The phrase “squeaky clean” might be one you’ve heard often, but despite its sweet-sounding nature, you don’t actually want your skin to feel squeaky after a cleanse. In fact, that tight and dry feeling could be a sign of a compromised skin barrier, desperate for hydration.

Board-certified dermatologist Jennifer David recently told HuffPost that “it’s a sign that your skin is stripped of its natural oils and lipids. Your skin should feel refreshed, but not tight or squeaky.” A soft and hydrated post-cleanse face should be the ultimate goal.

But this doesn’t meant that a complete and thorough twice-daily cleansing isn’t in order. In fact, Arianne Shadi Kourosh, a board-certified dermatologist and assistant professor at Harvard Medical School, recently told HuffPost that washing debris, pollution and makeup from your face is a vital step in anti-aging practices and ensuring that other skin care products are absorbed effectively.

“Especially for those of us living in urban environments, our skin is confronted daily with radiation from the sun and screens, and with airborne chemicals and irritants from pollution. That can settle on the skin and corrode the skin barrier, causing premature aging in the form of wrinkles and dark spots,” Kourosh said.

She explained that sticking to lukewarm (not hot!) water, steering clear of harsh scrubbing and choosing the right kind of cleanser can all help in ensuring an undisrupted skin barrier and avoiding that uncomfortable dry feeling.

You can read more tips from the professionals here. For hydrating facial washes, grime-fighting pre-cleansers and helpful tools that get your face clean minus the tightness, take a look at the list below to see some more tips from our knowledgeable skin experts.

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