While starting your day with good skin is important, that has more to do with your night time skincare routine than with your morning one. Skin needs to repair itself overnight, and your skin care regimen can either help it or hinder it.
Discover the worst bedtime skin care mistakes and do your best to avoid them for the sake of your skin, both in the short term and in the long run. Here are the bad skin care habits to banish from your bedtime regimen.
Not Removing Your Makeup
Going to bed with your skin covered by makeup, or not properly cleansed of it, can make cellular repair much harder, and you’re likely to wake up looking tired. Sleeping in your makeup is one of the worst skin care mistakes you can make, so make sure you take your time to cleanse you skin thoroughly every single night.
Removing Your Makeup Too Harshly
While sleeping in your makeup is bad, over-exfoliating is also one of the worst bedtime skin care mistakes. Use a gentle cleanser with AHA or BHA exfoliation instead of scrubbing too hard. Pulling and prodding your skin at night just means more stress for your complexion, and it’s not the right thing to do after your skin already had to face environmental damage all day.
Drying Your Skin Before Bed
Many makeup removers and toners strip the skin of all the natural oils that keep moisture in. Over-drying your skin before bedtime might feel like the right thing to do, especially if you’re dealing with acne, but it’s the wrong approach. When you dry your skin too much before bed, your skin will work overtime to produce sebum and you might wake up with a greasy complexion and clogged pores.
Over Moisturizing
When you’re using a moisturized that’s not suited to your skin, you can easily go too far and use thicker coats. However, over moisturizing is also one of the worst bedtime skin care mistakes. If you’re having trouble with dry skin, switch to a richer moisturizer, don’t just use more of your regular one. When your skin can’t absorb all the product you use, the result includes clogged pores.
See also: Best Overnight Beauty Tricks
Using Day Products
There’s a reason why there are day creams and night creams. Products designed specifically for night time use are formulated to aid cell repair while you rest. Antioxidants and retinoids are great ingredients to look for in your products for evening use, so if you want to see results, then you better make the right product choice.
Jumping In Bed Right After Your Night Cream Application
Even if you don’t over moisturize, one of the worst bedtime skin care mistakes is letting your skin touch your pillowcase right after applying a good cream. Leave the products penetrate your skin for a few minutes before jumping in bed. If you allow your products to rub on your pillowcase, they’ll become a breeding ground for bacteria and increase the risk of a breakout.
Letting Your Bangs Get in the Way
Your hair should always be kept away from your face in your sleep, especially if you use hair products right before going to bed. But using products on your bangs can be the most damaging, since they get on your skin, and can cause irritation or contribute to clogged pores.
Underestimating the Importance of Your Pillowcase
Unless you manage to sleep on your back all night, your pillowcase can also be involved in some of the worst bedtime skin care mistakes. Forget about rough cotton and go for a satin pillowcase in order to decrease the friction. Wash your pillowcase at least once a week to prevent it from gathering bacteria.
Turning Up the Heat Before Bedtime
Warm temperatures help you fall asleep in more comfortable way, but if you’re too warm when you go to bed, you might be dripping in sweat a few hours later. Keep the temperature in your bedroom in check and add a humidifier to prevent low air moisture from affecting your skin.
See also: 10 Toners Your Skin Will Love
Going to Bed Dehydrated
Definitely one of the worst bedtime skin care mistakes, going to sleep after a few alcoholic drinks can quickly get you dehydrated. Drink plenty of water before bedtime if you care about your skin.
