Your cabinets and drawers may be bursting with skincare products, but all of the cleansers, creams, and serums aren't going to help your skin if you're not using them correctly.
So, let’s agree that our skin, especially the face, requires products to be used in a specific order and that our skin requires different care during the day than when we are sleeping.
- Daytime skincare is all about protection and preservation since the majority of skin aging occurs during the daytime.
- Whereas nighttime beauty for your skin focuses regenerating, rejuvenating, and repairing.
And, it turns out, the order in which you apply your skincare products matters…a lot. For each product to be effective, you need to follow a lineup that doesn’t cancel out the previous product's benefits. If you think about it, you wouldn’t want to slather on a moisturizer, then wash it away with cleanser.
Creating an effective skincare routine for the day and a different sequence for overnight may involve a little planning when you first get started. But fear not! Once you get the hang of it, your skin will thank you and the compliments for your flawless complexion will come rolling in.
The #1 Tip for Everyone
For ingredients to properly absorb, you need clean skin that's totally free of oil and grime. So please, cleanse your face in the morning and remove your makeup in the evening before putting on your products.
And a reminder that no matter what products you use, the rule of thumb is to apply the lightest beauty items first and the heaviest last, since thinner products can’t penetrate the thicker products. Makes sense, right?
5-Step Daytime Routine
During the day, your skin is under more stress than it is in the evening. It is exposed to makeup, harmful ultra-violet rays, and pollutants of all types. It is even exposed to bacteria from unknowingly touching your skin all day (you know you do!). This leads to skin cell damage including wrinkles and discoloration.
Help yourself by following these five steps before you show your face out in the world.
- Cleanser
Every skincare regime must start with a clean face. You might think cleansing your skin before bed is all you need to wake up fresh-faced. But the truth is that none of your skincare treatments will work if you don’t have a clean canvas to start with. Good skincare habits start with the daily use of a gentle, non-drying cleansing cream.
- Toner
A toner is important because it primes your face for ingredients to be better absorbed later on. A good toner balances your skin’s PH, and is intended to hydrate, not strip your skin. Back in the day, toners were alcohol-based liquids that left you stinging. But today’s toners are filled with gentle, hydrating ingredients.
- Serum
You've seen them, you've probably had some sitting in your cabinet, and you're not actually sure what to do with that puzzling serum. You're not alone.
Your face is up against a lot of obstacles that wish to do it harm throughout the day (exhaust fumes from cars, your dirty phone screen, and more). Serums are superheroes that make sure none of those stressors cause long term damage to your skin.
Essentially, serums are shots of extremely concentrated nutrients, hydrators, and antioxidants that amp up your skin health as soon as you apply them. So, don’t skip out on using serums religiously morning (and night).
A vitamin C serum is highly recommended by experts to help prevent premature aging of the skin, minimize the appearance of fines lines, and protect your skin from the damage caused by free radicals during the day. It also provides a boost for brightening skin and lightening dark spots over time. It’s no wonder that vitamin C serums are called the “MVP” of skincare ingredients, but they can be a little intense. So, if your skin is sensitive, use it every other morning, instead of daily.
- Moisturizer
You need to be using a moisturizer. Period. Exclamation point! No matter what. A moisturizer not only infuses your skin with hydration, but helps seal in all of the products underneath it to make the ingredients even more effective.
- Sun Protection
If you only had time for one skincare product each morning, it should be sunscreen. No matter the time of the year, sunscreen should always be included in your routine in order to fully protect your skin from the sun’s damaging ultraviolet rays.
5 Nighttime Skincare Tips
There are some skincare routines that should be done both in the morning and at night such as cleansing and toning to maintain a glowing complexion. But others are only specific to bedtime.
- Cleanse, Again
It bears repeating; skincare products work best when applied to a clean and dry surface, so start with a product that gives you a fresh palate to work. Cleansing at night will get rid of the day’s grime, dirt, oil, and makeup.
- Toner
Yup, you guess correctly. Toning is just as important at night and helps provide a clean slate for serums, creams, and moisturizes that will follow.
- Serums
Using serums in your nighttime routine is just as important as daytime treatments. Simply put, serums provide the most potent and customizable step in your skincare routine.
A good rule of thumb is to focus more on hydration and regeneration with your nighttime formula. Serums filled with hyaluronic acid are all the buzz, and for good reason. They can plump up your skin (in a good way) and keep it hydrated while you sleep.
- Eye Cream
Your eye area is host to the most delicate and sensitive skin on your face and is also this first area to show aging. Protecting the skin quality in this area with an overnight hydrating cream formulated specifically for the eyes helps ensures that the skin maintains its elasticity. In other words, don’t skip this step if you want to keep a youthful and cheery appearance.
- Moisturizer
There is no replacement for this essential step. Yes, everyone needs a moisturizer, even if you have oily skin. At night, the skin is repairing and regenerating. That means the focus should be on providing hydration and nourishment for retaining proper moisture to recharge the skin. A well-formulated night cream will tackle dehydration and dull skin tone while helping to smooth lines.
A professionally formulated night cream also delivers anti-aging compounds and boosts collagen to help maintain the elasticity, strength, and structure of the skin. These creams usually include ingredients that are more concentrated than a daytime moisturizer, allowing full penetration and deeper hydration.
There you go. Hopefully, you now have a better sense of why the order and the time of the day (and night) of applying products helps your skin receive the full benefits of each product. Take the time to make this a daily ritual for absolutely radiant and vibrant skin.