Putting your best face forward during the day isn’t just about the makeup that you use. Gorgeous, flawless skin starts with a behind-the-scenes routine that happens under the cover of darkness at night. So if you want your skin to have that happy, healthy glow, you’ll need a nighttime skincare regimen that leaves your skin revived and refreshed come morning.

So what kind of nighttime skin routine is right for you? With the help of beauty expert and founder of Beautygeeks, Janine Falcon and Holly Sherrard, Education Manager, Dermalogica Canada, we break it down for you!

Great skin at any age
“For women of any age, a nighttime skin routine must involve cleansing with a pH-balanced cleanser, toning, moisturizing and eye cream with products customized according to their skin conditions,” says Sherrard. She says that the use of customized products depends on the condition you want to treat. “Pigmentation can be treated with brighteners, dehydration with humectants, acneic skin conditions should use anti-inflammatories and anti-bacterials, and wrinkles can be treated with peptides and derivatives of Vitamin A.”

In your 20s
Taking care of your skin in your 20s is about as easy as it’s going to get. Youthful skin hasn’t been ravaged by the effects of the sun and aging in general. “In our 20s, skin is typically smooth, firm and free of obvious skin damage unless it’s prone to freckling,” says Falcon. “In our 20s, a basic moisturizer is enough, with SPF in the morning, and without SPF for evening,” she says. “Oily skin prefers light, oil-free hydration, maybe a gel formula or a lotion; dry skin likes cream.”

In your 30s
Age-related changes typically start to happen in our 30s. “Fine lines start to appear in areas that crease most often: a bit under the eyes and at the outer corners, maybe the forehead, and bracketing the mouth,” says Falcon. Your relationship with the sun over the years may become apparent at this time, seen in the appearance of brown spots and skin may begin to feel drier as well. And if all that’s not bad enough: “The skin’s natural exfoliation process begins to slow,” says Falcon.

According to Sherrard, women lose 1% of collagen per year after the age of 30. “Cell production slows down; there’s an average of 20-28 days cell turnover rate at age 20 and in your 40s, the cell turnover rate increases to 40 days.” Turnover rate, she explains, refers to a new cell breaking off from the lowest layer of the epidermis and flaking off the surface of the skin. Oil production also decreases, leading to more dehydration.

“A night cream with a low-level hit of retinol or AHAs can help make fine lines less visible and keep skin smooth,” says Falcon. “A serum with antioxidants such as Vitamin C, ferulic acid and niacinimide can help reduce the signs of sun damage and help to prevent new damage; apply before night cream.”

Are you in your 40s? Find out the right skincare routine for you as well as nighttime dos and don’ts on the next page…

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In your 40s
“In our 40s, fine lines are joined by a few wrinkles, and more than likely a few more brown spots as a result of early-years sun exposure,” says Falcon. Skin’s natural moisture levels drop, becomes less firm, thinner and cell turnover slows. In other words: There’s a lot to combat.

If you’re in your 40s, look for higher concentrations of anti-aging ingredients in your skincare products. “Look for more hydration, firming, smoothing and of course antioxidant care,” suggests Falcon. “Key ingredients include hyaluronic acid and ceramides, which significantly improve moisture levels; retinoic acid, which helps collagen live longer and boosts the skin’s slowing cell turnover cycle; peptides, which spark the production of new collagen and help firm the skin; and Vitamin C and niacinimide to brighten the skin.”

Nighttime skin essentials

So, exactly which products should be a part of your regular nighttime skincare routine? Sherrard identifies the essentials that’ll help you keep your skin healthy and happy!

1 Double cleanse the skin. First remove all traces of dirt and debris by utilizing an oil-based cleanser, which will nourish and cleanse simultaneously.

2 Then wash the skin with a pH-balanced cleanser to clean the skin.

3 Spritz a toner onto the skin to hydrate and treat underlying conditions.

4 Moisturize with a customized product that has been recommended by a skin professional.

5 Apply eye treatment products.

5 nighttime skin dos and don’ts

Falcon offers these helpful hints:

1 Good nighttime skincare shows on your face, so don’t skip the routine. Consistency yields the best beauty results.

2 If it works with your routine, do exfoliate at night so dry patches don’t get in the way of your skin’s ability to absorb your serum and night-cream ingredients.

3 Do try a hydrating masque — a gel, cream or cloth type — once or twice a week to up your morning glow-factor. Hydrated skin is radiant skin.

4 Do keep night cream on your nightstand so you can massage it into your skin then drift off into dreamland.

5 If you’re prone to late nights, do keep a micelle cleanser and a container of cotton cosmetic pads on your nightstand with your night cream, so that if occasionally you’re too exhausted to go through your regular night routine, you can at least cleanse then moisturize before flaking out.

Top 10 nighttime essentials right here! 

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