There’s nothing quite as refreshing as the feeling of a freshly washed face, but are you taking advantage of this fact too much by cleansing more than necessary? Or, do you think you’re good to go in the morning as long as you washed your face the night before and it still looks okay? How many times should you really be scrubbing away that dirt and oil?

Thomas E. Rohrer, M.D., FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist in Massachusetts, told Glamour magazine’s beauty blog that your goal should be to cleanse with a gentle face wash three times a day at most.

The first time should be in the morning, after you get up. This could be in the shower if you’re a morning-wash type of person or at the sink if you shower at night. This will ensure that no oil or dirt that accumulated while you slept mixes with your daily makeup, which could clog pores.

The next time might be after you sweat, whether it’s at the gym or because it’s hot outside. If you don’t have a face wash or water supply around, a facial wipe will do the trick.

Lastly, wash before you hit the hay. This is crucial to make sure that you’re not giving environmental toxins, dirt, oil and makeup the chance to wreak havoc overnight!