Does a Morning Skincare Have To Be The Same For The One at Night?
If you have a well-established skincare routine, then you would know the benefits it has on your complexion. Having said this, there are many of you wanting to gain more out of your daily regime, by this I mean how, even the slightest difference between a day and night routine can have an enormous impact to your skin.
So, with that in mind we are going to dive right into some of the most popular questions we have been asked about whether morning skincare routine have to be the same for the one at night.
Should I use a different cleanser in the morning than at night?
Not necessarily, there are some contrasting opinions when it comes to cleansing your face twice a day. Some believe the cleanse in the evening is the most important due to the skin enduring a number of aggressors during the day, makeup products, exposure to UV rays, pollution and other free radical damage. The other opinion is to cleanse the skin twice daily to keep on top of any build-up of bacteria, debris and dead skin cells that can occur during all hours of the day. Neither are wrong, but it is a case of figuring out which works best for you. Here is a list of benefits that will help you on deciding which formulation and method is best for you and your skin.
Benefits of cleansing in the morning
Great for those with an oily skin type that are prone to frequent breakouts as the cleanser can remove any traces of remaining product and excess sebum from the night before
Using a formulation enriched in glycolic acid or vitamin C will give the skin an all-over luminous glow
By using a cleanser containing an AHA or BHA will allow the skin to absorb any following products quickly and effectively
You will find your makeup application is smoother and lasts longer
Cleansing the skin in the morning is considered a great way of mentally preparing yourself for the day ahead
Benefits of cleansing in the evening
You can perform a double cleanse, by firstly removing any traces of makeup with a micellar water formula followed by a richer cleanser to remove any remaining traces of product, bacteria and build-up of impurities
Cleansing in the evening will help set up your skin for a nourishing and replenishing routine, especially if you have active ingredients to help treat the skin and remove all traces of skin stresses from the day
Cleansing the skin at night is much more important than the morning as at the end of the day your skin has endured any stresses, from free radical damage, makeup products and other aggressors
You may also find the formulas of evening skincare product contain a different selection of ingredients that deep clean the skin, reaching the lower layers of the skin and clearing out pores of any impurities whilst knowing you won’t cause the skin to become too sensitive to UV exposure after application.
By now you should have established which cleanse would best suit you and your skin type, of course, you are also able to cleanse twice a day. This is particularly useful for those with oily skin, as previously mentioned. But those with dry or sensitive skin may want to limit the amount of times they cleanse and to pay close attention to the ingredients found in the formulas to prevent any irritation or skin reaction.
What should your nighttime skincare routine be?
Here is a simple list of the products of a nighttime routine that can have the best results and noticeable improvement to the skin.
Remove makeup with a micellar or other liquid cleanser
Cleanse the skin again with a more luxurious formula to remove any remaining traces and build-up allowing the skin to be fully cleansed
Use an acid toner containing AHA or BHA, such as glycolic or salicylic acid to the skin by sweeping a soaked cotton disc across the face. If you have sensitive skin it is best to skip this step
Apply a serum all over the face, opting for products enriched in hyaluronic acid or niacinamide will help hydrate the skin and lock in moisture after cleansing and the chemical exfoliation
Using your ring finger as it applies the least pressure, apply eye cream to the under-eye area
Apply an evening moisturiser to the face, neck and chest. Choose a cream containing high levels of antioxidants and replenishing ingredients to help rejuvenate the skin while you sleep
You can also treat the skin with an additional step of using an overnight face mask. You can find out more on our post about how to use an overnight face mask.
During an evening skincare routine is considered the optimal time to apply retinol products due to the fact that is this no exposure to UV rays that are known for making retinol useless. Be sure to read up on the best way of introducing retinol to your skincare routine as it is known for causing severe irritation if used incorrectly.
What should you apply the face in the morning?
For a morning routine there are many options when deciding on the best products for you and your lifestyle. There are a couple of stable steps in a daily routine that can change from person to person depending on their skin type. However, there are some that are considered immensely beneficial for all skin types;
Hyaluronic acid- as this acid naturally occurs in the body it very rarely causing skin irritation and can help hydrate the skin and keep the natural protective barrier fully functioning and combating free radicals and other impurities.
SPF- a daily application of SPF 30 and above will help protect the skin from a multitude of UV damage.
Should I tone my face in the morning and night?
Yes, this again depends on your skin type as dry and sensitive can begin to feel tight and uncomfortable especially if the formula contains high levels of facial acid and chemical exfoliator. Oily skins can also experience some levels of dryness if the ingredients are too potent or a product is overused. It is best not to strip the skin of vital oil and water as this can cause the skin to overproduce sebum resulting in breakouts and other spots.
Should I use a different moisturiser at night?
There is no right or wrong to this, but you will find that moisturisers made for your evening routines are generally thicker in texture and contain larger amounts of antioxidants.
Whilst we sleep, our skin naturally rejuvenate and reverses any damage caused from the day. Ensuring you get enough hours of sleep (8 hours is ideal) will help keep your skin looking its best, it is called beauty sleep for a reason after all. However, with today’s busy lifestyles it is rare for someone to sleep fully for 8 hours and so that is when night moisturisers step in to pick up the slack.
There you have some of the most common questions asked about morning and evening skincare routines and how ensuring they compliment each other will have impressive results to the complexion. If you are wanting to know more about which skin type you have to get a better understanding of putting together a successful skincare routine than check out our blog about the 4 most common skin types.
