How To Clean Muslin Cloth

If I've learned anything throughout my time in the beauty industry, it's that you're either a cleansing cloth-er, or you're not. For a long time I was the latter, I wouldn't have known what a muslin cloth was if it hit me in the face, let alone consider using one every night.

It wasn't until about a year into my career, that I decided to take the plunge and give them a go. If I can recall correctly, I believe I owe this introduction (and subsequent long-standing love affair) to Liz Earl's Hot Cloth Cleanser.

Courtesy of brand

Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser

Liz Earle feelunique.com

£14.00

With the promise of a more intensive cleanse and cleaner, clearer skin, they sounded like a dream come true. So I rolled with it and haven't looked back since. Currently, my muslin cloth collection is so extensive, that, with a sewing machine and a few hours, I could probably craft some sort of rug out of them (not that I, or anybody would ever want that).

Imagine my surprise, but more importantly distain, when, during a recent chat with Dermatologist Sam Bunting, my cleansing cloth bubble was savagely burst in one foul swoop.

"Should you double cleanse and is it important to always use a muslin cloth?" I asked.

My expected response to this, went something along these lines: "Not using a muslin cloth is a near cardinal sin. Only got time to wash your face once? This isn't an issue so long as you're using your trusty cloth."

Here was the actual response: "I'm not a fan – I see women in my clinic on a daily basis who've wrecked their skin through over-zealous cleansing routines. I recommend cleaning with nothing rougher than the pads of your fingertips."

Courtesy of brand

Weekend Muslins x 3

Aurelia Probiotic Skincare feelunique.com

£16.00

So, what's the deal and do I actually have to end my longest-standing relationship to date? Muslin cloths work by mopping up all the cleanser, makeup and dirt on your face, with the added benefit of also exfoliating and buffing away any dead skin.

Like most things in life, problems arise when people use them too often and to intensively. It's not a scrub and should not be used in place of one. If you're overzealously rubbing your cloth across your face to get the most 'exfoliation,' you're doing it wrong.

Good news - you don't have to wave goodbye to your beloved, you've just gotta take the relationship a little slower. Ideally, you should only be using your cloth at the most once a day, in the evenings, when your skin is likely to be less clean. Don't apply lots of pressure or avidly drag or it across your face, instead, lightly sweep it over - oh and never use it dry (obvs).

Thank you for listening to my face cloth Ted Talk.

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Gabrielle Dyer Senior Beauty Writer Gaby is the Senior Beauty Writer here at Cosmopolitan.com/UK.

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