The 1, 2, 3’s and A, B, C’s of Skin Care Routine, Part 2: Nighttime

Your Nighttime Regimen

The skin naturally repairs itself during night time. Your nighttime skin routine should be all about treatment and regeneration. If your skin is dull-looking, exfoliate. If it’s irritating, hydrate and protects. Nighttime skin regimen requires the same commitment as your Daytime routine. Without further ado, here’s the Nighttime Skin Care routine

Step 1: (Double) Cleanser
After a day of going through a lot, it must have accumulated grime, dirt, oil, and makeup. Make sure to use a makeup remover such as cleansing oils before washing your face with your gentle cleanser. This strips off the makeup, sebum, and dirt to prep your skin and absorbs the skin products meant for repair. It is also best to use a soap-free cleanser first then wipe of cotton pads then use your regular facial to lather.

Step 2: Toners, Essences, and Boosters
Apply toner as what you normally would in the morning. At night, some go for various types of skin care boosters. These boosters can come on different forms like mists, essences, beauty waters or hydrating (hyaluronic acid) serums. These are water-like or almost lightweight. Applying them after washing that substitutes as your toner. If you are using a toner an essence, the rule of thinnest to thickest applies.

Remember: Cleanser only clean the surface, toners are needed for deeper cleansing and for fat deposits.

Step 3: Eye Cream
Aside from targeting crow’s feet and dark circles, eye creams can also serve to protect your delicate eye area from your other skin care products.

Step 4: Treatment Serums, Creams, and Pads
As we sleep, the skin does the bulking for the 3R’s. Repair, Restore and Regenerate. Hence, most targeted skin care treatments that contain retinoid and anti-aging serums are better used at night.
Instead of layering up all your treatment serums and creams, just choose your evening treatment depending on the needs of your skin’s of-the-moment needs. There would be nights where you would just be wash-moisturize-bed routine.

Here are things to consider:

• Just choose between prescription meds OR exfoliating treatments (like AHA/BHA). Using them both on the same night is a big No-No. It has high risks of irritating your skin.
• Do not use retinol creams with exfoliating treatments.
• Exfoliative treatments: Use it sparingly. One to three times a week.
• Detoxifying/Clay Masks: once a week is enough.

Step 5: Hydrating Mask or Face Oil
Dry skin? You may want to add a hydrating cream mask or face oil. Both product types are generally mild and can be typically used as often as your skin needs an extra boost of hydration.

Step 6: Moisturizers or Night Cream

Most nighttime moisturizers or creams are thicker and heavier than your daytime moisturizers. This is for the reason that to be absorbed over the course of several hours. Another reason why they are thicker is that they create a protective layer to prevent water evaporation while you sleep. Maintaining high water content in the skin is key for healing.

Timing is everything! Aside from following the proper order in the application of the right products, it is also important to consider the time it takes for the skin to absorb the products. Keep it simple. We may not have the luxury of time to spend and who would want the bed to be kept waiting. Most of the products have to wait for 5 to 30 minutes before the next step to ensure proper absorption. Give ample time for the products to sink in your skin.

Listen to what your skin is telling you. It’s important to find what works for you and always be kind to your skin. Get the best skin advice from the experts. Talk to us at our Patient Care Lines: (+632) 368 5238 | (+63) 917 862 7454 | (+63) 921 217 0517 for a FREE CONSULTATION or visit any of our clinics in Makati and Ortigas.