Skin Smart Installment 3: Morning & Evening Skin Care
In today’s installment of Skin Smart we are talking about skin care in the morning and at night and if you are anything like just about every woman on the planet, your morning and night skincare routines are probably pretty one-size-fits-all. Same cleanser, same cream, etc. Turns out your day and night skincare regimen should be as different as day and night. Most of how we age occurs during the daytime with exposure to UV rays and pollutants, wearing makeup as well as oil build-up, and bacteria. Nighttime, on the other hand, is all about undoing the day’s damage. While you get some much-needed rest at night, you skin goes into overdrive to repair itself, so nighttime should be all about hydrating the skin and pumping it full of nutrients, so here is a step-by-step guide that will help fight premature aging around the clock:
IN THE MORNING
CLEANSER – You have just been sleeping, so what is there to wash off? Well, your skin was hard at work getting dirty in your sleep. It is important to start your day with this step. You want to clear your skin of the morning-after residue of sebum and dead skin cell build-up that occurs overnight. My favorite morning cleanser is Neutrogena Acne Stress Control Cream Power Wash. It has 2% salicylic acid, green tea, and aloe. Cleans my skin while removing built up oil and dead skin cells without drying my skin.
SERUM – Serums are an essential mid-step between cleansing and moisturizing because many serums are formulated with tinier micro-particles that can penetrate deeper into the skin, protecting skin from daytime pollutants and free radicals. My personal go-to AM serum is vitamin C and I have been loving Pixi Skintreats Vitamin C Serum. It contains vitamin C, ferulic acid and antioxidants that help to brighten skin tone and reduce the effects of sun damage.
MOISTURIZER WITH SPF – You know you need moisturizer and you know you need SPF and if you can combine both in one single product, then you have hit perfection! My favorite SPF moisturizers are Eucerin Daily Protection Face Lotion with Broad Spectrum SPF 30 and CeraVe Hydrating Sunscreen with Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Sheer Tint.
IN THE EVENING
CLEANSER – It has been a long day and you are tired, but nighttime is not the time to skimp on cleansing. You want to rid your skin of the day’s accumulation of toxins, bacteria, makeup, pollutants etc. My favorite cleanser at night is CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser (if I have makeup to remove first, I love The Body Shop Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter to remove the day’s makeup, then follow with the CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser).
EXFOLIATOR – Reserve a twice-weekly spot in your nighttime beauty regimen for exfoliation. Doing it at night is so important because your skin repairs itself during this time. By exfoliating, you are creating a clear foundation for your skin to absorb the essential nutrients it needs to repair itself overnight. I love both a chemical and a physical exfoliation. For a chemical exfoliation, I am currently loving Pixi Skintreats Glow Tonic with 5% glycolic acid (I also love First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads too) and for a physical exfoliation, I love St. Ives Soft Skin Scrub with Avocado and Honey.
SERUM – While resting, your skin undergoes a restorative state, so providing the appropriate nourishment and hydration to boost its metabolism is essential and I love glycolic acid which can stimulate collagen production and help even out texture, fine lines and wrinkles. My favorite glycolic acid product is Alpha Skin Care Intensive Renewal Serum with 14% glycolic acid.
MOISTURIZER – Just like during the day, at night our skin is constantly losing moisture as it repairs. The difference is that at night we typically do not replenish lost moisture levels through drinking water or applying topicals, for the obvious reason because we are asleep, so look for a rich moisturizer that will soak in gradually throughout the night while you sleep. My favorite nighttime moisturizer is L’Oréal Age Perfect Hydra-Nutrition Night Balm. This paraben free night balm has nurturing oils, manuka honey, calcium and antioxidants that provides nourishing, long lasting hydration overnight.
EYE CREAM – Skin around the eyes is the thinnest on the body that is extra-sensitive and requires extra TLC. My favorite eye cream at the moment is QMS Intensive Eye Care Eye Cream. This contains Natural Silk Acacia and Sigesbeckia Orientalis extracts as well as Matrixyl 3000, hyaluronic acid, jojoba and avocado oils that provides intense hydration, reduce dark circles and puffiness.
You really do not need a lot of products to get great anti-aging benefits and you can find some really great anti-aging products at your local drugstore! What’s your go-to skincare products for your AM & PM skincare routines? Let me know in the comments below and until next time, be happy, healthy, and beautiful!
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