The best night-time skincare routine

Having a specific night-time skincare routine is a great way to start seeing results from your skincare faster. A night-specific regimen allows you to use a larger variety of products as well as heavier, more targeted skin treatments. Read on to see founder Aida's very own night-time skincare routine. 
 

Why have a night-time skincare routine?
There are many benefits to having a day and night-time skincare routine. Firstly, during the day our skin is exposed to environmental stressors and things like dirt and pollution. For this reason, it can help to have a daytime routine that focuses on protection like antioxidants and SPF. A night-time routine, however, can focus on restoration and targeting your unique skin concerns like ageing or dehydration. At night you don’t have to worry about things like SPF or applying makeup (if you wear it), or even going out – this makes evening the perfect time to use heavier creams or oils, treatments and face masks. If you’re new to skincare or just like to keep things simple you might want to use a brand like Vanessa Megan that has a simple, 3-step routine that you can adopt right away.

What’s a good night-time skin routine?
Wondering what’s a good night-time skin routine? Obviously, this depends on your skin type and skin goals. But there are a few general things that any good night-time regimen should contain. First things first you need to remove any makeup, grime and impurities that might’ve built upon the skin throughout the day. For this, we recommend using a face cleanser. A good cleanser is one that’s natural and contains no harsh chemicals, soaps or SLS, which strip the face of its natural oils.

Once the skin is cleansed you want to move on to hydration. Night-time is a great opportunity to use a few more products in your routine or thicker creams that can settle on the skin overnight. If you’re looking for more hydration, then adding a hydrosol to your routine can help. A hydrosol is a water-based product that’s made by distilling fresh flowers, leaves, fruits and other nourishing plants. They’re like essential oils but water-based. All the water, combined with the nutrients of the plant extracts, means a hydrosol deeply hydrates your skin, leaving it looking brighter and plumper.  

Adding a serum to your routine at night can be a great way to level up your overall skincare game, especially if you don’t like using many products in the morning. A serum is a concentrated skincare product that has a high level of active ingredients, which work to address any skin concerns. You can use a serum for anti-ageing, for acne, dehydration, redness and so much more. The final, and essential, step after cleansing and any hydrating products is a night cream.

What are the benefits of night cream?
A night cream tends to be heavier and more hydrating than a day cream, as you’re wearing it while you sleep. But a deeply hydrating night cream is perfect overnight as our skin naturally absorbs products better and faster while we sleep. Our skin loses lots of moisture throughout the day, which is why it’s a good idea to use a night cream, rather than just a day cream, to replenish that lost moisture. Plus, it just feels so nice massaging a luxe night cream into the skin before bed – so soothing and a perfect ritual to ensure a good night sleep.   

What is the best way to cleanse your face?
A natural cleanser and some water is the simplest, and still effective, way to cleanse your face. But, if you wear makeup, have oily skin, or live in a polluted area you’ll probably need to double cleanse. Double cleansing involves first cleansing to remove any topical impurities, including makeup and then cleansing again to actually clean the skin. An oil cleanser is a great option for those that want a deep cleanse that’s still hydrating. The Black Chicken Remedies oil cleanser is a great option as it’s suitable for all skin types including (if not especially) acne-prone skin. Makeup (especially eye makeup) usually needs a specific product to be removed. For this, we recommend using an eye makeup remover or even eye makeup remover wipes – as long as they’re chemical-free and gentle.

Are face wipes the same as washing your face?
Not really. Face wipes are just as effective at removing impurities like makeup, dirt and oil from the surface of your skin. But when it comes to really clean the skin, you’ll want to use a cleanser. Face wipes can be used as the first step in a face cleansing routine to remove makeup or oil and then you can follow up with a natural cleanser. Instead of wipes, you might like to use a specific eye makeup remover. This is particularly good for those that wear a lot of eye makeup, as it breaks down the makeup without having to repeatedly rub the eye area.

What face serum should I use at night?
The best night serums are those that are deeply hydrating and nourishing. If you’re looking for anti-ageing skincare then night-time is when you should use a retinol serum. The best night serum for dull or dry skin is one that contains plant oils and rich fatty acids like this one from Antipodes. The best night serum for oily or acne-prone skin is one that clarifies and clears congestion from the skin’s deeper layers like this one from Vanessa Megan. And for those wanting plumper, younger-looking skin you’ll want a night serum that has collagen-boosting properties like this one from La Mav.
 

Are eye creams really necessary?
It depends. The skin around our eyes is thinner, delicate and more sensitive. For this reason, many people tend to use an eye cream that’s formulated for this skin. But the skin on the rest of your face would benefit from gentle, fragrance-free products. You don’t need to use a specific eye cream if you don’t have any concerns with your undereye. When you might like to use a specific eye cream is if you’re worried about fine lines, puffiness or undereye bags/dark circles. An eye cream that’s formulated to address the appearance of these skin concerns is likely the best way to fix them without any other, more advanced treatments.  

Founder Aida’s night-time skincare routine
Want to know how Sassy Organics founder Aida takes care of her skin at night? Aida’s night-time skincare routine is focused on moisturising and anti-ageing, as her skin is slightly drier, and her skincare goals are to prevent early signs of ageing. That said, many of the products Aida uses can also be good for oily and or sensitive skin.

1. Remove makeup: Wotnot Deeply Cleansing Facial Wipes 

On days that Aida wears makeup, she uses the Wotnot Naturals Deep Cleansing face wipes to remove her eye makeup and prepare the skin for cleansing. There are Wotnot face wipes specifically for sensitive, dry and oily skin. 

2. Cleanse: Black Chicken Remedies Cleanse My Face Oil Cleanser

The next step is to clean the skin using a hydrating cleanser. Aida’s current favourite is the Black Chicken Remedies oil cleanser. Black Chicken Remedies specialises in therapeutic skincare that’s water-free and full of potent, skin-loving ingredients. Aida loves how this cleanser breaks down makeup and dirt while also hydrating her skin. Plus, it smells like a day spa.  

3. Hydrate/hydrosol: Vanessa Megan Rose Hydrosol Pore Refining Toner

Aida’s next step, after cleansing, is to use a hydrosol. Aida’s focus is on boosting her skin’s hydration levels, and a hydrosol is a great way to do this. Aida’s current favourite hydrosol is the Vanessa Megan Rose Hydrosol Toner. It’s certified organic and can help both dehydrated skin and oily skin types.

4. Serum: Vanessa Megan 24K Gold Wild Herb Radiance Serum

If you know Aida, you know she loves a hydrating serum, especially ones that boast skin radiance and plumpness. For this, Aida chooses the Vanessa Megan 24K Gold & Wild Herb Serum from Vanessa Megan. This serum uses a potent blend of 18 wild herb extracts with pure 24K gold to help even skin tone, moisturise, tighten and hydrate the skin. It’s golden radiance in a bottle, essentially.  

5. Night cream: Antipodes Probiotic Night Recovery Water Cream

The last step in Aida’s routine is, of course, a night cream. Night cream helps lock in moisture and hydrates the skin while you sleep. Antipodes is one of Aida’s favourite brands for deeply nourishing night creams. In particular, she uses the Antipodes Night Recovery Cream. This Antipodes night cream is light but deeply hydrating – making it perfect for oily skin types too.   
 

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