Why You Should Never Skip Your Nighttime Skin Routine
You know skin care is important, but sometimes at the end of a long day the last thing you want to do before falling into bed is to take more time for your skincare routine. It seems innocent enough, but skipping your nighttime skincare routine will fast track you to dull, lackluster skin.You won’t always feel motivated, but being consistent with your skincare products at night will lead to your face thanking you: by sporting a glowing, youthful, radiant complexion!
Here are some reasons why developing a nighttime skincare routine (and sticking to it) is so important for your skin’s health and appearance. And I’ll go over some recommended products from my favorite skincare line to get you started if you want to change up your current products!
The Difference Between a Day and Night Skin Routine
Odds are, you probably have some sort of routine in the morning to get ready for the day. Most of your daytime products revolve around looking your best (make-up) and hopefully protection against the elements (all the SPF!)
Regardless of your daily activities and time spent outside - your skin goes through a lot. Exposure to sun, dirt, and environmental pollutants to name a few. Many of your daytime skin products should be aimed at protecting yourself and preventing damage. But - these extra layers of occlusive products aren’t great at letting your skin breathe or allowing other skincare products to penetrate your skin and work as well.
Your face needs some additional, intentional care after a day exposed to all of these factors. While protection is the goal for your morning routine, your nighttime routine needs to be tailored towards skin repair and restoration. This involves different products that have the time to really soak in and get to work on skin that's clean and bare - ready to absorb these products.
Your Skin Repairs While You Sleep
Read the five points above to learn about what your body and skin does as you sleep at night.
It’s not called beauty sleep for nothing! While you doze off, your skin is working hard to renew itself. The repair and regeneration of your skin cells peaks at night. On a cellular level, your stem cells reproduce while you sleep, creating new skin cells that replace the older ones.
Skin care products aimed at renewal contain needed nutrients that maximize this regenerative process. You’re helping to fuel your hardworking skin cells with nutrients to be even more productive. By working with your circadian rhythm - you can maximize your results. This means waking up with glowing, youthful skin!
Your skin is also more permeable at night, allowing products to penetrate and absorb more effectively. By going to bed with a freshly washed face, away from the free radicals and pollutants from the day - your skincare works to repair any damage done to the skin during daylight hours.
You Lose Moisture Overnight
During the day, your skin naturally produces oil to hydrate and protect your skin. At night, this production dips, as you just don’t produce as much moisture overnight.
On top of that, you aren’t drinking water or any other fluids. Most people naturally dehydrate overnight (and to be honest, lots of people don't drink enough water during the day either!) Hydratingg before bed becomes even more important to add this hydration back to the skin. By preventing your skin from drying out further, you keep your face soft, supple, and slow the signs of aging.
What Should My Nighttime Skin Routine Include?
Cleanser, Complexion Renewal Pads, Exfoliating Polish, Daily Power Defense, Growth Factor Serum
Not sure if your skincare routine is enough (or *gasp* don’t even have one)? Here are the basic steps and products you need to use before hitting the pillow.
Remove make-up. First things first - if you wore makeup during the day, before doing anything else it’s key to gently remove it.
Use a mild facial cleanser. Washing your face is an essential step of an effective skincare routine. A mild skin cleanser that removes dirt and grime without stripping essential oils or containing any harsh chemicals is key. Clean skin allows your skincare products to penetrate your skin better and work more effectively. ZO Skin Health Gentle Cleanser is a great product for all skin types. **Don’t have makeup remover? Don’t be afraid to double cleanse!
Even if you don’t wear make-up, haven’t worked out, or done much of anything – your face still gets dirty. You touch your face much more than you probably realize, and that spreads dirt and bacteria. The last thing you want is for that to be on your face and pillow while you sleep! You’re just asking for clogged pores and acne.
Exfoliate. Exfoliating is the process of removing dead skin cells from your top layer of skin. Your skin naturally generates and sheds these cells about every 30 days - however this regenerative process starts to slow with age. By exfoliating, you help your skin’s natural regenerative process along, revealing the new, healthy skin underneath.
Failing to exfoliate can lead to a build up of these old skin cells - causing concerns like clogged pores, dryness, and flaky patches. ZO Skin Health Exfoliating Polish gently removes dead skin cells to reveal smoother, softer skin. Allowing your youthful, new skin cells to shine through creates that healthy glow.
Apply a toner. After you cleanse and exfoliate - using a toner helps restore your skin’s pH. A toner removes any access oil, tightens your pores, and adds additional hydration. ZO Skin Health Calming Toner soothes the skin and provides some added hydration post-cleaning. Other popular options are ZO Skin Health Complexion Renewal Pads and ZO Skin Health Oil Control Pads.
Use a serum. Serums are powerful skincare products that deliver high concentrations of active ingredients. These products are aimed to remedy a variety of different concerns and should be tailored to your unique skin needs.
Some serums work to brighten your complexion, other serums reduce blemishes and dark spots, and some are aimed to boost overall hydration. Selecting your serum is something that your aesthetic provider can advise you on to find the formula best suited for your skin. ZO Skin Health Growth Factor Serum is a popular option aimed at reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. **A popular option at Polished!
Apply an eye creme. The area around the eyes is often a problem area for many. The skin is more fragile and delicate, and tends to be the first area to show signs of aging. Using a product specifically tailored for this area is often needed. ZO Skin Health Eye Brightening Creme helps minimize puffiness, dark circles, and fine lines.
Hydrate. To round out your nighttime skincare routine, you can hydrate your skin or use your Retinol.
Want some guidance in creating a customized skincare regimen to meet your unique needs? Book an appointment with us at Polished MedSpa today! We’d love to demystify skincare products, and help put together a routine for you to wake up with a refreshed, healthy complexion!
XO, Lauren