Why is nighttime skincare routine important?
When you go to bed at night, your skin finally gets the chance to repair, rejuvenate, and undo all the daytime damage. Your skin actively produces new skin cells and improves your skin's texture. When your pores are clogged, your skin does not get the chance to breathe and carry out its overnight repair process. Your nighttime routine is all about keeping your skin hydrated, treating acne-prone skin, and addressing skin concerns. For targeted skincare concerns, such as pigmentation, acne and ageing skin, more potent ingredients like retinol and skincare acids would be called upon at night instead of the day as these ingredients have adverse reactions to sunlight and, if used during the day, could damage the skin further.The night skin care routine comprises of a double cleanse (cleansing oil & cleanser), exfoliation, toner/essence, serum, sheet mask, and moisturizer.
Steps
- Step 1 - Oil / Balm Cleanser
First step in double cleansing. It’s formulated with lightweight plant oils, and they emulsify (or lather) when combined with water. This allows oil cleansers to effectively cleanse away dirt and impurities without stripping or weighing down the skin, making them a great option for those with dry or sensitive skin types.
Second step in double cleansing. Water cleansers are used to remove water based impurities like sweat and dirt. Double cleansing helps to prevent breakouts and allows your skin to be clear and clean.
For clogged ports and removal of dead skin, exfoliating is the process of scrubbing away dead cells that gather on the uppermost layer of your skin. These cells would fall off naturally after a while. Exfoliant can clear them away and improve your skin's appearance.
- Step 4 & Step 5 - Toner/Essence
A toner is a water-based liquid used after cleansing the skin to further remove any dirt, oil, and debris, and preps the skin for the rest of the products in your skincare routine. Although an essence is used right after cleansing, it does the opposite of a toner. Essences refer to lightweight, liquid formulations, often water-based, that can add a boost of hydration or brightening to the skin and are meant to be applied as a first step after cleansing.
Sheet masks are known for their ability to provide intense hydration to the skin. The sheet helps lock in the moisture, preventing it from evaporating quickly. Masks are designed to be placed on the face for at least 15-20 minutes to deliver targeted ingredients to the skin.
Moisturizers hydrate the surface layers of the skin. Their main skin benefit is that they seal the skin, locking in moisture and nutrients, while protecting the skin from environmental irritants.
