The Simple Nighttime Skincare Routine for Beginners
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Nighttime is when your skin’s opportunity for renewal begins. It’s when your skin is no longer battling pollutants and environmental stressors and can truly benefit from targeted treatments. So if you’re looking for a skincare routine that supports your skin’s natural repair processes, you’ve come to the right place!
In the post, we’ll be diving into:
Read on for the essential steps and products that will help you on your way to waking up with a complexion that’s refreshed, rejuvenated, and glowing.
Differences Between Morning and Nighttime Skincare Routines
The differences between a morning and nighttime skincare routine reflect the skin’s varying needs throughout each period. Some of these differences are described below, and can be recognized in the different types of products used for each routine:
1. Focus of Products:
Morning Routine (☀️): Emphasizes protection and preparation for the day. Key products include sunscreen to shield your skin from UV rays, antioxidants like Vitamin C to combat environmental damage, and lighter moisturizers that hydrate without being too heavy.
Nighttime Routine (🌙): Focuses on repair and rejuvenation. Products often include treatments like retinoids, which stimulate cell turnover, heavier moisturizers to deeply hydrate and repair, and exfoliants to remove dead skin cells.
2. Product Texture and Intensity:
☀️: Typically uses lighter, more breathable textures to avoid interfering with makeup and to keep the skin fresh throughout the day. This might include gel-based moisturizers and lightweight serums.
🌙: Often incorporates richer, more intense formulations like thick creams, oils, or night masks that provide deeper hydration and support skin repair processes during sleep.
3. Product Layering:
☀️: Generally involves lighter layers to avoid making the skin too greasy or heavy, which could interfere with makeup application or feel uncomfortable during the day.
🌙: Allows for more layers and richer formulations since there’s no concern about makeup or daytime activities. This might include multiple serums, treatments, and thicker creams.
4. Frequency of Application:
☀️: Typically involves a consistent daily regimen with emphasis on sun protection every morning.
🌙: A consistent daily regimen should be followed. However, it may be supplemented by less frequent applications of certain products, like exfoliants or treatments, depending on skin tolerance. Some products are used only a few times a week to avoid over-exfoliation or irritation.
Regardless of these differences, what is important is that you find a routine and products that work for you and that you consistently use as having a routine that you can stick to is crucial for the overall health of your skin.
The Skincare Routine
A good nighttime skincare routine is all about repairing and rejuvenating your skin while you sleep. Below are some basic steps to guide your routine:
1. Cleanse: Use a facial cleanser suited to your skin type to remove dirt, oil, and the buildup from the day. Double cleansing (using an oil-based cleanser followed by a water-based one) can be particularly effective.
If you wear makeup, using a gentle makeup remover or micellar water to take off the makeup prior to cleansing is crucial for ensuring that your cleanser can effectively clean your skin.
2. Apply Toner: Toners help to balance the skin’s pH and can add a layer of hydration. They also help prep your skin to more effectively absorb subsequent products. There are so many different types, you can pick one that suits your skin type, whether it’s hydrating, soothing, or clarifying.
3. Treat: Next is application of any intensive treatments like retinoids, serums, or spot treatments that you may choose to use to help with repair and regeneration. Ingredients like retinoids, niacinamide, or hyaluronic acid are popular choices for addressing specific skin concerns.
4. Moisturize: Use a moisturizer or night cream to hydrate and lock in moisture. This helps seal in the products, repair the skin barrier, and nourish the skin overnight. There are also products that contain active ingredients for that added oomph in your routine.
There are definitely additional steps that you can add into your routine to tailor it to your needs — such as exfoliation, eye cream, face oil, …and don’t forget lip care! But this routine can get your started, and you can adjust the products based on your skin’s needs and any specific concerns you have. Just remember, consistency is key, so try to follow the steps every night for the best results.
Ampoules can be a highly effective addition to your skincare routine. To learn about some that support irritated skin, check out: 5 Calming Ampoules to Help Soothe Inflamed Skin
Product Recommendations
Cleansing Oils
I was noticing that my sunscreen wasn’t getting completely washed off with just my face cleanser, so I started to use this cleansing oil every day and it’s been a game changer. It’s one of the thicker ones that I’ve tried and you can feel that as it lathers a bit as you clean your face. But it washes off very easily, and leaves your skin feeling extremely clean.
It also has a light calendula / slightly sweet smell, which I actually enjoy.
This is a lightweight cleansing oil that contains rice water to subtly brighten the skin as it works to get rid of oil, makeup, and buildup on the skin.
It is safe for sensitive skin, and the thinner consistency made it so that just a little bit went a long way in covering the entire face.
Cleansers
Anua makes great products in general, but I really enjoy this gentle cleanser as it cleans effectively, without leaving the skin feeling dry and stripped of oils. This is made possible by hydrating ingredients like Hyaluronic Acid, Panthenol, and Glycerin.
The texture is nice as it lathers into a foam during use, and easily washes away, leaving skin feeling soft and fresh.
This cleansing gel is lightweight and gentle, and is great for those with sensitive skin. A key ingredient is Hyaluronic Acid for boosting the skin’s moisture and keeping it in place. You can tell how moisturizing it is just from the feel of it!
The cleanser starts as a gel, but lathers into a silky foam that helps remove dirt and oils from the skin while leaving it feeling soft & supple.
Toners
This is a great exfoliating toner that is gentle enough for sensitive skin, and has the consistency of water, so it absorbs super easily.
It contains three different exfoliating acids - one that smooths the surface of the skin and helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines, one that works within the pores to help clear out impurities and excess sebum, and a third that helps to hydrate and brighten the skin and improve its overall texture. All of these work together to leave the skin smooth, soft, and glowing.
This is a quickly absorbing toner with a consistency that is slightly thicker than water. It contains different molecular sizes of hyaluronic acid, ranging from ultra-low to high, that provide 14 layers of moisture to the skin. It also contains sea water from Ulleung Island, which is rich in Magnesium, Calsium, and Kalium, all of which help to replenish and maintain the skin’s moisture.
This toner is ultra-hydrating and leaves skin feeling dewy and refreshed.
Treatments
Below are just a few examples of treatment products, but what kinds you should use / what kind of treatments they should provide depends on your individual skincare needs.
If you’re looking for an easy, multi-functional serum, this is a great option. Not only does it contain Hyaluronic Acid for moisturizing the skin, it is also chock full of peptides that help with anti-aging, improving skin elasticity, and skin smoothing.
One thing to note is that this serum is pretty thick, so I’d recommend applying it when your skin is still moist from your toner, and taking time to pat it in.
This toner is perfect for those with dull or dehydrated skin. With 63% of Iceland Glacier Water, Hyaluronic acid, and Niacinamide it provides deep hydration to your skin, while providing some brightening effects.
The consistency is on the thicker side, so I found the need to pat it in well. But once I did, it left my skin feeling noticeably more dewy.
Moisturizers
Your moisturizer / night cream needs may change throughout the year. For example, I use a super light gel cream during the summer when my skin doesn’t need too much help. But in the winter, I move to a thicker night cream to help seal in moisture. I listed one of each below.
I am currently using this soothing cream, and can immediately tell how hydrated it makes my skin. Containing low molecular weight Hyaluronic Acid, the moisture is able to penetrate deeply into the skin, leaving it feeling plump and elastic.
The texture is gel-like - similar to the Neutrogena Hydro Boost gel cream, so it is perfect for summer months or when you need a lighter formulation.
This is a reliable night moisturizer that is fragrance-free, and contains the skin-revitalizing and brightening ingredients Hyaluronic Acid, Niacinamide, and Peptides. It also contains retinol, which helps with fine lines and wrinkles, skin smoothness, firming, and dark spots. And since the retinol is combined with the moisturizer, it works more gently on the skin.
This moisturizer has a gel-like consistency that absorbs easily into the skin, and leaves it supple and radiant.
Having a nighttime skincare routine made all the difference for me. And just the ritual of completing all these steps, and having my skin look and feel great afterwards, turned it into something that I truly look forward to every night. I hope it can be the same for you! 💜