Do you need to have an evening skincare routine?
I would get this question a lot in the facial room. Being an esthetician, I would always recommend yes. Does it make a difference what you’re doing at night with your skin?
Let’s talk about why it’s so important to ramp up your skincare at night so you can get to the next level of results that you can see!
First, what’s happening in your skin at night?
Get ready for PM regeneration!
- Stress Hormones. Cortisol levels fall during sleep which helps skin repair from day damage
- Collagen. Your body makes more collagen which helps to diminish lines.
- Cells. The skin cell renewal rate almost doubles, and cell damage reverses.
- Melatonin. During the day the skin cells are in defense mode protecting themselves from free radical damage and UV exposure. Melatonin levels rise to assist in repairing.
- Body temperature. You can have more water loss through the skin because of rising body temperature.
That’s a lot going on in your skin while your seeping!
Also a reminder. Don’t go to bed with make-up on! It puts the brakes on all that wonderful regeneration happening! It also clogs your pores which leads to bacteria in your pores. Not to mention you will look dull with no glow.
What should you be using at night on your skin?
Top of the list is a Retinol product. It’s the gold standard product that dermatologists recommend that makes the biggest difference in your skincare. It’s used at night because it could make you sun sensitive during the day.
You can get a prescription from a dermatologist, or try an over the counter product. There are excellent ones that deliver great results with regular use, and they are affordable.
I like to layer products. Especially at night. Here’s what that could look like:
- Toner
- Hyaluronic Serum or other specialty serum
- Retinol
- Few drops of a facial oil
- Heavier moisturizer or a night cream
Your skin will let you know how often to use a retinol product. Since it comes in different strengths you may get some peeling and flaking after a few times of use. It’s all good! It needs to be used at least 3 times a week though to see results.
Peels
I love peels! They give instant results and make your skin look and feel fabulous! You can do a peel weekly for a certain number of weeks, or just once a month. They usually have a base of salicylic or glycolic acid. Don’t use your retinol when you do a peel. It would be too much for your skin. I usually wait a couple of days after a peel before I startup with the retinol again.
Facial Tools
The evening is a great time to incorporate some facial tools! Here are a couple of my favorites!
Gua Sha. It stimulates collagen and helps with blood flow to the face. Think of it as a little workout for your face. Remember the face is full of muscles. They need to be stimulated or they get lazy!
Needle Roller. This is probably my favorite! It’s quick and easy, and I really feel like it gives the skin a lift and a nice glow. Go around the skin with light pressure. Horizontally, Vertically, and Diagonally. You can use this 3 to 5 times a week.
Facial Roller. This feels great on the skin! It also relaxes and destresses the facial muscles. It’s gentle but gives a great overall result. Just roll across the face in different directions and wake up to brighter lifted skin.
I hope this has helped to get you thinking about your nighttime skincare routine. If you don’t have a routine yet, start tonight! If you do one thing, start with a retinol type of product for correcting and aging. You can add some other things down the line.
Take advantage of all that’s happening in your skin at night by powering up the regeneration process! In a few weeks, you are going to be amazed at how much fresher, brighter and younger your skin looks! Get ready to start glowing!
Until next time,
~pat
