The Biggest Skin & Beauty Mistake You May Be Making With Your Face
The One Big Skin Mistake You May Be Making With Your Face…Skipping A Nighttime Skin Routine
Let’s talk about skin ladies…Tell me, do you find yourself skipping a nighttime skin routine because you simply feel too tired and drained? It’s been a long, crazy, hectic day; I get it! All you want to do is crawl into your nice, comfy bed and get some much-needed sleep…Right??
Maybe between work, errands, dinner… (and for all you mommies – getting the kids to bed), and well, you just feel like you don’t have the time? You’re exhausted, and it seems like the last thing you need is that “one more thing to-do” before bed.
Or perhaps, you are in your early 20’s still, and after a long night out, you just want to crash into those covers and sleep your way into the middle of next week. The very last thing you are thinking about is consistently following a nightly skincare routine. You’re thinking, “I’m young, I’ve got time to get to that later, maybe when it starts to look like I actually need it”…Sound familiar??
But here is the truth, Beauties. The no sugar-coating it, just tell it like it is TRUTH. Whether you are in your 20’s, 30’s, 40’s, 50’s, or 60’s +, no matter your age, skipping a nighttime skin routine is a HUGE mistake.
The kind of mistake we can’t avoid catching up with us sooner or later. We let it slide, let it slide, let it slide… until uh-ohhhh honey it shows!!
So today, I want to share with you not only why it can be such a mistake for your face & skin, but also the best steps to include in your nightly routine, how skipping some steps can cause premature aging, whether to tone or not (is it really necessary??), and the types of ingredients you should apply to your face before sleeping (based on your different skin goals & concerns).
Why You Should Never Skip A Nighttime Skin Routine
Perhaps, it’s called “Beauty Sleep” for a good reason… ? Did you know nighttime is when the magic happens…where all the REAL BEAUTY happens for your skin!!??
I often have to remind myself of this as I drag myself to the bathroom sink and open up that drawer with all my skincare goodies.
You see, nighttime is the best time to prevent signs of aging, reduce signs of aging, and get the biggest bang for your buck when it comes to the products you are using for specific goals or skin concerns, including acne, dryness, and/or hyperpigmentation issues.
It is during this time that you can use “targeted” skincare products (based on your skin goals or concerns) MOST effectively because it represents a long extended phase where the ingredients can MORE EASILY, DEEPLY PENETRATE the skin without interruption.
When you sleep, your skin naturally repairs, heals, restores, and is given a chance to rejuvenate. Your skin and body, in general, go through numerous processes you probably aren’t even aware of, while you’re getting that much-needed shut-eye.
And your skin is, in fact, MOST RECEPTIVE to the ingredients in your products during this time, making those products FAR MORE productive. So, if you aren’t taking advantage of this perfect chunk of uninterrupted “TLC-time” to at the very least prevent or reduce signs of aging for your skin, you could be missing out BIG TIME!
What Should Your Nighttime Skin Routine Entail & What Are The Essential Steps??
Step 1: Start With A Cleanser & Don’t Skip
First things first, you should always clean your face before bed using a cleanser made for your skin type or concern. And if you’re a heavy makeup wearer, use some makeup wipes too!
You need to remove makeup, sweat, oil, dirt, pollutants, and all of the environmental elements your skin may have been exposed to during the day.
Not doing so can lead to a host of skin problems like premature aging, clogged pores that may lead to breakouts or large-looking pores (an often overlooked sign of skin aging), and texture changes.
As discussed in our best guide to women’s essential skincare tips, so many things that your skin comes in contact with along with your makeup can work their way down into your pores at night as you sleep. As a result, collagen and elastin breakdown, sebum plugs can form, bacteria can grow, and pores can get rather stretched out.
I actually heard recently that not washing your makeup off before bed can age your skin up to 7x faster!!! Geez…who knew!!?? Apparently, it holds onto all those awful free radicals your skin is exposed to throughout the day. So, wash that makeup off ladies if you want to prevent premature aging.
PRO TIP: Feeling incredibly lazy?? At the very least, keep makeup wipes and a moisturizer on your nightstand. This way, you can at least wipe off a bit of your makeup and apply a face cream really quickly.
Already Trying To Address Specific Skin Concerns??
In addition to preventing possible future issues with your skin, if you are already trying to tackle any specific concerns, cleansing before bed also helps prepare your skin for the treatment products with active ingredients you plan to use next. It clears away all the grime, dead skin cells, and previously mentioned things that can accumulate and block the surface of your skin.
Now since nighttime is the established best time for products to penetrate the skin and work efficiently, you want to optimize that time with a clear, clean, unblocked surface. This way, you allow those next products the full potential to work their magic!
When looking for a cleanser, focus on finding one that addresses your skin concerns, issues, or goals. If you need help with this, check out this post with tips for selecting your cleanser whether you have dry skin, sensitive skin, oily skin, acne-prone skin, normal skin, want to address signs of aging, or have discoloration concerns.
Step 2: To Tone Or Not To Tone…Your Skin At Night??
Ok, so how necessary is a toner really?? Well, this depends… No skin concerns?? You can probably skip it. But for everyone else… What are your skin concerns? How serious are you about addressing those concerns??
Most people assume a toner’s sole purpose is to address acne or oily skin. And while yes, some toners do accomplish these things, the truth is toners have become quite more complicated in recent years with many new formulations made to literally address a “boatload” of skin issues and concerns.
So, What Do Toners Actually Do Now??
Well, toners help to remove dead skin cells and anything that your cleanser missed, plus bring it back to a natural, balanced PH level. Also, nowadays, some are made to nourish, soothe, prime, hydrate, and more! In fact, many toners are formulated to help with your skin’s absorption of the products applied after them, therefore maximizing the benefits of those products (serums, creams, moisturizers, gels, etc.).
Additionally, toners can be a great way to treat your specific skin concerns, and add some extra needed active ingredients for addressing them.
- For example, they may contain retinoids, exfoliating, or antioxidant ingredients for anti-aging.
- They could include anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, and calming ingredients for those who suffer from dry skin.
- They may have brightening, antioxidant, and exfoliating ingredients for someone struggling with discoloration or an uneven skin tone.
So ladies, adding a nighttime toner to your skincare routine may actually help you to more easily get those skin results you’ve been seeking! Not to mention, help you to achieve them at a much faster rate!
Step 3: You Must Not Forget That Eye Cream!
The eye area has the most delicate, fragile, and thinnest skin of any area on your face. This also happens to be one of the first spots where signs of aging can appear. So, it is absolutely necessary to give this skin some extra TLC each night with a restorative eye cream that prevents and reduces signs of aging.
And with the skin being so delicate in that area, it’s also important to take a few extra precautions and be sure you are applying your eye cream correctly. Unlike the skin on our body, it’s not made for all the rough and tough stuff. Think of this area like you would a baby… Keep it “gentle as can be”…
How To Correctly Apply An Eye Cream
- After using makeup wipes, cleansing, and toning your skin (if you use a toner), your eye cream should be the next step in your routine, followed by treatment products and a night cream applied to the rest of your face.
- Typically, a pea-sized amount is enough for each eye. You want to always use your ring finger when applying it, as this finger will apply the least amount of pressure on that fragile skin. It is the weakest of all your fingers.
- You should use a light tapping (patting) motion and never pull, tug, or rub, as this will cause more damage to the area and lead to visible signs of aging faster. Remember, this skin is super thin and delicate…so we want to handle with care.
- Dab in small dots around the eye area and lightly pat or tap until fully absorbed. For under the eyes, follow along your orbital bone from the inner to the outer.
- You also want to apply over the area where people tend to get crow’s feet (outer eye area up towards browbone) whether you have them or not. If you don’t have them, this will help prevent them. If you have them already, this can help diminish them.
- Depending on the eye cream you use, you may or may not be ok using it on your eyelid. So, it is best to check the instructions that come with it to determine this.
- Wait 1-2 minutes before moving on to other skincare products.
Do you struggle with dark undereye circles? Check out these Incredibly Simple Ways To Hide Dark Circles!
Or do you suffer from puffy eye bags, lines, or wrinkles? Use this beauty guide for tired-looking eyes with makeup and skincare tricks to help!!
Step 4: Use Treatment Products With Active Ingredients
If you are addressing specific skin concerns, now is the point where you add leave-on products like serums, gels, lightweight lotions, or creams, etc. with active ingredients for treating those concerns. If you don’t have any major skin concerns, you can move on to Step 5.
Nighttime Routine Tips For Signs Of Aging
If you are trying to fight signs of aging or correct aging skin, you may want to add in treatment products with ingredients like peptides, hydroxy acids, hyaluronic acid, glycerin, or retinol.
- Peptides work particularly well overnight since they trigger reparative skin processes that assist in new collagen production.
- An AHA like Glycolic acid and retinol can both cause sun sensitivity making them better for nighttime usage.
- Also, your body regenerates skin cells while you sleep, so ingredients like retinol, which helps with skin cell renewal and skin cell turnover, work quite well at night.
Nighttime Routine Tips For Dry & Sensitive Skin
For dry and sensitive skin, since your skin repairs and restores itself while you sleep, overnight you want to use products with ingredients that help to repair your moisture barrier and boost your skin’s hydration (that attracts water and retain it). Some of these ingredients can include ceramides, allantoin, lipids, dimethicone, hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and sodium hyaluronate.
Nighttime Routine Tips For Uneven Skin Tone, Hyperpigmentation, & Discoloration
When addressing skin concerns that can worsen (aka darken) with sun exposure (dark marks, age spots, acne scars, sun damage, uneven skin tone, discoloration, etc.) using targeted ingredients, particularly at night, means you don’t have to worry as much about UV ray interference while treating the areas. Thus, you give the ingredients an opportunity to penetrate overnight without conflict.
Additionally, there are some ingredients designed to address hyperpigmentation that make the skin more sensitive to the sun, making nightly use a bit of a safer option.
Keep in mind you can completely erase all your hard work, even weeks worth of treating these areas from just a few hours in the sun without sunscreen, so ALWAYS wear SPF (even when driving). In fact, I always suggest my clients use SPF 45+.
If you are using products for a skin concern like discoloration & hyperpigmentation, you will likely need products with a few of the following or possibly a combo of some of the following ingredients: Vitamin C, mulberry extract, alpha hydroxy acids, salicylic acid, licorice extract, niacinamide, retinol, kojic acid, and/or possibly low dose hydroquinone.
PRO TIP: Look for terms like “brightening”, “lightening”, “spot correcting” on the labels.
Nighttime Routine Tips For Acne-Prone Skin
For those who suffer from acne-prone skin, you should opt for applying products with one of the following ingredients before bed, benzoyl peroxide, sulfur, salicylic acid, or tea tree oil. They can help to dry up active pimples and minimize their appearance overnight. For redness, you can also try just a dot of some over-the-counter cortisone cream.
Step 5: Don’t Forget A Moisturizer!
Whether you have a specific skin concern or not, you should always use a nightly moisturizer. And yes, even if you have oily skin, you need a moisturizer.
Your skin needs an overnight moisturizer to keep the lipid barrier in tip-top form, assist in its restorative and recovery processes, and for optimal skin health. If you skip a nightly moisturizer, you’re looking at elevating your chances of moisture loss, which is no good for anyone.
With a night cream, you may opt for something with hydration boosting ingredients (hyaluronic acids & glycerin) and/or those that assist with your moisture barrier (ceramides, dimethicone, lipids).
Additionally, a good nighttime moisturizer can contain anti-aging ingredients. Look for ingredients that help make the most out of your skin’s nightly repair processes.
For example, you want to use ingredients that help with collagen production, stimulation of new skin cells, and cell turnover. It’s also the time to use products that have ingredients that may cause skin sensitivity. A few of the best anti-aging ingredients to consider Vitamin C, retinol, glycolic acid, and peptides.
PRO TIP: Those with acne concerns who opt to use a nightly moisturizer should look for one that is oil-free. For more tips for addressing acne concerns, check out our 27 Winning Ways To Stop Acne!!
Nightly Skincare Routine Wrap Up
Well, Beauties, I hope you enjoyed today’s tips! Don’t forget to make the most of tonight and give you skin what it needs!
As you can see, if you want to take preventative measures and reduce your chances of premature aging, a nighttime skin routine is vital. And if you have a specific skin concern you are already trying to address, then a nightly routine is even more crucial, especially if you want to get faster results.
Think about your skin goals and concerns and figure out which of the five steps you absolutely need. Also, look at our ingredient tips to see if you’re using the right things currently or what you may need to add in based on those goals or concerns.
Do you have any tricks that help you stick to your nighttime skin routine? Do you ever leave makeup wipes and a moisturizer near your bed, as we suggested for those super difficult nights? Leave a comment below; we’d love to hear your thoughts!
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Very informative idea. Thank you for sharing!
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No problem!! Glad you liked it 🙂