What was the one thing your mother always badgered you about while growing up? For me, it was brushing my teeth and washing my face. My teeth got lucky, as I formed a religion around flossing and brushing every single day, twice a day. A routine I’ve proudly kept up. As for my face, however, it didn’t get so lucky. Teenage-me despised the thought of forming a nightly skin care routine. If it didn’t involve laying in bed watching dozens of makeup tutorials on YouTube, it wasn’t for me. When I reached my mid-twenties I knew I needed to change my ways, and my skin, for good.
Developing a nightly skin care routine doesn’t have to be complicated. I think that’s why I put it off for so many years, because I thought I had to use the fanciest, most expensive products in order to achieve the best results. I know it’s tough when we see influencers who have a 12-step skin care routine with all Drunk Elephant products (no shade, it’s a great brand!). But you don’t have to break the bank in order to have a good line-up for your routine.
Better Late Than Never: How To Develop A Nightly Skin Care Routine
Here are my personal tips for developing a night time skincare routine. These are the same tips I recommend my clients.
Step #1 Remove Makeup
First thing’s first: TAKE YOUR MAKEUP OFF! This is probably the simplest and easiest thing you can do for yourself to have better, healthier skin. When I was younger, I would leave my makeup on for a couple days at a time without completely taking it off. I know – I can almost FEEL the makeup Gods casting their judgement-filled eyes down upon me! When I finally began taking care of my face and washing it every single night, ESPECIALLY after wearing makeup all day, that’s when I began to see the most amazing results. I love using a damp Makeup Eraser cloth to take off the majority of the makeup and then I follow that up by double cleansing with a makeup removing cleanser (my favorite is the CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser).
Step #2 Exfoliate
After the makeup is completely off and my skin is squeeky-clean, I will either exfoliate with a gentle facial scrub or move right on to a serum. The reason you don’t want to exfoliate every day is because exfoliating can strip your skin of natural oils, which can lead to breakouts…and we don’t like those, ladies. Instead, choose two to three days as your designated exfoliating days and get yourself a good facial scrub (preferably one with salycitic acid which can help reduce inflammation and acne). I like to think of exfoliating as I think of treating myself to my favorite comfort foods: everything in moderation! You don’t want to do it too much, or you might regret it and obtain undesired results.
Step #3 Use A Serum
Serums are something I didn’t start using until my aesthetician told me it would be a good idea to start, especially with turning 30 this past year. Before, I would basically just wash my face and move right onto moisturizer, but after adding the step of a serum to my routine my skin has become so much softer and I have definitely seen improvement with my fine lines and wrinkles! And c’mon, who wouldn’t love those results?
My favorite serum at the moment is the Cosmedica Hyaluronic Acid Serum, which I find on Amazon at a super affordable price. You can either apply the serum on to your skin first before your moisturizer, or you can mix the both of them together. I usually mix them, just to avoid an extra step. At the moment, I am loving the Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors, but I also love the Neutrogena Hydro-Boost Moisturizer, another reasonably priced product (we love being boujee-on-budget!).
Step #4 Use Skincare Products
The last step is not absolutely necessary, but if you want to begin taking precautionary steps to avoid wrinkles and dark circles under your eyes, eye creams and serums are the way to go. After I apply my serum/moisturizer combo and let it sink into the skin, I then take The Ordinary Caffeine Solution and apply this in the creases under my eyes to help reduce the appearance of puffiness and darkness (10/10 would recommend this product!). Again, this step was not something I took precedence over in the past, but ever since I started implementing an eye product into my nightly skincare routine, I began to see positive results and I no longer feel the need to say “Do you like my eye-bags? They’re by Chanel!”
In Closing
All of these suggestions are only that: suggestions. There are so many different skincare products on the market right now, so it is best to do your own research and talk with your aesthetician to come up with a perfect regimen that fits your lifestyle the best! This is not a one-size-fits-all industry. If it was, our lives would be a heck of a lot easier. It is truly about finding the right products for your own individual skin and developing a love for taking care of it. At the end of the day, your personal skin care journey isn’t just about making sure your face is clean and makeup-free; it’s about boosting your confidence, practicing self-care and unapologetically loving the skin you are in!
I hope you found my personal nightly skincare routine tips helpful. Do you have a nightly skin care routine? Tell us about it in the comments below.
