Image via Lancôme

Every once in awhile I get a bee in my bonnet and wonder about the big questions. For instance, in these uncertain economic times, do you still use a separate makeup remover and cleanser? I know I have a very specific makeup remover in my cabinet--Lancôme Bi-Facil to be exact--but that's for like, really, really special occasions when I actually wear eye makeup. Is it a sin to wash off your makeup with easy breezy Cetaphil? Should we all be using fancy makeup remover to get rid of the oils and pigments and such that wearing a bit of concealer and blush entails?

To find out, I took an informal poll in my home office, which consists of three people (well, two people and a dog). My boyfriend responded, "You need another product to take makeup off?" Exactly. For the record, my dog Violet just looked at me lazily and rolled her eyes.

An important makeup artist whose name escapes me at the moment once told me that it's vital to wash your face twice: once to remove the makeup, and the second wash is to deep clean your pores. Maybe that really is all you need. (That and a really good toner, like this one.) In order to make this informal poll slightly more scientific, I will need your input. Is using a makeup remover necessary? Am I just lazy? Or do you do it all in one fell swoop?