After a long day at work or a fun night out, it can be tempting to want to crash into bed. Maybe you even take a shower before climbing under your comfy blankets. But before your head hits the pillow, did you take proper care of your skin? Establishing a nighttime skincare routine is a great habit to practice. By consistently cleansing and nourishing your skin each night, you can combat signs of premature aging and keep your skin looking radiant and smooth.
Some amazing things happen to your body as you rest at night. For example, your cortisol levels drop, giving your skin time to recover from inflammation. Ingredients from skincare products are better absorbed. Plus, your skin becomes a little more acidic at night.
The Best Nighttime Skincare Routine
Throughout the day, your skin encounters many different elements. Pollution, free radicals, makeup, dirt, and sweat, to name a few. Nighttime is the perfect time to give your skin extra attention because our skin cells regenerate, and our skin heals as we sleep.
The best nighttime skincare routine involves a few very valuable and nourishing tools. You will want to make sure you have a cleanser, toner, eye cream, serum, and moisturizer. Hydrator and lip balm can go a long way as well.
When choosing a cleanser, you will want to pick the right one for the season and your skin type. If you have been using a foamy or creamy facial cleanser packed with moisturizers during the winter, it is time to switch to a regular cleanser. Heavier facial cleansers are perfect for winter, but the oil residue left behind can clog pores in the warmer and more humid months. Stick to a standard light cleanser so your skin feels lighter and breathable in the warmer months.
If you have dry skin, you may want to choose a cream cleanser that will be gentle and not strip moisture from your skin. A gentle cleanser containing AHA/BHA can be your best friend if you have dry, sensitive skin. Read the ingredients on your products to make sure you are not using anything with alcohol or other strong chemicals that could irritate or even damage your skin.
Toners are great for smoothing the skin and balancing your skin’s pH. Remember, your skin gets a little more acidic at night. Toner can also help reduce the appearance of pores and even temporarily tighten your skin. Eye creams and serums are nighttime skincare routine must-haves. Your eyes have been hard at work all day, and there is no doubt you have been squinting, smiling, and widening your eyes. The skin around your eye is very thin and fragile, prone to fine lines and wrinkles. The most beneficial eye creams contain peptides and/or hyaluronic acid.
Serums offer a highly targeted skincare approach, focusing on specific needs. Acne? Choose an anti-acne or oil-control serum. Dry or sagging skin? A hydrating or firming serum is what you should look for.
Moisturizer is the one ingredient you should never skimp on when conducting the best nighttime skincare routine. To maximize the benefits of all the other ingredients, you need to lock in the moisture as you sleep. This ensures your skin cells are properly hydrated as you sleep. At night, your sebum production slows down. This can leave your skin feeling dry if you do not use a moisturizer.
Nighttime Skincare Routine Steps
Now that you know the key players in the best nighttime skincare routine, it is time to put them into practice. Believe it or not, the order in which you use these products truly matters!
- Remove Your Makeup
When choosing a makeup remover tool, it is best to use either a clean microfiber cloth or flat makeup remover pads. Cotton balls, though soft, can leave fibers behind, and you don’t want them ending up in your eyes or sticking to your skin. Thoroughly remove your makeup, paying close attention to your eyes, lips, and the perimeter of your face. You can wait until right before bed to remove your makeup, but if you’re staying awake for a bit, consider removing your makeup shortly after you return home.
- Clean with Cleanser
Most cleansers require your skin to be wet to work, so wash your face with water using your clean hands. Then, massage your cleanser in a circular motion around your face and neck. Don’t be too stingy with your product. Rinse the cleanser off and repeat the process to make sure you remove all the dirt, debris, and makeup.
- Toner Time
With your face clean and fresh, you can now apply your toner to smooth your skin. Use a cotton pad to apply toner to your face gently. Be careful not to get any product in your eyes.
- Selective Serum
If you have target areas that you want to give a little TLC, apply serum to your post-toner face. In addition to acne or oil-reduction serums, you can also try a highlighting/illuminating serum to brighten your complexion. Read the instructions on your product to determine the best way to apply it. Typically, the serum is applied to your hands with a small dropper. Then, you rub your hands together to warm up and activate the product before applying it to your face.
- Lock in the Moisture
The best nighttime skincare routine takes time and effort, but the results are totally worth it. You wouldn’t want all your hard work to go to waste, so make sure you apply moisturizer to your face. Moisturizer is almost always the final step to your nighttime skincare routine (except eye cream). Also, keep in mind that our skin requires about 10-20 minutes to fully absorb the moisturizer. So, before you crash into your pillow, you may want to give your products the proper time to be absorbed.
- Eye Cream
You may think moisturizer is enough, but your eyes need extra attention due to the unique nature of the skin around your eyes. Eye creams rich in peptides and hyaluronic acid are ideal for combating wrinkle formation and keeping the skin around your eyes looking firm and bright.
Even though your face is the first thing others see when you are out in the world, you don’t want to neglect the rest of your body as well. Before going to bed, whether you shower or not, apply a light moisturizer all over your skin. This will prevent your arms and legs from drying out as you sleep and promote healthy skin cell regeneration.
Nighttime and Beyond
A proper skincare routine is essential for optimal skin health, but if you find your routine isn’t helping you achieve your skincare goals, there are other options you may want to consider. While eye cream is excellent for keeping the thin area around your eyes smooth and firm, it can’t do the same for smile lines or brow lines. And, when you think about it, the same gestures that impact your eyes (smiling, frowning, squinting) also impact your smile lines and brow lines.
When the best nighttime skincare routine isn’t enough, or you’re looking for lasting results to help elevate your skincare routine, you may want to consider Botox® treatment. If you want to learn more about Botox® or if you’d like to discuss which nighttime skincare products are best for your skin type and skincare goals, consider booking a consultation at First Impressions Rejuvenation Clinic. The practitioners are experts in the skincare world and would be happy to provide you with recommendations that fit your unique needs.
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