My Night Time Skincare Routine
Your night time skincare routine plays such an important role in promoting cell recovery & regeneration, especially after being exposed to environmental pollutants, stress, as well as infrared & blue light throughout the day. I have combination oily skin & my current goal is to preserve the skin I have now for as long as possible, & not necessarily anti-aging because we all know this is impossible, haha! I'm super happy that I've finally found products that I thoroughly enjoy using & actually find effective in helping preserve the integrity of my skin.
I've listed my routine in order down below + posted an IGTV on my Instagram so that you can see how I actually apply all of my products. Please be aware that these are products that I've found work for my skin. Depending on your skin type & what your skincare concerns are, your skin can have a completely different reaction than what I experience. Always patch test when trying out new products so that your whole face isn't affected if you do end up having a reaction. Ok ok... now let's get into the routine!
Oil-based Cleanser: If you're still using makeup wipes, I'm not judging you... ok I'm judging you a little bit. BUT really, please do yourself a favor & stop using those Neutragena makeup wipes. Your makeup, spf, & the dirt that builds up on your face during the day will not be removed by a little wipe. The skin tugging that also happens with trying to get your makeup off with a wipe puts a lot of stress on your skin & accelerates the aging process. Instead of a wipe, try an oil-based cleanser, like the Sulwhasoo Gentle Cleansing Oil. Begin by massaging this into your face & neck in small circular motions to start the breakdown process. Once all your makeup is broken down, wet your hands & massage the same areas again to emulsify the product. It should turn milky. Since doing this, I no longer have black heads or clogged pores!
Water-based Cleanser: Currently, I'm using the Summer Fridays Super Amino Gel Cleanser as a second cleanse to wash off whatever is left from my first cleanse. As its name suggests, it's a gel cleanser that's jam packed with a ton of amino acids. We already have amino acids in the outermost layer of our skin, aka the stratum corneum, or more commonly known, our skin's moisture barrier. They're the main components of Natural Moisturizing Factor (NMF) & are considered to be a natural moisturizer. Bottom line, this cleanser doesn't strip your face of any moisture, but instead keeps it moisturized. Every time I wash my face I notice that my skin doesn't feel dry or tight, which I love!
Essence/Toner: One of my favorite steps of my routine because this is where I start the process of actually adding moisture back into my skin. My holy grail is the Laneige Cream Skin Toner & Moisturizer. This product is a thin, milky liquid whose purpose is to moisturize & improve the skin's moisture barrier. It contains white leaf tea water, which is an ingredient that also has a ton of amino acids, like the cleanser. The way I use this is by adding a couple of drops in the palms of my hands, then patting it onto my face & neck. The patting motion is something I practice with all of my skincare products because it allows for optimal absorption. I also add one layer of the Erborian Yuza Double Lotion for added antioxidants. Depending on how dry your skin feels, you can add however many layers you want. If you want a more in depth explanation about the differences between essences & toners, lmk down below!
Serum: This next step is where I add any of my serums. For those of you who are a little confused about serums, they're basically intended for more targeted concerns, i.e. hyperpigmentation, wrinkles, acne, etc. In order to preserve my skin, I have to keep it well-hydrated, which is why I use the L'oreal 1.5% Hyaluronic Acid Serum. Hyaluronic acid is a type of humectant & works by retaining water. By retaining water, you're preventing the loss of moisture in your skin. I used to use the Versed Hyaluronic Acid Serum, which was much more watery in texture. The L'oreal one is a lot more viscous & takes a little bit more time to absorb.
Custom Curology: This is my best kept secret. When I started working as a new graduate nurse in 2018, I noticed I was developing a lot hormonal acne around my chin. Mind you, I never had an issue with acne growing up, just the occasional zits at the time of the month. Because my pimples weren't going away at the time & my best friend's cystic acne was cured after recommending this product to her based on online reviews, I decided to sign up myself. I'm still using it to this day primarily for the retin-A that I'm able to get with my formula. My custom bottle consists of Tretinoin 0.09% (unclogs pores, improves fine lines, skin tone, texture & firmness), Clindamycin 1% (antibacterial & anti-inflammatory), & Azelaic Acid 5% (unclogs pores, improves skin texture, & lightens dark spots). This is the one product that's pretty much claimed its spot in my routine. If you want to try it out for yourself, you can trial it for 1 month for $4.95 + tax! Click here.
Facial Oil: Tbh, I like this step because I enjoy how it feels on my skin. Sometimes that's all it takes for me to want to use it & that's totally ok! The one I use is Indie Lee's Squalane Facial Oil. This product, unlike hyaluronic acid, is an emollient. This category differs from a humectant, like my HA serum, because they mainly consist of lipids & oils that help hydrate the skin. I don't think you necessarily need a facial oil, but no doubt that it feels super luxurious & good on the skin.
Eye Cream: This is one product that people go back & forth about. I use the Belif Peat Miracle Revital Eye Cream, & although it doesn't necessarily have ingredients that are proven to slow down the signs of aging I personally still enjoy using it. It has a beautiful, slightly thick texture that actually feels cooling around the eyes. If you're unsure about including an eye cream in your routine because you think it's a gimmick, I would suggest finding a product that has ingredients, such as retinol, vitamin c, ceramides, etc., to target fine lines & wrinkles, dark circles, & dryness. Check out this one from Paula's Choice & this one from Glow Recipe.
Face Cream: To seal everything I've just applied to my face, I use my trusty Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream. I'm not picky with face cream because I feel like everything that I've just applied to my face does the job for me. I also find that face creams are really expensive after only lasting about what? a month or two? & I wouldn't even see the effect it has on my skin anyway! If you think differently, let me know why in the comment section ;-)
Lip Balm: Hallelujah! We made it to the end of the routine. I finally top off my skincare routine with my Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask, which I promote ALL the time on my Instagram. At this point, I don't even use this as a 'mask', but instead as my actual lip balm. It's great at providing moisture back into my lips & has this amazing effect of actually keeping them moisturized even after it's come off. It's a miracle product. Trust me, you'll never go back to regular chapstick or petroleum jelly after you've tried this.
If you've stuck it out til the end, you're a champ. Thank you! I really hope you enjoyed reading about my routine & understand why I've chosen to use certain products. Be kind to yourself if you haven't quite found your routine yet. It took me quite some time before I was able to understand my skin & how each product worked with it & in conjunction with other products. Definitely do your research & consult with your dermatologist if you have any concerns about a certain product or ingredients.
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