Getting Into A Nighttime Skincare Routine

When you’re young, it’s difficult to understand the importance of having a regular nighttime skin care routine. After all, at this phase of life, your skin always seems to bounce back whether you remove your makeup and wash your face or not. It’s a bummer that this won’t last forever, which is why it’s important to establish a consistent before-bed routine while you’re young, so it becomes a habit that stays with you — and your fresh, youthful skin — for the rest of your life.

If you’ve never had much of a before-bed skincare routine before, now’s the time to start!  Don’t let the time commitment scare you; you don’t have to spend a ton of time on your routine at night when you’re exhausted. The point is simply to cleanse and protect skin so it can heal itself while you rest. Here are the three steps you should always complete before you hit the hay.

Step One: Remove Your Makeup

Makeup makes you look pretty all day, but leaving it on your skin overnight can cause clogged pores and irritation. Removing it only takes a few seconds and can save you the trouble of adult acne blemishes and even eye sties from bacteria in your makeup. Simply use a cotton ball soaked in oil-free makeup remover to swipe away makeup around the eyes and face. Perfection isn’t important — any traces remaining will be cleared away in the next step. Don’t tug or pull at the skin around your eyes, as this can cause fine lines.

Step Two: Wash Your Face

Any remaining makeup, such as heavy foundations and powders, will wash away with a little bit of facial cleanser. Apply a little bit of face wash to your palm or a damp washcloth, and then rub the cleanser into your skin. Be sure to get all the way up to your hairline and under the edge of your jaw. Once your face is clean, use warm water to splash away the face wash foam, and pat your skin dry with a clean towel. (If you use an acne treatment face wash, it may cause discoloration in your towels; white towels won’t be affected.)

Step Three: Hydrate Your Skin

Every time you cleanse your skin, you should follow up with a hydrating cream or other moisturizers, to replace the skin’s natural oils that have just been washed away. If you don’t use a face moisturizer, your body may try to make up for the missing oils and produce too much of it, which can also lead to blemishes. If your complexion is exceptionally dry after cleansing, you may want a heavier moisturizing cream; oily complexions will do better with a gel moisturizer, which is lighter on the skin.