Morning vs. Night Skincare: How to Tailor Your Routine for Best Results

Does a Morning Skincare Have To Be The Same For The One at Night?

If you have a well-established skincare routine, then you would know the benefits it has on your complexion. Having said this, there are many of you wanting to gain more out of your daily regime, by this I mean how, even the slightest difference between a day and night routine can have an enormous impact to your skin.

So, with that in mind we are going to dive right into some of the most popular questions we have been asked about whether morning skincare routine have to be the same for the one at night.

Should I use a different cleanser in the morning than at night?

Not necessarily, there are some contrasting opinions when it comes to cleansing your face twice a day. Some believe the cleanse in the evening is the most important due to the skin enduring a number of aggressors during the day, makeup products, exposure to UV rays, pollution and other free radical damage. The other opinion is to cleanse the skin twice daily to keep on top of any build-up of bacteria, debris and dead skin cells that can occur during all hours of the day. Neither are wrong, but it is a case of figuring out which works best for you. Here is a list of benefits that will help you on deciding which formulation and method is best for you and your skin.

Benefits of cleansing in the morning

Great for those with an oily skin type that are prone to frequent breakouts as the cleanser can remove any traces of remaining product and excess sebum from the night before

Using a formulation enriched in glycolic acid or vitamin C will give the skin an all-over luminous glow

By using a cleanser containing an AHA or BHA will allow the skin to absorb any following products quickly and effectively

You will find your makeup application is smoother and lasts longer

Cleansing the skin in the morning is considered a great way of mentally preparing yourself for the day ahead

Benefits of cleansing in the evening

You can perform a double cleanse, by firstly removing any traces of makeup with a micellar water formula followed by a richer cleanser to remove any remaining traces of product, bacteria and build-up of impurities

Cleansing in the evening will help set up your skin for a nourishing and replenishing routine, especially if you have active ingredients to help treat the skin and remove all traces of skin stresses from the day

Cleansing the skin at night is much more important than the morning as at the end of the day your skin has endured any stresses, from free radical damage, makeup products and other aggressors

You may also find the formulas of evening skincare product contain a different selection of ingredients that deep clean the skin, reaching the lower layers of the skin and clearing out pores of any impurities whilst knowing you won’t cause the skin to become too sensitive to UV exposure after application.

By now you should have established which cleanse would best suit you and your skin type, of course, you are also able to cleanse twice a day. This is particularly useful for those with oily skin, as previously mentioned. But those with dry or sensitive skin may want to limit the amount of times they cleanse and to pay close attention to the ingredients found in the formulas to prevent any irritation or skin reaction.

What should your nighttime skincare routine be?

Here is a simple list of the products of a nighttime routine that can have the best results and noticeable improvement to the skin.

Remove makeup with a micellar or other liquid cleanser

Cleanse the skin again with a more luxurious formula to remove any remaining traces and build-up allowing the skin to be fully cleansed

Use an acid toner containing AHA or BHA, such as glycolic or salicylic acid to the skin by sweeping a soaked cotton disc across the face. If you have sensitive skin it is best to skip this step

Apply a serum all over the face, opting for products enriched in hyaluronic acid or niacinamide will help hydrate the skin and lock in moisture after cleansing and the chemical exfoliation

Using your ring finger as it applies the least pressure, apply eye cream to the under-eye area

Apply an evening moisturiser to the face, neck and chest. Choose a cream containing high levels of antioxidants and replenishing ingredients to help rejuvenate the skin while you sleep

You can also treat the skin with an additional step of using an overnight face mask. You can find out more on our post about how to use an overnight face mask.

During an evening skincare routine is considered the optimal time to apply retinol products due to the fact that is this no exposure to UV rays that are known for making retinol useless. Be sure to read up on the best way of introducing retinol to your skincare routine as it is known for causing severe irritation if used incorrectly.

What should you apply the face in the morning?

For a morning routine there are many options when deciding on the best products for you and your lifestyle. There are a couple of stable steps in a daily routine that can change from person to person depending on their skin type. However, there are some that are considered immensely beneficial for all skin types;

Hyaluronic acid- as this acid naturally occurs in the body it very rarely causing skin irritation and can help hydrate the skin and keep the natural protective barrier fully functioning and combating free radicals and other impurities.

SPF- a daily application of SPF 30 and above will help protect the skin from a multitude of UV damage.

Should I tone my face in the morning and night?

Yes, this again depends on your skin type as dry and sensitive can begin to feel tight and uncomfortable especially if the formula contains high levels of facial acid and chemical exfoliator. Oily skins can also experience some levels of dryness if the ingredients are too potent or a product is overused. It is best not to strip the skin of vital oil and water as this can cause the skin to overproduce sebum resulting in breakouts and other spots.

Should I use a different moisturiser at night?

There is no right or wrong to this, but you will find that moisturisers made for your evening routines are generally thicker in texture and contain larger amounts of antioxidants.

Whilst we sleep, our skin naturally rejuvenate and reverses any damage caused from the day. Ensuring you get enough hours of sleep (8 hours is ideal) will help keep your skin looking its best, it is called beauty sleep for a reason after all. However, with today’s busy lifestyles it is rare for someone to sleep fully for 8 hours and so that is when night moisturisers step in to pick up the slack.

There you have some of the most common questions asked about morning and evening skincare routines and how ensuring they compliment each other will have impressive results to the complexion. If you are wanting to know more about which skin type you have to get a better understanding of putting together a successful skincare routine than check out our blog about the 4 most common skin types.

DQH Knowledge drop: In your 20s, your skin cell turnover decreases. (Cell turnover is a key component in keeping your skin youthful.) You know what else slows down? Your collagen production. Starting in your 20s, collagen decreases by about 1 percent per year. Should you want to prevent fine lines and wrinkles, start by eliminating behaviors that contribute to premature aging. “If it’s bad for you, it’s bad for your skin,” says dermatologist Michel Somenek. “Cigarette smoking reduces blood flow to the skin and causes premature wrinkling and a dull skin texture. Making the repeated pursed motion to inhale can also cause smoker’s lines. Alcohol and recreational drugs are toxins for the skin that damage its cellular structure and DNA,” Somenek tells us. “The faster you eliminate vices while you are young, the better chance your skin and body have to recuperate.” Also, adopting an anti-aging routine in your 20s is key. After all, the best offense is a good defense. We spoke to Somenek and experts Joshua Ross and Audrey Kunin to find out more. Keep reading for the best anti-aging products for your 20s, according to skincare professionals. Sunscreen “We all know that the sun is the number one cause of skin aging and starting the prevention in your 20s is very important,” Ross says. “The majority of your sun damage won’t start to appear until you’re in your 30s, so don’t wait until you see it surface or you’ll be behind the curve. Stay ahead of it with a good-quality zinc-based sunscreen worn daily.” Farmacy Green Defense Daily Mineral Sunscreen An invisible sunscreen with SPF 30, plus botanical extracts meant to protect skin with tons of antioxidants. Bonus: It’s clean and fine to use under makeup. Bareminerals Complexion Rescue™ Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Although we recommend you use your SPF and moisturizer separately, we also understand moments when you don’t have time or energy for that extra step. For those times, this bareMinerals moisturizer is a great thing to have on hand. Vitamin C Serum “A great introduction to anti-aging is to start with a vitamin C serum in your morning skincare routine,” Ross says. “It’s a powerful antioxidant that will neutralize free radicals and brighten the skin.” He adds that it’s a great way to counteract the effects of the sun’s harmful rays, which, as previously mentioned, are among the biggest causes of premature aging. Drunk Elephant C-Firma™ Vitamin C Day Serum The Drunk Elephant C-Firma is a lightweight serum that promises to give skin a glow by combining the brightening powers of vitamin C with ferulic acid, l-ascorbic acid, and vitamin E. The included sodium hyaluronate is meant to replace hydration loss, so you shouldn’t have to deal with any irritation. Sunday Riley C.E.O. Rapid Flash Brightening Serum This potent serum is jam-packed with vitamin C (15 percent, to be exact), which means it’s a potential superstar at both brightening skin and dousing it in antioxidants. Peptides Using peptides on your skin has many benefits, says Somenek. “The skin barrier is what defends the body against pollution, UV rays, bacteria, and toxins. It can be damaged by several everyday factors. Using topical peptides aids in building a stronger barrier,” he says. “Peptides comprise elastic fibers, which are a type of protein. These fibers help to make skin appear taut and firm. Peptides can also help repair damaged skin, relieve inflammation, and even out skin tone. Some peptides can kill acne-causing bacteria that is common in 20-somethings.” Kunin agrees, saying, “Peptides are an excellent entry point for supporting collagen.” She recommends looking for face and eye treatments that contain these collagen-boosting powerhouses. Charlotte Tilbury Magic Eye Rescue Cream This Charlotte Tilbury super-emollient eye cream has a base of coconut oil and shea butter (read: it’s incredibly hydrating). Botanicals plus peptides are meant to help reduce dark circles and boost collagen, respectively. This creamy moisturizer serves up potent collagen-boosting peptides and pycnogenol, and antioxidant-rich vitamin C. “Instead of sitting on top of the skin, peptides penetrate the outer layer so they go deep. The ‘signals’ they send tell the cells to produce elastin and collagen, which are needed for youthful-looking skin,” explains Somenek. At-Home Peel Pads Remember that skin cell turnover fiasco we talked about earlier? One way to help support it is by exfoliating. “Exfoliation is important to help keep skin fresh and luminous,” Kunin says. She recommends using at-home peel pads as an easy and effective way to exfoliate. “The goal in your 20s is to fight the slowing pace of cell turnover. It is wise to use products that gently exfoliate, yet still remove oil and other impurities. Products that have Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA) or Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHA) are a good choice.” According to Somenek, you should only exfoliate two to three times a week. “People of all ages are guilty of over-exfoliating and that can be too much of a good thing,” he says. Dermadoctor Kakadu C Intensive Vitamin C Peel Pad A few swipes of this Derma Doctor powerful peel pad promise to leave your skin glowing and smooth, thanks to the seven (yes, seven) types of chemical exfoliants, including AHA and BHA. It also contains vitamin C via Kakadu plum extract for added brightening and antioxidant protection. KEY INGREDIENTS Kakadu plum extract is sourced from the Kakadu plum, a fruit grown in northern Australia. It contains vitamin C, which restores the skin’s natural barrier, increases collagen production, and soothes irritation. Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta® Universal Daily Peel Pads These are the gold standard of peel pads, with a cult following and over 900 five-star reviews on Sephora. They’re easy to use and contain a blend of anti-aging exfoliating acids. Emollient Night Cream “In your 20s, you need to start upping the hydration in your skincare routine. You may have been cautious of over-moisturizing because of acne in your teens, but as you enter your 20s, your skin transitions and becomes drier,” Ross says. “I recommend an emollient night cream added into your evening skincare regimen.” “Twenty-somethings need to make sure that they are not using creams that will clog their pores and cause excess oil production,” says Somenek. Opt for non-comedogenic products. Cerave Skin Renewing Night Cream One great choice is the CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream, which is a non-comedogenic night cream that leaves skin soft and glowy. It combines the moisturizing powers of ceramides and hyaluronic acid. RoC Retinol Correxion Max Hydration Creme “The best night cream ingredients contain retinol, benzoyl peroxide, and/or salicylic acid or hyaluronic acid. The goal is to moisturize, yet remove excess oil,” says Somenek. This Roc Retinol Correxion cream fits the bill as it contains both hyaluronic acid and retinol so it promises to moisturize while also being non-comedogenic.

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