – has steadily trickled into body-care, too. But should you simply stock up on twice as much shower gel? Is it any more hygienic? And how clean do we really need to be?

As always, TikTok – or rather, #ShowerTok – has a huge number of devotees to this new trend. “Double cleansing will change your life,” says self-care advocate Xara Beqele (@xarabeq) in a video that has almost 10,000 likes. “I think double cleansing is the most effective thing I have added for my shower. I just smell better, feel clean. ” Likewise, digital creator Terree Ann (@terreetaughtme) calls double cleansing the body a “ hygiene must ”. “If you are only washing your body with a hydrating body wash, that’s like…