# Are all women's faces filthy? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 13, 2010, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-womens-faces-filthy/524763 "2010-01-13T05:29:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-womens-faces-filthy/524763/1 "2010-01-13T05:29:32Z")
Nearly every time I use the bathroom, I pass my wife while she is washing her face. She also has around 20 bottles of face cleaning products all over the bathroom and in the refrigerator. She even has pre- and post- washing creams. Now I wouldn’t say my face is very clean either. I use a washcloth, special face soap, lotion, and sometimes a face pack or pore cleanser. But I only do it once per day. My wife washes her face: 1. First thing in the morning before she puts on her makeup. 2. In the afternoons, she has a special make-up remover that kind of looks like crisco. 3. After using the make-up remover, she then washes her face. 4. When she takes a shower, she washes her face. 5. Before she goes to bed, she washes her face. 6. In between, she sometimes will use a mask or peel. What’s wrong with her face? Is this normal for all women? If so, why are women’s faces so dirty? I asked her about it earlier today, and we broke down how often she washes each part of her body: Hands: 10+ times per day. Face: 5+ times per day, an additional 2-3 products not directly related to washing. Teeth: Twice a day. Rest of her body: once per day. Her hand washing seems a little compulsive, but why would her face rank between her hands and her teeth? Why doesn’t her private parts get this kind of attention? Do women have some kind of face ooze that requires stringent attention? ---
**Author:** ![BaconAndEggs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f4b2a3/32.png) [@BaconAndEggs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BaconAndEggs)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-womens-faces-filthy/524763/2 "2010-01-13T05:46:39Z")
I’m a woman and I only wash my face once in the morning when I wake up for work. Yes, I sleep in my make-up, and my skin is fantastic. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-womens-faces-filthy/524763/3 "2010-01-13T05:51:24Z")
I think the clue is in the use of makeup. ---
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-womens-faces-filthy/524763/4 "2010-01-13T05:55:52Z")
I only really wash my face at night, to take all my makeup off and put on my moisturizer. I take showers in the morning but I don’t use a separate cleanser like I do at the end of the day. I am absolutely religious about taking off my makeup before bed. No matter how drunk I may be I always manage to go to bed bare-faced. Every so often I’ll do a scrub (maybe once every two weeks). ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-womens-faces-filthy/524763/5 "2010-01-13T05:59:27Z")
If you asked her about it, and she discussed it with you to the extent of counting how many times a day she does this, did she not mention why she feels the need to do so? Maybe she does have oily skin (face ooze, as you so nicely put it) and she doesn’t like the feel or look of it. Maybe she has acne issues. Maybe she is trying desperately to stay youthful-looking and is just going about it wrong. Maybe her mother taught her to do this. I personally wash my face every morning with my favorite face cleanser while showering, and sometimes…only sometimes…I will use an astringent at night to clean off my makeup. Only sometimes. Most of the time, I just go straight to bed. Doesn’t seem to do me any harm, as my skin looks fine and only has a few issues once a month. Still. At 52. The occasional zit. They so lied to us when we were teens… ---
**Author:** ![Pyper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Pyper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pyper)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-womens-faces-filthy/524763/6 "2010-01-13T06:00:12Z")
I wash my face once per day to remove the makeup. Washing your face any more than that causes drying and irritation which can lead to your skin over-producing oil which then leads to breakouts. Then you wash your face more because it’s more oily. It’s a vicious cycle. ---
**Author:** ![Hockey\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hockey\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hockey_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-womens-faces-filthy/524763/7 "2010-01-13T06:10:17Z")
I wash in the morning in the shower. I do have facial cleansers and I just got my Clairsonic today so I haven’t tried it yet(It has to charge). My sister has one and loves it. I sleep in my makeup. I use mineral makeup instead of liquid and there is virtually no transfer to the pillow. If I use mascara I’ll remove it before bed so my eyes don’t get irritated. I rarely use mascara though. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-womens-faces-filthy/524763/8 "2010-01-13T06:15:23Z")
I wash my face only twice a day, and not with any fancy products–just cetaphil. I might wash it more than that, like if I’m reapplying make up and want to take it off or if it’s right before I put on make up and it’s been a few hours since I last washed. I’ve never seen any evidence that extra stuff is good for the skin–the one thing that makes mine look amazing is proper foundation. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-womens-faces-filthy/524763/9 "2010-01-13T06:16:35Z")
Cooties. They all have them. ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-womens-faces-filthy/524763/10 "2010-01-13T06:27:49Z")
> [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](#): > > Cooties. They all have them. I thought there was a vaccination for this. A “cootie shot,” if you may. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-womens-faces-filthy/524763/11 "2010-01-13T06:33:25Z")
Your wife’s face-washing is ridiculous. This really kills me: > [@Superhal](#): > > She even has pre- and post- washing creams. Why on Earth would she apply a cream _pre_-washing? So that she can wash it off immediately? In case anyone cares, I’m a dame, and my face-washing routine consists of washing my face in the morning before I go out, and usually again before I going to sleep. Sometimes I’m too lazy, and just go to bed. ---
**Author:** ![Kaio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c68b51/32.png) [@Kaio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaio)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-womens-faces-filthy/524763/12 "2010-01-13T08:26:16Z")
The only reason I can think of for washing your face that often is that she has severely oily skin (in which case she might benefit from laying off the makeup). I wash with warm water, typically only in the shower. If I got sweaty for some reason, I’ll wash the grease off afterward. It’s rare but not impossible that I’ll be greasy enough to wash in the evening/before bed even if I didn’t get sweaty. I rarely wear makeup, and when I do, the powder/foundation holds grease on my skin like you wouldn’t believe. I wash that off just as soon as I don’t need it anymore. Sometimes I’ll just wash/splash my face to clear my head, though. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-womens-faces-filthy/524763/13 "2010-01-13T08:59:56Z")
I wash my face once a day, normally. Unless I get smutched with dirt at work or in the garden, then I wash the dirt off. Doing so more often can cause dryness, which can lead to other problems. Having a large array of cleaning products just for the face seems… odd. Who told her that she needed all that? The cosmetic industry loves to sell cleansing “systems” with multiple bottles of potions, but they care more about money than the health of their customers’ skin. Oh - and by the way, woman here, just in case that wasn’t clear. ---
**Author:** ![Elysian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c77e96/32.png) [@Elysian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elysian)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-womens-faces-filthy/524763/14 "2010-01-13T10:12:57Z")
I almost never use soap, just rinse my face in the shower. It’s still dry and blotchy. I use a paraffin heavy duty moisturiser as soon as I step out of the shower and that’s about the only thing. Eczema sucks. So the number of times I wash my face each day (with soap) = 0 When I used makeup I would wash at least once a day, after work. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-womens-faces-filthy/524763/15 "2010-01-13T13:30:21Z")
Do you have any idea where my face has _been?_ :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce7236/32.png) [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lisa_Simpson)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-womens-faces-filthy/524763/16 "2010-01-13T13:43:17Z")
> [@Superhal](#): > > Hands: 10+ times per day… > Her hand washing seems a little compulsive… Ok just a brief hijack… Compulsive? Um, now granted I am a nurse and I wash my hands at least 50 times a day, often a whole lot more, but 10 seems inadequate. You know that its the best way to prevent the flu and the common cold, plus a whole lot of other nasty things. Washing hands after going to the bathroom, plus before food prep and after (and probably during, I mean after cutting up chicken I wash my hands before say portioning out rice) when I get home from shopping or other errands, after blowing my nose, or easy thats over ten times and I would be suffering if I was “rationed” to ten hand washes a day, even on a day I am not at work. Rough guess probably 25 times a day on my days off, and at least 5o on a working day. As for my face, I wash morning and night, and maybe at lunch if I get food or toothpaste on it. I don’t wear makeup to work, or really much at all unless we are going out in the evening. If I remember I put on moisturizer but its no special regime. Every year on my birthday I promise myself to start taking care of my skin, but Im 40 and look at least 5 or 7 years younger so I can’t be doing anything that bad for me. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-womens-faces-filthy/524763/17 "2010-01-13T13:51:27Z")
You wash your hands every time you blow your nose or come home? That seems a little over the top. ---
**Author:** ![Saintly\_Loser](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saintly_loser/32/4045_2.png) [@Saintly\_Loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saintly_Loser)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-womens-faces-filthy/524763/18 "2010-01-13T14:13:00Z")
> [@Elysian](#): > > I almost never use soap, just rinse my face in the shower. It’s still dry and blotchy. I use a paraffin heavy duty moisturiser as soon as I step out of the shower and that’s about the only thing. Eczema sucks. > > So the number of times I wash my face each day (with soap) = 0 > > When I used makeup I would wash at least once a day, after work. Paraffin? _Paraffin_? Isn’t paraffin kerosene? ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-womens-faces-filthy/524763/19 "2010-01-13T14:21:44Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > You wash your hands every time you blow your nose or come home? That seems a little over the top. I started washing my hands whenever I come home a few years ago. I’m not OCD, but I do bite my nails, and chances are I’ve touched a mailbox, picked up after my dog, taken public transportation, etc. It’s a good habit. 10 covers going to the bathroom, cooking, and maybe a few extra times. Doesn’t seem compulsive to me. The face thing does seem odd. I vote acne. Overwashing can actually make it worse, but whatever works for her. I do wonder if the OP misheard, or misunderstood. If you are using an exfoliant followed by a mud mask, removing that with a cleanser then using a toner, I guess that could count as washing your face four times. BUt it’s not quite the same thing as stopping at the sink four times a day to remove your foundation. And 20 cleaning products seems like a lot until I glance at my own lavatory. ---
**Author:** ![badbadrubberpiggy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/57b2e6/32.png) [@badbadrubberpiggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badbadrubberpiggy)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-womens-faces-filthy/524763/20 "2010-01-13T14:30:43Z")
> [@Kaio](#): > > The only reason I can think of for washing your face that often is that she has severely oily skin (in which case she might benefit from laying off the makeup). > . And laying off the face washing. Washing too much can make your skin more oily, it tries to compensate. My skin is oily, and that’s exactly what happens if I wash it more than twice. I don’t think your wife is typical. Most women I know - including those like myself who wear make-up every day - only wash their faces twice a day at most. Some might wash their make-up off before exercising, too, but that’s reasonable. I know sometimes you ask these questions and the women of the 'Dope are atypical, but I don’t think this is one of these times. Washing your face that often and with that many products is a bit much. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-womens-faces-filthy/524763.md?page=2)