Hello, and welcome to my nighttime skincare routine! In my careless youth, I went to bed without washing my face more than I’d like to admit. But somewhere in my mid-20’s, I committed to a nightly routine. Now I’m in my late 30’s, and it’s become a passion and major source of relaxation at the end of the day. But, let’s be real, it needs to be quick and easy, because at the end of the day I AM TIRED and ready to be in bed. (Remember how I said I mask in the mornings? This is why!)
Before we get going, just a little more about my skin. It’s normal to dry, even in summer. I have some enlarged pores in my t-zone and struggle with blackheads there. My goals for a nighttime routine are to repair my skin, keep aging nice and slow, and hydrate, hydrate, HYDRATE.
MY NIGHTTIME SKINCARE ROUTINE
STEP ONE (AND TWO) / CLEANSE, AND CLEANSE AGAIN
Do you double cleanse? It does take a little extra time, but this is my favorite part of the routine. The first cleanse is for taking off makeup and/or sunscreen (you’re wearing sunscreen, right?) My favorite is Jordan Samuel Skin’s The Aftershow. It’s a balm that melts into an oil on the skin and takes off everything, but is still super gentle. I’ll remove it with a microfiber washcloth, then move on to cleanse #2.
The second cleanse is for cleansing and treating your skin. Here, I love a milky cleanser, and my all-time favorite is Biologique Recherche Lait VIP O2. It’s pricey, but it’s magic for my skin, and calms, evens, and brightens my complexion. I like to massage it in for at least a full minute or two before rinsing it off.
STEP THREE / TREATMENTS
I have two versions of this step: one for Monday/Wednesday/Friday/Saturday and one for Tuesday/Thursday/Sunday.
On M/W/F/SA, the first thing I’ll use is a peptide serum, followed by a retinoid. Right now, I’m using Kate Somerville’s Bio-Mimicking Peptides, which has a lovely texture that sinks right into my skin. Since peptides firm and smooth, I like to pair it with a retinoid (aka retinol, retinal, or a prescription like tretinoin). Right now, I’m very into retinal, which is a step up from retinol, but not quite as strong (or irritating) as prescription retinoids. For the better part of last year, I tried to make tretinoin work for my skin, but I could never get over the peeling and dehydration. So, I stepped it back to Obagi Retivance, and it’s exactly what I was looking for. It softens and prevents fine lines without making my face a dry husk.
On T/TH/SU, I use NIOD CAIS3. Copper peptides help repair the skin and build collagen, so I like to use this as my active on nights off from retinal. The effect is subtle, but it seems like my skin is calmer and looks generally healthier when I’m using it.
In both routines, I will take these serums all the way up to the eye area as my eye treatment, and I’ve never experienced irritation or sensitivity.
STEP FOUR / HYDRATE
A mist isn’t an essential step, but it feels so nice! I use the same NIOD mist that I use in my morning routine. Next, I’ll use a hyaluronic acid serum, like this one from The Ordinary, or the same NIOD serum from my morning routine. It’s a nice light layer of hydration that plumps up the skin.
STEP FIVE / MOISTURIZE
For my eyes, I’ve been using AHC Eye Cream for Face, which I learned about from Caroline Hirons. I love how it sinks right into the skin and still leaves my eyes super moisturized. For my face, I like to use a rich cream, and lately I’ve been using Moisture Recovery Cream, a newer product from Jordan Samuel Skin. It’s buttery and moisturizing without clogging my pores.
STEP SIX / LIP BALM
It took me a while to get used to the feeling of lip balm at night, but now I love it and can’t stand waking up with dried out lips if I forget to use it. Especially in the winter, it helps keep my lips from flaking. I’m not super loyal to one brand, but at the moment I’m using Tatcha Kissu Lip Mask and enjoying it.
And that’s my nighttime routine! Have you used any of these products? What are your favorite nighttime skincare products?