My Night Time Skincare Routine

In February I posted My Morning Skincare Routine, which a lot of my readers really liked. So this month I am sharing My Night Time Skincare Routine with you all, where I will share some more beauty tips and things I have learnt as over the many years I worked as a Skincare Consultant. 

Like I have mentioned before, everyone’s skin is different and everyone’s skincare routines will vary depending on many variations; for example, skin type, skin conditions etc. However, the key thing to always remember is that any sort of regular routine will not only have short term but long term benefits for your skin.

WHY IS A NIGHT TIME SKINCARE ROUTINE IMPORTANT?

In the morning we use a skincare routine to prepare our skin for the day ahead; whether it’s protection against UV rays, dehydration or even to prepare the skin for our daily makeup. Whatever the reason, it is important to clean and protect the skin to start your day.

A night time routine is obviously different and has different benefits to aid healthier skin. In the evening, no matter what sort of day you have had, whether you work outside, inside or on an aeroplane, our skin will have had many thermic shocks to the layers of our skin. Our skin may have absorbed dirt, makeup, pollution as well as excess oil or may have become dehydrated. Basically, at the end of the day, our skin needs a little TLC!

Below are the basic steps you should be taking to aid natural recovery and repair your skin whilst you are cramming in your 8 hour sleep. These include:

• Removing makeup
• Cleansing or double cleansing
• Toning
• Moisturising

I will be preparing a third post in this series of sharing my skincare routines, which will include my weekly skincare products, which will go into more detail with advice to deeper cleaning of the skin.

So let me explain more and show you what I do every evening before bed to ensure my skin stays clean, happy and healthy.

REMOVE THE MASK – MICELLAR CLEANSING WATER

On days that I have worn makeup, even if it was just mascara and BB cream, I always reach for my Garnier Skin Active Micellar Cleansing Water. I use the green bottle, which has been formulated for combination and sensitive skin. I use this product on cotton pads to which I sweep over the face, eyes and neck to remove all traces of makeup. I like how my skin feels after using this product, it leaves no irritation or redness and is so much better than using facial wipes! Facial wipes are a big NO NO so don’t use them. Micellar water is the best alternative as it will pick up any traces of makeup instead of just moving it around which will irritate your skin. You will be surprised how quickly you can get out of the routine of using makeup wipes when you start to use micellar water instead and trust me your skin will thank you for it.

WASH IT ALL AWAY – FACIAL WASH

Personally, I love the feel of water when I am cleansing, so even if I have removed my makeup before hand with my micellar water, I will always cleanse my face and neck with a facial wash to ensure that all traces of makeup and build up of the day have been washed away. I mentioned the Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit Facial Wash in my morning skincare routine post and how much I enjoy using this wash both in the morning and in the evening. It is great with my combination skin, as it keeps my skin soft and clear without drying my skin; plus it smells gorgeous and really helps to keep blemishes at bay.

REFRESH AND CALM THE SKIN – TONER

This has to be my all time favourite Liz Earle skincare product. You may have seen in my morning routine I like to use this Instant Boost Skin Tonic in the spritz version but of an evening I like to use it from the bottle. Using two cotton pads, I use a 50p amount which soaks into the cotton pads and I take one in each hand and using soft sweeping motion I lightly sweep across my forehead, my t-zone, jaw and neck. This helps to pick up any cleanser residue, rebalances the PH in the skin, plus calms and tones the skin in preparation for the next step in the routine.

20+1 PLANT EXTRACTS – USE A SERUM

I have used the Clarins Double Serum for years and this was always a product I recommended to all my customers, any skin type, any age, when I used to work for this brand. Over the years you may have seen this product in different bottles as Clarins pride themselves on innovation and providing the best of the best. I couldn’t live without this product. Full of vitamins and nutrients, I use one pump, warmed in my hands and pressed/lightly sweep onto my face and neck, every night before bed. Personally, I notice if I miss this product out of my routine because it always brightens my skin, evens my skin tone as well as keeps my skin looking clear from blemishes, plus it’s anti-ageing! It is my current must-have serum and I would definitely still recommend it to everyone who is looking for a serum for their skincare routine.

AN 8 HOUR SLEEP IN A BOTTLE – NIGHT CREAM

This has to be favourite Clarins product of all time. I have used this night cream for nearly 8 years and even though I have tried other night creams that I have received as PR samples, this is the one I always come back to. It is the perfect night cream! The Multi-Active Night Cream is for the first signs of ageing and as I am coming up to the big 3 0! I can be sure that this product will keep me looking 21 years young. I use the one formulated for normal/combination skin which is great for my skin type as it doesn’t clog my pores or make me oily. After applying the Double Serum, I use a pea sized amount of this night cream which I lightly warm in my palms and apply either pressing into the skin or lightly sweeping across my face and neck. The best thing about this product is that it gives the skin the illusion of an 8 hour sleep, so you wake up with radiant and healthy looking skin.

SOOTHE THOSE EYES – EYE CREAM

As I mentioned in my morning routine, I love using the Clarins Multi-Active Eye. It compliments my night cream as well as keeping those fine lines that are creeping in in-check! This is another important step before bed as a good eye cream can aid the recovery of the eye area whilst you sleep. This one specifically helps with fine lines, dark circles as well as puffiness. The texture is so cooling and light and is brilliant left in the fridge to enhance the cooling effect around the eyes, which some of us need if we have had a long day and our eyes show it.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST – FACIAL OIL

I wasn’t sure whether to include this product in this post or my weekly skincare post but I will probably do both now. Facial treatment oils can be quite scary, especially if you have oily/combination skin or even if you don’t like the idea of oil on your skin. However, the Clarins treatments oils are made with 100% plant extracts and applying up to just 3 drops into your night cream or instead of your night cream can help treat any skin conditions or problems like dehydration or dry skin. In this case, the Clarins Lotus Oil is a treatment oil for oily/combination skin and works to trick the skin into thinking it has produced enough oil on the skin to slow the over production of oil to the surface of the skin. It really does work!

This a product I have used for years and some times I use it every night with my night cream or a couple of nights a week. It always depends on what my skin is like that day. When I do use this oil before bed, I always wake up in the morning with little to no oil on my skin and I then proceed to carry out my morning skin routine, which then removes what is left anyway. Definitely give a treatment oil a try if you are looking for something a little bit more than your night cream.

So there it is, my night time skincare routine and some of the techniques I use to ensure that I keep my skin looking clean and healthy (and young!) 

Have you tried any of these products before? What is your go to night time skincare products?

Pinar xo

**this post contains affiliate links & gifted products (all opinions are my own see disclaimer for more info)