The Skincare You Should Be Applying In The Day Vs. At Night (2023)

FAQs

Is it better to do your skincare routine in the morning or at night? ›

Skincare is absolutely most effective at night. This is because the skin absorbs and replenishes while you sleep. To get the best benefits, this is when you should use your heavy-lifting skincare.

You can use the same set of skincare in the morning and evening, if it suits you and that's what you prefer to do.

Cleansing the skin at night will help avoid bacteria from spreading and causing acne. The skin also repairs itself at night, removing your makeup and washing your face is a necessity for keeping your skin healthy. It requires discipline to keep up with your nighttime skincare routine, but it is always worth it.

“Studies show that skin repairs itself most effectively between 10 p.m.-midnight so you should apply night creams just before that.

As far as the time of day goes, skincare routines make the most sense to be completed each morning and evening. However, it's really up to you as to how often you want to practice skincare. Your morning and evening routines don't have to be identical, but they don't have to be completely different by any means.

A morning skincare routine, however, can help to protect and preserve the skin throughout the day. Skipping your morning skincare routine has the potential to cause a variety of issues, such as clogged pores, acne, and leaving the skin more susceptible to damage caused by pollution and the sun's harsh rays.

When should I use hyaluronic acid? While some skincare ingredients, like retinol, are best used at night and others, like vitamin C, work their magic in the daytime, hyaluronic acid can be used both morning and night. “I recommend use of an HA serum up to twice daily, depending on your skin's needs,” says Abdulla.

Those with oily or combination skin may benefit from twice daily washes (morning and night) while drier skin may be fine with just a nightly wash. Use a gentle but thoroughly cleanser to whisk away dirt, grease and grime without stripping the skin of moisture.

The order in which you apply skincare products is critical. Not only does order impact efficacy but failing to follow the proper order could result in wasted time and, even worse, wasted money. If you're just starting a skincare routine, avoid the temptation to load up on new products.

Like we mentioned before, vitamin C serum benefits include anti-ageing properties as it boosts collagen, improves elasticity and repairs damaged cells. Using it before bed is safer and has far more beauty advantages; thus, we recommend you use it at night, before hitting the sack.

Is it OK to apply moisturizer at night? ›

"Skin's oil production peaks at midday, and there is less oil production at night. Therefore, when you lose that protective layer of natural oils, your skin loses more water, so it's important to replenish the water loss with a moisturizer overnight," says Sobel. "While you are asleep the skin goes into renewal mode.

When you go to bed at night, your skin finally gets the chance to repair, rejuvenate, and undo all the daytime damage. Your skin actively produces new skin cells and improves your skin's texture. When your pores are clogged, your skin does not get the chance to breathe and carry out its overnight repair process.

Your morning skincare routine enables you to prepare your skin for the day ahead and helps to remove any leftover products which you applied the night before that may have an impact on your makeup application.

Do you ever feel your skin looks better in the morning? The reason is often attributed to the fact that your skin gets thicker in the morning, as it prepares to protect against stressors throughout the day. And yet, even at its thickest point, our skin is less than a tenth of an inch thick.

Most skincare professionals suggest moisturizing twice a day: once in the morning and once at night. This ensures your skin's moisture will remain constant both throughout the day and while you sleep, so you can always look forward to supple, healthy skin.

Peer-reviewed studies have found that your skin is actually thicker in the morning than at night, and wrinkles are less pronounced in the morning as well. While there's no doubt that adequate sleep will make you feel and look less tired, wrinkles can't heal overnight.

By washing your skin well at night and removing all impurities and makeup, you eliminate the need to wash your face in the morning. Your skin repairs itself at night, producing an acid mantle that can serve as a protective barrier during the day.

Use Retinol Only at Night and Wear SPF Every Day

"Retinol makes your skin more sensitive to UV rays and sunlight decreases the efficacy of the product," explains Bowe, who instructs patients to only use retinoids at night and be diligent about applying a daily broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher during the day.

Nearly across the board, dermatologists recommend incorporating vitamin C serum into your morning routine (as opposed to using it at night). The reason for this recommendation relates to its ability to protect the skin.

Should I use vitamin C serum morning or night? ›

Generally speaking, the best time to apply vitamin C serum is in the morning, after cleansing and toning your complexion, and before moisturizer and SPF. If you want to maximize the perks, and don't have overly sensitive skin, you can apply it in the morning and evening.

"If you're doing a lot of exercise, perhaps you wash your face three times a day, regardless of your skin type," board-certified dermatologist Jeanine Downie, M.D., explains. That is, once in the morning, again post-workout, and again in the evening.

Washing your face doesn't necessarily speed up the process of aging. However, the way you wash your face and the products that you use may damage your skin. Damaged skin looks dry, unhealthy, and can be prone to fine lines and wrinkles. Over-exfoliating is an example of a good intention gone wrong.

"Ideally the skin is smooth, supple, and uniform in color," Waldorf said. If your skin feels less bumpy, the size of your pores has been reduced, and you're noticing less marks, acne, and discoloration, your products are likely working.

The order matters because it determines what ingredients and products are the first to soak into your skin, which can ultimately affect how your skin looks and feels once your routine is complete," explains Shuting Hu, cosmetic chemist and founder of Acaderma.

Acids, vitamin C serums and retinoids can all cause purging. Purging is an initial acne breakout that can occur when you're starting a new active skincare product—one that causes your skin cells to turn over more quickly. Products that can trigger purging include: Hydroxy acids (AHAs, BHAs and PHAs) and fruit acids.

There's no problem with using both retinol and vitamin C as part of your skincare routine, dermatologists say. In fact, Shirazi calls this combo a "power couple" when it comes to aging well.

You should absolutely moisturize your skin even if you have active acne. It's an absolute myth that moisturizing your face will worsen your acne. In fact, moisturizers are necessary to keep acne-prone skin as relaxed as possible.

Aesthetic dermatologists have observed that habitual, daily moisturising over a prolonged period can actually age the skin. This induced ageing occurs because the same fibroblast cells which produce GAGs (the skin's moisturiser) also produce collagen and elastin, which help maintain the skin's elasticity.

What is good to apply on face at night? ›

Without a doubt, yes. If you're ever unsure of what to use on your skin, regardless of your skin type or condition, turn to Cerave. The brand has products that contain ingredients like salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide for treating acne, SPF for sun protection, retinol and vitamin C for anti-aging, and more.

So, while it's not catastrophic to miss a night of skincare, it's certainly not ideal. Your skin will thank you if you make it a priority to take care of it nightly. If you skip your skincare one night, you could end up with dryness, breakouts, or dermatitis.

A facial serum containing vitamin C is best used during the daytime. Since vitamin C is an antioxidant, it's capable of protecting your skin from free radicals (unstable atoms that can damage skin cells) and other pollutants while you're out and about.

Yes! It is completely okay to mix two serums together, or even more. However, there are a couple of guidelines to abide by when mixing. Firstly, you need to mix each serum in the palm of your hand before applying to your face.

Both Emer and Zeichner agree that if you're only going to wash your face once a day, nighttime is the best time to do it. "Most dermatologists recommend face-washing twice daily, once in the morning and once before bed," says Zeichner.

“Cleansing twice a day is ideal unless you're noticing your skin getting flaky, dry, or irritated, then it's ok to take a break,” she advises. “Combination skin will need a thicker moisturizer than oily skin, especially in dry winter weather.

Meanwhile, "nighttime is the best time to rejuvenate the skin while you sleep," says Dr. Rita Linkner, board-certified dermatologist and founder of RVL Skincare. So using a thicker moisturizer with more reparative ingredients at night would be the best for replenishing your skin's needs, she notes.

Is it OK to skip washing your face at night? ›

So, how bad is it to skip washing your face before bed? It's pretty bad. Premature aging, dryness, breakouts, even potential infections can result from failure to wash your face before going to sleep. The good news is that skipping your normal skin care routine for one night probably won't do irreparable damage.

You can use toner in both your morning and evening skincare routines, depending on your skin's needs and ability to accept toner's benefits. It is ideal to incorporate toner into your skincare routine immediately following double cleansing.

Those with oily or combination skin may benefit from twice daily washes (morning and night) while drier skin may be fine with just a nightly wash. Use a gentle but thoroughly cleanser to whisk away dirt, grease and grime without stripping the skin of moisture.