You might have been told about the numerous ways to help your skin regain its health overnight. Apart from having at least 6 hours of sleep, drinking an appropriate amount of water and eating lots of citrus fruits, dermatologists also suggest that you have a great nighttime skincare routine.  

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While it may seem like an extra set of baggage to layer your skin with products while sleeping, nighttime skincare can do wonders for the skin. Your skin enters its regenerative phase when you are sleeping, which means that the damaged cells restore themselves during the sleep hours. This is also the time when your skin isn’t exposed to the environmental threats like sunrays and pollutants and can breathe freely. All this calls for a skincare routine that works with your skin’s natural restoration process to give it a new life. 

Nighttime skincare is a tad bit different than daytime skincare in the sense that you don’t have to apply sunscreen or other concentrations that are required during the day. 

So, what exactly goes into having a great nighttime skincare routine that leaves your skin feeling fresh and healthy in the morning? 

Here’s a simple, step-by-step nighttime skincare routine that I have been following for over 5 years now. You can follow these steps in your night skincare routine or create one based on your own skin concerns: 

1. Remove Makeup

Never ever make the blunder of sleeping with your makeup on. If you don’t want to suffer acne breakouts and pimples, make it a habit to take off those oxidized makeup products, debris, SPF, oil and sweat that have been sitting on your face since the morning. 

To begin with, take a cotton round and pour a few drops of an oil-based cleanser or micellar water on it. Now gently rub this cotton round all over your face until you are sure that you have taken every bit of that makeup off. 

Recommendations for oil-based cleansers from my skincare collection: 
– Bioderma H2O Micellar Water 
– DHC Deep Cleansing Oil 
– Neutrogena Ultra-Light Cleansing Oil 

2. Cleanse

Now that you’ve taken your makeup off, it’s time for a second round of cleansing. No matter how tired you are or how confident you are of having no makeup left on your face after the first step, double cleansing is a must. It helps ensure that there isn’t a tiny particle of dirt or SPF or any pollutant left on your skin that could damage it. 

Pour a few drops of a gel-based cleanser in your palm, work it into a foaming lather and gently rub it all over your face. Now rinse your face off and pat it dry.  

If you have dry skin, go for a hydrating cleanser that doesn’t strip your face of its natural oils. And if you have oily or combination skin, go for a gentle foaming face wash. 

Recommendations: 
– Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser 
– CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser 
– Kiehls’ Calendula Foaming Face Wash 
– Forest Essentials Kashmiri Saffron Face Wash 

3. Toner

While many people believe that it isn’t important to use toner at night, it isn’t true at all. Toner helps in rehydrating your skin once it has undergone the first two steps. It also helps in restoring the pH balance of your skin and makes it easier for skincare products to blend in. 

You just need to pour a few drops of toner in your palm, warm it by rubbing your palms together and gently apply it over your face. Now let it sit for a couple of minutes before you move on to the next step. 

Recommendations: 
– Pixi Beauty Glow Tonic 
– Paula’s Choice Pore Reducing Toner 
– CeraVe Hydrating Toner 

4. Spot Treatment And Serum

Now that your skin has absorbed the toner or essence, it’s time to treat the specific skin concern you’ve been suffering with. If your skin is suffering from dryness, go for a hyaluronic acid serum. If you are looking to fight wrinkles or pollutants that may cause premature aging, go for niacinamide. And if you are struggling with dark spots or dull skin, go for a good-quality Vitamin C serum to help brighten your face. 

Make sure that you wait for at least a minute before moving on to the next step. 

Recommendations: 
– Pixi Beauty Vitamin C serum 
– The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% serum 
– Murad Rapid Dark Spot Correcting Serum 
– Paula’s Choice Hyaluronic Acid Booster 

5. Eye Cream

The skin around your eyes is thin and easily gets dry and dull if left dehydrated for long. With all the tiredness and air pollutants that your under-eye area has to carry during the day, it becomes incredibly important to treat it well at night. A hydrated under-eye area helps keep wrinkles away and doesn’t let premature aging set in. 

You can go for an eye cream that is hydrating and rejuvenating for your under-eye area and doesn’t feel too heavy. 

Recommendations: 
– Murad Renewing Eye Cream 
– Paula’s Choice C5 Super Boost Eye Cream  
– Neutrogena Hydro Boost Eye Cream 

6. Moisturize

It’s as important to keep your face moisturized at night as it is during the day. A good moisturizer is what keeps your skin looking healthy and supple in the morning. It’s the last layer of skincare that helps lock the previous layers of products into your skin for maximum results.  

Recommendations: 
– CeraVe renewing Night Cream 

Pro Tip – While moisturizing your face, extend some love to the neck area as it is equally exposed to sun rays and pollutants. Treat it just like your face and keep it hydrated. Once you’re done with all the above skincare steps, apply a thin layer of lip balm on your lips before going to bed. 

Even though the above steps and products work fine for me, they may not necessarily work for you. So feel free to introduce changes that suit your skin concerns. But always be sure to make the best use of those sleep hours by giving your skin a great base to regenerate itself. 

Would you like to make any skincare recommendations here? Drop a comment below or write to me at richi@askmisswhimsical.com.