Nightly Skin Care Essentials

cjgreenw
Mar 18, 2018
4 min read

Updated: Apr 28, 2018

The 5 steps everyone should take to maintain a clear and healthy face.

Keeping up with skincare can be daunting and at the end of a long day, just plain exhausting. The world of skincare holds many tricks, fancy treatments, and what’s trending more recently-- 10-step Korean skin routines! I digress, however, it maintaining clear skin doesn’t have to be a hassle. By following these five easy steps before bed each night, anyone can have glowing skin that they’re proud to show off.

1. Remove your makeup!

Taking off makeup from the day is a vital step. It can also be the simplest. With makeup wipes, it only takes about a minute to wipe away the day's makeup from your face. Makeup removing wipes are perfect for this and there is a great selection of them sold at the drugstore. A tip from this lazy college girl- buy a few packs of these wipes and leave them EVERYWHERE. On your nightstand to grab after a fun night out, in your backpack for those late night library sessions, or even a travel-size pack of wipes for your purse or car. Now I urge you to continue on with the following steps to thoroughly clean and add nutrients to your skin, but if you can only muster up the energy for one step, this should be the one.

2. Cleanse your face

After removing the majority of the makeup with a wipe, use your favorite cleanser to remove the spots you missed. If you’re just starting out with skin care or maybe you’ve been consistently breaking out with pimples and other blemishes, try a simpler cleanser. A simple cleanser is one that is scentless and doesn’t contain too many chemicals and irritating ingredients. Cetaphil is one of the top “simple cleansers” and it can be purchased almost anywhere, from drugstores to Target/Walmart, and even ordered online. With so many different types of cleansers out there, it will take time to find one that works well for your skin type. Try a cleaner out for about two weeks and if your skin concerns are getting better (or at least, not getting worse) you can continue to use it nightly.

3. Exfoliate

This step can be super helpful, but only if done correctly. Exfoliating your face should only be done two nights per week (in place of using a cleaner). If your skin is extra sensitive, meaning it breaks out or turns red and irritated often, then only exfoliate once a week. Exfoliating too often will lead to irritation dehydrated skin. Exfoliating products are meant to remove the dead skin from your face. Getting rid of dead/dry skin buildup will allow your other skincare products to soak in better and it will make applying your makeup much easier. There are two types of exfoliants: physical and chemical. A physical exfoliating product contains some time of small material like sugar or crystal-like grains that, when rubbed against the skin, will remove dry patches. A chemical exfoliant uses special ingredients to loosen dead skin cells (ew). Which type of exfoliant you choose to use is up to personal preference.

4. Toner or skin essence

After cleaning your face, the pH of your skin (fancy science word for acidity level) is all out of whack. Using a facial toner will help return your precious skin back to its rightful pH. Along with balancing pH levels, a toner will also remove any last bits of makeup that the wipe and cleaner missed. You’d be surprised how makeup and grime can hide in your pores… pretty sneaky. A toner is often used by pouring it only a cotton pad and gently rubbed onto the skin, or it is a spray bottle that you mist onto your face. The method of application is not important, but the use of a toner, in general, is often neglected. This step will leave your skin feeling refreshed and prep it the final step.

5. MOISTURIZE

The big WHA-BAMB! The grand finale of any good skincare routine. Moisturizer should be used no matter what skin type you may have. A common myth is that oily skin does not require moisturizer because it is just adding more greasy moisture to the skin… WRONG! Oily skin can be caused by extreme dehydration of the skin. A good moisturizer can add water (not oil) to the skin and prevent future water-loss. Another tip from your favorite up-state girl, combat stubborn dry patches on your face with a moisturizing balm that has a thicker, ointment-like like texture.

Clean skin can build confidence and make you feel free on those no-makeup days. It can be hard to muster up the energy for skin care after a long day when all you want is to fall into bed. Remember, it’s called a skincare “routine” for a reason. By committing to nightly routine, each night is easier than the last and you will stop forgetting to do it. This may sound crazy to beginners, but after many nights of your beloved skin care routine, missing a night of it can make you sad… I know, crazy.