The one beauty step we all need but are skipping

And it's having seriously bad affects on our skin

It seems like a no brainer - overnight, your skin renews itself, leaving a residue of dead skin cells on the surface, so you cleanse it off. Then, you spend all day accumulating dirt and grime on your face, so you wash it off at night.

But, according to a recent report conducted by Simple Skincare, only 32% of us cleanse our face twice a day (35% cleanse once a day, which leaves a lot who don't cleanse on a daily basis). In fact, a quarter of women sleep in their make-up 3 or more nights a week.

So what's the big deal, we hear you say?

'Sleeping in eye make-up can irritate the skin around the eyes and even disturb your sleep', says make-up artist, Lisa Valencia.

What's more, cleansing effectively does much more than clean a face. It removes irritants which contribute to ageing, it aids cell turnover which brightens the complexion and it prepares the skin for subsequent product application. Bottom line, if you're not starting your skincare routine with a wash, you're not reaping all the benefits of everything that comes after it.

'A good cleansing regime can be thought of as pre-emptive care too, helping to ensure healthy, clear skin stays this way. Studies have also shown thorough cleansing ensures deeper penetration of topical anti- ageing ingredients, so your skincare works better', says dermatologist, Dr Philippa Lowe.

Time matters too. During their poll, Simple found that over a fifth of the women questioned washed their face for less than a minute - a.k.a, not enough time for a proper cleanse. Ideally you should be double cleansing with something that's able to break down make-up, dirt and grime easily, while provided added skincare benefits, like Simple's Kind to Skin Hydrating Cleansing Oil, which is is made with 100% natural oil and is rich in antioxidants and linoleic acid, an essential omega 6 fatty acid, important in helping skin to keep moisturised and provide an anti-inflammatory function.

So, tonight, what are you going to do? Cleanse.