The skin is the largest organ of the body and the most prone to the brunt of pollution, environmental toxins, and ultraviolet rays. These factors can make your skin look dull and even lead to premature skin aging. Therefore, it is vital to take proper, regular care of your skin to prevent damage and to keep it healthy, glowing, and soft.
Your skin repairs and rejuvenates itself every night, and it can benefit greatly from a nightly skin care routine. (1) Pampering your skin before you go to sleep can help fade age spots, hyperpigmentation, and aging signs, giving your skin a young and even appearance.
Along with taking care of your skin, you must also give attention to your teeth, nails, and hair, allowing them to repair and rejuvenate through the night, to improve your overall appearance. Spending some extra few minutes every night for self-care can lead to significant results.
Things You Should Do Before Sleeping
Here are 12 skin care tips that can help rejuvenate and improve your skin and hair health when followed every night.
1. Cleanse your face with micellar water
Micellar water contains hydrating agents such as glycerine, mild surfactants known as micelles, and purified water. (2)
Micelles help cleanse your skin as they pull the dirt and oil out of the pores, and the hydrating agents moisturize your skin. This makes micellar water a highly useful cleansing agent that helps prevent acne breakouts and keep the skin naturally moisturized.
How to use:
Micellar water is often used to remove waterproof makeup before bedtime. Put some micellar water into a cotton ball or pad and use it to wipe your face.
2. Hydrate your skin using night serums
Your skin is naturally the most active at night while it repairs itself and generates new cells. Therefore, it is best to apply serums before sleeping, as your skin will efficiently absorb the active ingredients.
It is recommended to use serums that contain anti-inflammatory agents such as olive oil, stem cells for collagen production, or rosehip oil. Moreover, they should contain a hydrating agent such as (3) salicylic acid, lactic, hyaluronic acid, or glycolic acid to moisturize the skin overnight.
In addition, serums should contain vitamins A, C, and E and argan oil to remove dirt and pollution from your skin. Retinol and AHAs in skin serums help exfoliate the skin. However, these ingredients make your skin sensitive to the sun; therefore, it is essential to protect your skin from sunlight exposure.
How to use:
Either mix a night serum into your night cream, or apply 5–6 drops of the serum to your skin directly.
3. Use a sleeping face mask
Sleeping face masks can be a highly beneficial addition to your nightly skin routine. Unlike normal face masks that are usually removed within half an hour of use, sleeping face masks are left on overnight.
These overnight face masks are rich in skin-friendly components, including antiaging, (4) brightening, and hydrating agents. Sleeping face masks are also quickly absorbed into the skin, helping nourish, hydrate, and relax your skin overnight and leave no marks on your pillow
Moreover, sleeping face masks may contain skin-remodeling agents such as retinol or hyaluronic acid. These agents help re-contour and firm the skin and delay skin aging for some time, making your skin look youthful. (5) Sleeping face masks are thick, but their noncomedogenic composition prevents clogging of pores.
How to use:
Sleeping face masks are to be used as a final step of your nighttime skin routine, just before going to sleep.
4. Apply hydrating creams on your hand and feet
Your feet often get tired at the end of the day as they bear the load of your whole body throughout the day. Moreover, wearing uncomfortable shoes may cause the skin to become rough or cracked.
Similarly, your hands are often exposed to harsh environmental factors, leaving the skin dry. For these reasons, it is vital to take extra care of the skin on your hand and feet before bedtime to facilitate its repair and rejuvenation during the night.
Applying moisturizing creams to your skin at night allows the hydrating agents to be absorbed by the skin. This helps nourish and moisturize the skin and boost skin repair. The cream may also provide a relaxing and soothing effect.
How to use:
Apply petroleum jelly, (6) shea butter, or cocoa butter on your feet and hand before bedtime. You can also wear soft gloves and socks after applying the cream to lock in the moisture.
5. Use elbow and knee moisturizing creams
The skin on your elbows and knees is highly prone to skin dryness and roughness. Therefore, these areas require extra attention in terms of moisturization.
You can apply either a second layer of moisturizing creams over your elbows and knees body balms. Look for body balms containing vitamins B5 and E (7) to hydrate the skin and improve its texture. Body butters also provide deep moisturization.
How to use:
Apply a body butter at night to allow it to deeply penetrate and moisturize your skin.
6. Moisturize your nails and cuticles
It is common for people to focus only on their skin, often leaving out their nails and cuticles in their skin care routine. However, just like your skin, your nails require proper nourishment and moisturization to remain healthy.
It is suggested to massage your nails and surrounding areas with extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, vitamin E oil, (8) or neem oil to moisturize and strengthen your nails. This measure not only boosts healthy nail growth but also prevents flaking and hangnails.
How to use:
Take a small amount of any massage oil and apply it to your nails and cuticles before bedtime.
7. Moisten your lips with lip balms
It is essential to apply a lip balm on your lips to keep them hydrated through the night. Since your skin flushes out toxins and regenerates skin cells overnight, applying a lip balm can help keep the new skin cells smooth and soft.
Lip balms also help seal in moisture, which may be lost through the night. Make sure to include the area around your mouth in the application, as the edges of your lips are highly prone to chapping.
How to use:
Apply a lip balm containing natural oils or shea butter to your lips just before sleeping.
8. Relax your eyes using gel patches
Several under-eye gel patches are available that hydrate the sensitive skin around the eyes. These patches also aid in reducing the signs of aging, lowering puffiness, lightening dark circles, and fading crow’s feet, fine lines, and wrinkles.
Using under-eye gel patches regularly can make your eyes and the surrounding skin look well rested and youthful. Look for under-eye gel patches that contain ceramides, hyaluronic acid, retinol, niacinamide, or caffeine. These ingredients are quickly absorbed by the skin, providing hydration and brightening dark circles.
How to use:
Apply an under-eye gel patch or mask before sleeping, on a daily basis. Follow the instructions on the label. You can replace your eye cream with eye patches.
9. Use overnight hair serums
Similar to your skin, your hair repairs and rejuvenates itself overnight due to an increased supply of nutrients to the hair follicles, regulation of sebum production, and increased blood circulation during this time.
Applying a serum to your hair before sleeping supports these processes and helps in relaxation. It is vital to choose hair serums that suit your hair type.
If you have damaged hair, select serums that contain lavender oil or jojoba oil. If you have thick hair, go for serums containing Moroccan argan oil. (9) If you have curly hair, choose serums containing oils that provide intense hydration such as marula oil, jojoba oil, sweet almond oil, and argan oil.
You can also use hair serums with green tea extracts and coconut oil to boost your hair health.
How to use:
Moisten your hair slightly and apply a few drops of serum through your hair length. You can mix the serums with hair milk cream and apply it to your hair, section by section.
10. Floss your teeth
In addition to taking good care of your skin, you should also keep your oral health in mind. It is vital to brush and floss your teeth daily.
Flossing your teeth ensures cleaning the parts of teeth left untouched by the bristles of your toothbrush. Flossing your teeth at night gets rid of any food debris from what you eat during the day and thus prevents oral problems such as cavities and plaques.
How to use:
Floss your teeth daily using dental flosses. You can use air or water flossers that use high-pressure water to clear the debris stuck between your teeth. (10)
11. Turn your humidifier on
Creams and lotions hydrate your skin, but did you know that switching on the humidifier can also prevent skin dryness? A humidifier infuses moisture into the air, therefore helping keep your skin hydrated through the night.
How to use:
Switch on a humidifier in your room every night before sleeping. This is highly useful for people with itchy, dry, or cracked skin. Make sure to clean the humidifier periodically to prevent mold growth.
Final Word
To wake up with renewed energy and a fresh appearance in the morning, it is important to allow your body to rest and repair itself through the night. While your skin has self-rejuvenating properties, taking extra care of it can boost your skin health largely.
Make sure to get proper sleep. For this, develop a proper nighttime routine, avoid gadgets at night, refrain from consuming caffeine, and take a relaxing bath.
Following the tips mentioned in the article, such as moisturizing, toning, and hydrating your skin, to give it a natural glow and even tone. Proper oral and skin care is also essential not only to improve your overall health but also to prevent problems that may arise due to neglect.
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