Have you ever fallen asleep without taking off your make-up? The purists in skincare would be aghast if you did do such a thing. You probably had a glass too many or were just plain overtired and thought, “I’ll do it in the morning.” No harm done. Wrong!
It’s a good thing that there is no-one around to see you when you wake up. Dull, pasty face creased, smudging around the eyes. Not a pretty sight.
More importantly, very bad for your skin. You need a night-time plan for your skin, and you need to stick to it.
Your skin is exposed to so much pollution during the day. You’re probably not even aware of just how tough it is for your skin every day. During the night, your skin has a chance to repair itself, but only if you treat it before you go to sleep.
This means that you must cleanse your face properly and take off your make-up (every bit of it) before you go to sleep. Hydration and nourishment will ensure your face remains radiant during the day.
This should be your routine:
Take off the make-up with a mild remover (there are many products than can gladly assist). You should now use a cleanser, followed by a toner. Lastly, use a moisturizer that can supply your skin with everything it has lost during the day. You could also use a hydrating mask before applying the moisturizer just to make sure that your face gets all that pre-sleep nourishment.
In the winter months, also have a humidifier in your bedroom so your face doesn’t dry out during the night.
What about avoiding wrinkles? There are so many products that claim to get rid of wrinkles and we know some are better than others. Whatever product you choose should be used after using the mask and the moisturizer.
You should also do your night-time routine about 30 minutes before going to bed, so you don’t get cream over your pillows. Also, the face needs that time to let the creams get absorbed completely into the skin.
The expression “beauty sleep” relates to this repair and nourishment of the skin while you are sleeping. There have also been studies that show that people who have been deprived of sleep have a harmful effect on the skin. It is almost as if they have been robbed of their beauty.
Seven hours of sleep needed
You need at least seven hours of sleep a night. Your skin cells need this time to renew themselves to face another grueling day. This time of regeneration is essential if your skin is to look beautiful for as many years as possible. When skin cells are renewed, it always results in younger, fresher looking skin.
You also don’t need to go through your routine all in one go. You can do the cleaning and moisturizing and then go and prepare supper or watch some television. Leave the last bit of the process until you are ready for bedtime.
It’s important to know that Vitamin A and C are great for the skin! They are known to help in the regeneration of cells. You can take supplements containing these vitamins as part of your daily regimen as well as drinking plenty of water. This is essential for your body and is also known to have great skin repair properties.
Skin possesses a natural quality called sebum, a substance manufactured by the sebaceous glands. This production process is at its most active during the day and not so great at night.
This can leave the skin dry, itching, and irritated. This is the reason for the use of moisturizer and toner as part of your night-time routine.
Dry skin is more prone to develop wrinkles. That is why it is essential that it receives all the moisture it can get before going to sleep.
