From double-cleansing to clay masks, the nightly skincare routine for some people can look a little complicated. But it doesn’t have to be. Really, doing anything for your skin at all before bed is a good start — starting with the basics. “The non-negotiables are cleansing, toning, and moisturizing,” says NakedPoppy skin specialist Tara Parenti. “Truly a lot can be achieved by just doing that and doing it well.” Then, if you want to and have the time, you can incorporate extras like a mask or retinol. Here’s how.

Why a Dedicated Nighttime Skincare Routine Is So Important

But, you might ask, why can’t you just do your morning skincare routine again? It’s a good baseline, minus the SPF, but you might be missing out. You reap special benefits from having a dedicated evening routine, because at night, the skin is in regeneration mode. Your body’s clock, or circadian rhythm, is in a special phase at night, one that influences everything from transepidermal water loss, cellular reproduction, blood flow in the skin, and even skin temperature.

“Research shows that nighttime is the skin’s most important time of repair and regeneration,” explains Marisa Plescia, NakedPoppy’s research scientist. “First, our skin has the chance to repair all the potential damage from environmental aggressors that occurred during the day.” In fact, she says, studies have shown that repair of skin cells damaged by UV radiation is strongest at night. [1] This means your nighttime skincare can be geared towards repairing any wear and tear on your skin that typically occurs throughout the day.

Not only that, but “scientists have discovered that our skin is more permeable at night,” says Plescia. “Although increased skin permeability could lead to water loss through this skin, increased skin permeability can also allow for better absorbance of skin care products. Interestingly, research shows that skin penetration of both hydrophilic and lipophilic topical ingredients is at its maximum absorbance at 4 am.” [2] (Hydrophilic means it’s water-soluble, whereas lipophilic means it’s oil-soluble.) What this means for you: You get both better absorption (and thus better results) when you apply products at night.

With that in mind, we’ll walk you through the ideal nighttime skincare routine to get a look at the why and the when of how to apply certain products and ingredients.

Step 1) Cleanse first — and thoroughly

It’s always ideal to cleanse skin at night, even if you don’t wear makeup. Skin can still accumulate oil, pollutants, and other debris throughout the day — not to mention sunscreen. 

If you don’t usually wear makeup or have a 2-in-1 cleanser that both removes makeup and cleanses skin, a single cleanse is enough. 

But if you’ve worn physical sunscreen or makeup during the day, especially longwear makeup like waterproof mascara, consider doing a simple double cleanse. Start with an oil-based cleanser to lift away environmental pollution, makeup, and physical sunscreen, and then follow it up with a water-based or foaming cleanser afterwards to more deeply clean your skin itself.

Step 2) Prep skin with toner or essence

Next up: Toners, which are super-thin, water-based formulas designed to prep your skin. “Historically, traditional toners provide some level of astringency, or oil removal, for a more combination, oily, or blemish-prone skin,” says Parenti. “They can even include chemical exfoliants, which remove dead skin cells.” She recommends applying a small amount to a reusable bamboo round and gently swiping it over the face for an additional cleanse.

You can also swap in their more moisturizing cousin, essence. Similar to watered-down serums, “they are meant to dampen and soften the skin before serum and moisturizer application and provide a ton of water-rich humectants, anti-inflammatories, antioxidants and even brightening ingredients,” says Parenti. “For some, this can also be a person’s ‘tone’ step, as they may not require astringency.”

Consider an essence if your skin is dry or mature, and go for a toner if you lean more oily. Pro tip: “Never let your essence dry,” she says. So, apply your serum or moisturizer immediately after your essence, while skin is still damp.

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Step 3) Apply your targeted serum

Serums offer high concentrations of active ingredients to target specific skin issues — more so than your average moisturizer. 

For instance, it could offer an extra burst of hydration. “This could be in the form of a water-based hydrating serum like Ere Perez Quandong Green Booster Serum, which will quench parched skin and soothe redness and sensitivity,” says Parenti.

Antioxidants are another great option. “Strong antioxidants such as vitamins C and E help repair DNA damage and protect against reactive oxidative species after UV exposure,” says Plescia. “Since at night the skin is already at its peak of repair from environmental aggressors, adding antioxidants will only add to and further strengthen the protection against oxidative damage.” Think of it as playing defense against both today’s and tomorrow’s environmental aggressors.

This is also a good opportunity to incorporate a retinol product, which are often offered as serums. “Retinoids can easily break down under UV radiation, and thus most retinol products should be applied at night,” Plescia explains. “This provides the retinol the opportunity to effectively work and be active without the potential of UV light breaking them down.”

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Step 4) Pat on an eye cream

While eye cream is optional in the morning, it’s always a good idea at night, since you’ll reap the same overnight repair benefits as the rest of your face (important, because for many the delicate eye area is the first to show lines and wrinkles). Plus, many eye creams also tend to be thicker and thus need more time to settle into skin — which doesn’t always jive with concealer during the day.

You can choose to apply it before or after your serum step; it’s a matter of personal preference. “I use the size of a rice kernel for both eyes and keep application to the orbital eye bone,” says Parenti, who applies it before serum. 

Step 5) As always, moisturize skin

Last but not least, seal everything in with a moisturizer. “Since transepidermal water loss, which is the loss of moisture through the skin, is higher at nighttime, it’s essential to add moisturizers to your nighttime skincare routine,” says Plescia. “An ingredient category called humectants retain and bind to water, thus allowing for a reduction in this transepidermal water loss at night.”

You can choose between a traditional moisturizing cream, such as Odacité Oleosomes Time Release Delivery Crème, or an oil such as NakedPoppy Revitalize Organic Facial Oil. So long as you’re getting a combination of humectants and emollients or occlusives — humectants hydrate within skin, emollients replenish the barrier, and occlusives create a seal — your skin will be set. (For more on moisturizing properly, read our deep dive on it.)

Evening Optional: Exfoliate

You might find exfoliating ingredients, such as lactic acid and salicylic acid, in other steps of your routine, but Parenti recommends having a dedicated exfoliating step at least once a week. “Doing a treatment like this will target conditions such as hyperpigmentation, hormonal breakouts, and uneven texture — and promote overall brightening and smoothing of the skin,” she explains. “And again, it will enhance the penetration and performance of your following products.

A clean chemical exfoliating treatment (meaning it uses acids to dissolve dead skin cells, versus a physical scrub), such as Maya Chia The Refresh Resurfacing Moisture Mask or Odacité Bioactive Rose Gommage, is best reserved for evenings since some chemical exfoliants, such as alpha hydroxy acids, can make skin sensitive to the sun.

Evening Optional: Mask

To target particular concerns with more potent active ingredients, consider adding a mask to your evening routine once or twice a week (use it after cleansing and toning, but before your serum). Choose a mask depending on your skin type and concern, such as 54 Thrones Kahina Lava Cleansing Mask for congested or oily skin or a replenishing moisture mask for dryness. “You can even apply two different masks on the face simultaneously — for example, a clay mask in the T-zone and a moisturizing mask everywhere else,” says Parenti.

That said: Whatever you choose to incorporate into your nightly routine, just make sure that it feels good to you. “People feel tremendous pressure to be using many different products on their face every single night, and that’s simply not the case,” Parenti says. “Your at-home care should create an experience that makes you feel good, both physically and mentally.”

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References

[1] Studies have shown that repair of skin cells damaged by UV radiation is strongest at night:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6777699/

[2] Skin penetration of both hydrophilic and lipophilic topical ingredients is at its maximum absorbance at 4 am:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/002432059502123Z