The secret to a better cleanse may be hiding in your first aid kit

Just when you thought you’d heard all the best skin care tips, celebrity aesthetician Shani Darden – the woman responsible for the gleaming visages of celebrities such as Jessica Alba, Shay Mitchell and Chrissy Teigen – comes through with expert advice on how to switch up your cleansing game for the better.

In a recent interview with Entertainment Tonight, Darden revealed that she likes to use gauze (yep, that thin woven fabric in your first aid kit that’s used for dressing wounds) in her cleansing routine and on her clients.

Now that’s one cleansing hack we’ve never heard before!

“For cleansing the skin, I like to use gauze. Why I love it is because it gently exfoliates and it's antibacterial.”

Darden went on to explain how she uses it in her cleansing routine: “I use two pieces of gauze…after I'm done cleansing I use the gauze to remove any of the excess cleanser on the skin”. However, she notes that if you are using this cleansing method, the cleanser you use alongside the gauze MUST be gentle on skin, “especially if you're using other serums or products with retinol or glycolic acid”.

Come to think of it, her method is a lot like the one Kim Kardashian’s dermatologist Dr Harold Lancer recommends, only Dr Lancer uses a washcloth instead of gauze. We can see how the antibacterial coating on gauze could help with the cleansing process and may be even more effective than reusing (and continually re-washing) a washcloth. We think Darden may be on to something here!

Now, excuse us while we head to the pharmacy to stock up on gauze.

Looking for more expert skin care tips? Check out Sydney facialist Melanie Grant’s top skin care lessons.

Do you have any unusual tricks for glowing skin? Let us know in the comments below.

Image Credit: @jessicaalba