Nighttime Routine

Your nighttime routine does not have to be a time consuming ordeal, but it is important to give your skin the tools to undo the stresses of the day.  While you sleep, your skin will naturally repair itself, and given the array of skin care products available on the market, it is a good idea to give your skin the boost it needs to repair itself as much as possible.  

• Cleanser.  You will have heard this from friends, doctors, mothers, skin care specialist....everyone! always remove your makeup and sleep with a clean face.  If you are particularly dedicated, you can do a double cleans, which involves using an oil based makeup remover to loosen the makeup particles, and then use a gentle cleanser too wash away the loosened makeup, dirt and bacteria accumulated throughout the day.   

• Toners.  If toners are a part of your routine, then use it after you’ve cleaned your face to balance the pH level of your skin.

• Water based essences and boosters.  These are typically very thin, watery substances that have active ingredients aimed at repairing specific concerns.  The end goal of most of these products is to deliver hydration to the skin, therefore, keeping them closest to the skin will yield the best results and provide the best chance for the skin to absorb the active ingredients.  

• Eye cream.  As we discussed in our morning routine article, consistent use of eye cream early on in adulthood can go a long way towards protecting the health and the youthful look of the area around the eyes.  Applying eye cream at this stage provides the added benefit of protecting the eye against the potential irritants that can be found in your other skin care products.  They may offer benefits to your skin, while still being too harsh for the eyes.  Therefore, applying eye cream at this stage helps prevent other products from getting into the eyes and causing an irritation.  

• Treatments.  Many prescribed acne and skin condition treatments are generally recommended for nighttime use because that is the time your skin does most of its repairing, and when it is less exposed to dirt and bacteria, environmental factors, etc... the skin can work on itself with minimal interruption.  Applying your treatment during this step ensures that it does not interact with other products that will hinder their efficiency.  

• Moisturizer.  This might be in the form of a face oil, a night cream, or the same moisturizer you use during the day.  If your skin is dry, or if your day’s activities and/or products have dried out your skin, you might need a boost of hydration.  If you are using a night cream, these are generally thicker than your day cream, and many are designed to be absorbed into the skin over a period of several hours.  The thickness of the cream helps seal the water in your skin overnight, which is a critical to the skin’s healing process.