8 Steps For The Ultimate Night Time Skincare Routine *

Your night skincare routine is very important. You must be careful about what you put on your skin before bed because your skin absorbs the nutrients in your products the most at night.

While you sleep, your skin can breathe and cleanse itself from blue light, solar radiation, and other environmental factors that affect it during the day.

Preparing your skin for bed can help reduce hyperpigmentation, acne marks, and dark spots if done correctly.

Here are steps to add to your nightly skincare routine to ensure you are taking the best care of your skin:

Step 1. Makeup Remover

The number one rule in skin care is never, ever, ever go to bed with makeup. Instead of reaching for a makeup wipe, use a cleansing oil or water that won’t irritate your skin or cause breakouts.

What is the difference between oil and water-based remover?

Oil-based makeup remover helps to remove eyeliner, liquid lipstick, and mascara.

 Oil can lift oil-free, oil-based, and waterproof formulas off your skin and lashes.

Water-based makeup remover 

Micellar water is a multipurpose skin care product that has become a favorite among beauty gurus and dermatologists alike.

It’s made using purified water, moisturizers like glycerin, and mild surfactants, which are compounds used for cleansing.

The molecules of these mild surfactants join to form micelles, a type of spherical chemical structure that helps pull dirt and oil from the skin.

Micellar water is not only gentle but also highly effective at removing dirt, makeup, and oil to help clear out your pores while toning the skin.

Plus, it’s free of alcohol and may help promote skin hydration while reducing irritation and inflammation, keeping your skin soft, supple, and smooth.

How to use a makeup remover:

1. Apply makeup remover and let it sit, and sit some more.
2. Give it a couple of minutes, say, while you brush and floss. This will soften mascara, liner, and shadow, so it slips off easily and thoroughly once you finally wipe.
3. Flat cotton pads are better than cotton balls. Cotton balls can leave behind residue or break down during usage and leave fibers on your lashes or skin

Step 2. Cleanser

Remember your mom nagging you to wash your face regularly? Well, she was right. Washing your face is key to removing dead cells that build up on the skin and contribute to dullness — slough these off, and you expose healthier, more radiant skin.

For your skin care products to absorb properly, you must start with a clean slate.

There are so many products on the market, but here are some ideas on what to look for:

1. Know your skin type and choose a cleanser that’s a good match. If you have dry skin, you’ll want to avoid cleansers with high alcohol content. People with oily skin need a cleanser with a lower PH level. For sensitive skin, you’ll want a basic cleanser free from heavy fragrance and additives.
2. The delivery type of the cleanser matters. Cream-based cleansers are great for dry skin, while gel or foamy cleansers are better for oily skin types.
3. If you wear a lot of makeup, you’ll want a cleanser targeted toward removal.
4. If you tend to sweat a lot from working outlook for a product targeting clogged pores.
5. If you have concerns with allergies, look for “natural” cleansers free of synthetic ingredients.
6. Most cleansers marketed as “gentle” are great at removing dirt without overdrying and irritating the skin.
7. Selecting a cleanser with a balanced PH will help maintain your skin's natural balance.

Best way to use a cleanser:

1. Gently wash your face with circular movements with the tips of your fingers with cold water. This is a great opportunity to practice self-care by giving yourself a light facial massage.
2. Over washing and over scrubbing may leave you with a squeaky-clean feeling, but this actually is damaging.
3. Do not wash your face with hot water because it can suck the moisture out of your skin, leaving it dry and possibly irritated.
4. Wash your face twice per day, in the morning and before bedtime. Cleansing your face in the evening is more important to remove everything that has accumulated during the day. 
5. Gently pat your skin dry.
6. And resist the urge to dry your face with the family hand towel that's been hanging over the rack for several days. Bacteria can breed on the towel and be transferred to your clean, dewy face. Use a soft, clean cloth that you use only on your face.

Step 3: Toner

It is very important to pick the best toner for your skin type. Look for ingredients such as rose, hyaluronic acid, and chamomile extract. Using a toner with these ingredients ensures you hydrate and nourish your skin.

Skipping a toner in your skin routine is a mistake: it’s a crucial component of a serious skincare routine. You apply it to freshly cleansed skin before any other products. It works to restore balance to your skin before the rest of your routine, whether that’s out-of-whack pH or imbalanced oil production (skin that’s too oily or too dry.) A good toner helps oily skin dry out; it helps dry skin get more hydrated. A good toner also “resets” the skin to a healthy pH level (roughly 5.5 out of 14.)

Then, on your balanced and neutral skin, your other products are able to work that much more effectively. Using a toner is like putting down a coat of primer before painting your walls—you won’t see it in the end, but you’ve gotta do it if you want to do a good job.

What ingredients are in a toner?

• Rosewater for hydration
• Chamomile for soothing
• Tea Tree Oil to fight oil and bacteria
• Aloe Vera to calm inflammation and redness
• Vitamin E for hydration
• Plant stem cells for antioxidants and anti-aging properties

Best way to use a toner:

1. Soak a cotton pad with toner, then swipe it over your entire face, neck, and chest.
2. You should use a toner after washing your face and before using serum or moisturizer. If you want to go green and skip the cotton pad, you can also put a few drops of toner into the palms of your hands and then press them into your face.
3. Use a toner morning and night.
4. But if your skin gets dry or irritated easily, try once a day or every other day. Remember, these toners contain potent ingredients. And for more astringent formulas (designed for oily or acne-prone skin), use it every two days before gradually ramping up.

Step 4. Serums

Serums contain the most potent dose of anti-aging ingredients -- a concentration of antioxidants, peptides, and skin brighteners such as kojic acid. 

Skin care serums -- light, fast-absorbing liquids used as an alternative or in addition to creams or lotions. Serums do not have moisturizing ingredients which keep water from evaporating, so using a moisturizer with your serum is a good idea.

What ingredients are in serums?

Vitamin C & E: When choosing your product, look for one that contains vitamin E, which helps deliver vitamin C more effectively.

 In addition, C helps E transform into its more active form, enhancing the duo’s ability to quell free radicals.

When vitamins C and E are combined, they work together to provide very powerful antioxidant protection.

Ferulic acid is also a good addition to your skin-care routine — it helps stabilize vitamin C, which makes it less likely to irritate the skin.

Peptides: Peptides are amino acids that are the building blocks of certain proteins needed by the skin, like collagen and elastin. 

Peptides are strings of amino acids, which are the building blocks that make up proteins in our body, including

Kolic Acid: Kojic acid is sometimes used in health and beauty products to lighten the skin. It may be used to treat skin conditions, such as sun damage, scars, and age spots.

Best way to use a serum:

1. Serums are meant to be applied to your face in small tapping motions with your fingertips or your palms.
2. Do not rub your skin excessively, let the serum absorb into your skin on its own. To apply, take a pea-sized amount (about 3-4 drops) of the serum from the dropper into your palms.
3. Spread it between your palms without rubbing too much.
4. Dab the serum all over your face and neck using small and gentle tapping motions.
5. Wait for a couple of minutes for the serum to completely penetrate your skin before continuing with your skincare regime.

Step 5. Eye Treatment

Eye creams are more targeted moisturizers around the eyes. 

Fine lines and wrinkles come from both sun damage and your skin making less collagen as you age. Collagen helps maintain skin elasticity. Vitamin C, peptides, and retinol have boosted collagen production, studies of skin creams show.

Ceramide and hyaluronic acid also help; these moisturizers help prevent water loss in the skin and improve elasticity.

Look for formulas that have peptides, which boost hydration and help firm the skin to smooth fine lines and wrinkles.

What ingredients are eye treatments?

Peptides: Peptides are amino acids that are the building blocks of certain proteins needed by the skin, like collagen and elastin. 

Peptides are strings of amino acids, which are the building blocks that make up proteins in our body, including

Best way to use eye cream?

1. Use your ring finger because it naturally will have a gentle touch.
2. Use pea size amount of product.
3. Gently tap small dots under the eye, starting at the innermost corner of your eye, and do not get too close to your eyelashes.
4. Pat the eye cream into the skin.
5. Wait for cream to absorb.
6. Apply your other products.

Step 6: Moisturizer

In order to keep your skin healthy and clear, you must apply a moisturizer morning and night.

Since your skin repairs itself at night, you need to use a moisturizer that contains natural ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, lipids, and proteins. This will ensure that your skin is getting the hydration that it needs!

What ingredients should be in moisturizers?

Vitamin A: Topical retinoic acid — a form of vitamin A reduces fine lines and wrinkles in the skin by stimulating the production of collagen

Vitamin C: —also known as ascorbic acid—is a water-soluble nutrient that plays an important role in keeping your skin healthy. Topical vitamin C is clinically proven to have a wide range of clinical applications thanks to its antioxidant, antiaging, antipigmentary properties.

There are plenty of benefits to using vitamin C on your skin. Benefits of Vitamin C in moisturizer include:

1. safe for most skin types
2. hydration
3. brightening
4. reduce redness
5. reduce hyperpigmentation
6. reduces the appearance of under-eye circles
7. promotes collagen production
8. may help prevent sagging
9. may protect against sun damage
10. may soothe sunburns
11. may help wound healing

Vitamin E: The primary role of vitamin E in the skin is to prevent damage induced by free radicals and reactive oxygen species; therefore, the use of vitamin E in the prevention of UV-induced damage has been extensively studied.

When choosing your product, look for one that also contains vitamin E, which helps deliver vitamin C more effectively.

Lipids: For skin care, the most important are oils with high contents of linoleic and α-linolenic acid, which reduce the formation of eczemas or atopic dermatitis. These essential fatty acids incorporate into the cell membranes and regenerate the damaged lipid barrier of the epidermis and restrict water loss. The unsaturated fatty acids show prominent healing effects on skin inflammation and are used in various cosmetic products.

Studies have shown that the most effective topical products for our skin are the ones with a lipid composition almost identical to our skin’s own lipid composition: a 1:2:1 ratio of ceramides, cholesterol, and fatty acids. 

Proteins: A wide range of vegetable proteins is used in cosmetics, such as wheat, gluten rice, oats, sunflower, almonds and peanuts, and soy globulins. 

Proteins are ideal for moisturizing applications for the skin. Some proteins are used for the gelling and emulsifying effects.

Hyaluronic acid: Youthful skin retains its turgor, resilience, and pliability, among others, due to its high water content. Daily external injury, in addition to the normal process of aging, causes loss of moisture. The key molecule involved in skin moisture is hyaluronic acid (HA) which has a unique capacity to retain water.  

Best way to use a moisturizer:

1. Moisturizers should be applied to clean skin after you cleanse your face, as they prevent skin from drying out post-wash.
2. They're also most effective when applied to slightly damp skin, as they seal in moisture.
3. Apply using circular motions of your hands, including the neck. Do not drag your skin downwards.

Step 7: Skin Treatments

Skin treatments are the perfect addition to your nighttime skincare routine. Applying your favorite spot treatment on top of your moisturizer at night will help dry out unwanted zits.

Applying a thin layer of InviCible will help fade any facial marks or dark spots and even your skin tone.

At night, your skin works its hardest to repair itself, so spot treatments will help minimize your facial skin imperfections quickly.

What ingredients are in InviCible Primer?

Best way to use InviCible Primer?

Simplify your skincare and make-up routine with this 2-in-1 velvety sheer lotion. InviCible Primer+ glides on – weightless and silky – to instantly smooth and brighten your complexion. 

InviCible Primer+ can be applied under or over your usual skincare routine.

1. Use after cleansing and toning the skin.

2. Apply to your face twice daily, once in the morning and once in the evening.

The lightweight, non-greasy cream texture absorbs instantly.

InviCible is a medical-grade primer that can be added to any night skincare routine. Not only does the product work well as a makeup base, but it also works hard to correct facial imperfections while you sleep at night.

8. Face Mask

If you have time, try applying a face mask three times per week. The right face mask can improve the appearance of your pores, even out your skin tone, and hydrate your skin. This is the perfect way to pull out skin impurities and imperfections.

When shopping for a face mask, look for ingredients such as aloe vera (a key skincare ingredient found in InviCible), honey, avocados, and turmeric. These will soothe and soften the skin while fighting acne and blemishes.

REFERENCES: 

Removers:

https://www.healthline.com/health/oil-cleansing-method#benefits

https://www.jaad.org/article/S0190-9622(17)31391-9/fulltext

Trusted Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3425021/

Cleanser: https://www.westlakedermatology.com/blog/skin-cleansing-101-why-washing-your-face-is-important/

Toner: https://www.gq.com/story/best-face-toner-skincare

Hyaluronic acid: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.4161/derm.21923

Peptide:  https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/21/1/73

Lipids: https://biomeddermatol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s41702-020-00062-9

VItamin E: https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/health-disease/skin-health/vitamin-E

Vitamin C: https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/vitamin-c-serum-benefits#benefits

https://www.verywellhealth.com/vitamin-c-for-skin-5084225

Peptides: https://www.dermstore.com/blog/top_ten/what-peptides-do-for-skin/

Kolic Acid: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/319599#how-is-kojic-acid-used

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