Beauty Sleep, Part II

We began discussing the importance of a nightly routine in yesterday’s post, and today we are going to cover what a nightly routine should entail.

Step One: Remove your eye make-up. As we mentioned yesterday, eye make-up left on overnight can create the appearance of under-eye circles the next day and leave you with crusty, brittle lashes. To avoid this, the first step in a nightly skin care routine is to remove all your make-up.

Step Two: Wash your face. Your face is exposed all day long, fighting to protect you from the elements and look beautiful in the process. It’s got a tough job, and by the end of the day, it’s bound to have sweat and dirt accumulated on it. Washing your face is the first step in keeping it clean and healthy.

Step Three: Tone. Most people use toner in the morning, but it is actually more effective at night. It cleanses your pores and removes any residue your face wash might not have gotten.

Step Four: Moisturize. Night time is the right time to use a heavy moisturizer. Your skin has all night to absorb the nutrients found in thick lotions. If you have oily skin, a thick lotion may not be the best choice, but moisturizing at night is still important no matter your skin type. An optional additional step is a nighttime eye cream. If you are a devoted beauty queen or just terrified of wrinkles, an eye cream at night will help keep your skin smooth and supple.