By now you would have heard ad nauseam that we must apply skin treatments at night, because the skin regenerates itself while we sleep. So I won’t get into the whys and dive straight into the how. I have an elaborate evening ritual. It helps me disconnect from the day, which is usually quite busy and mentally exhausting. In the evenings, I take time to first tone my face with a glycolic acid toner (Pixi Glow Tonic). After five minutes, I apply the NIOD Copper Amino Isolate Serum 1% for basic skin health, topped with Twelve Beauty’s Ideal Moisture Serum. Finally it’s Decleor’s Neroli Night Balm to seal it all in with its potent mix of softening essential oils. Perhaps it is excessive, but in the beauty world where nine-step rituals are de rigeuer, this routine is almost frugal in comparison.
To put it simply, at night you need treatment for your main skin concern, hydration and a shot of lipids. If you can do that with two products then go for it. So if wrinkles are your concern then I would choose retinol topped with a soothing face oil to counter its peeling, drying effects. For this, the best combination I’ve found is Dr Dennis Gross Ferulic Acid + Retinol Brightening Solution, combined with Herbivore Botanicals Lapis Face Oil. Ferulic acid (or vitamin C) clears up pigmentation and reduces lines, while retinol tightens pores, and reduces acne and wrinkles. The Lapis Oil contains blue tansy, which really is the newest botanical ingredient reaching cult status for its anti-inflammation properties. So, together, these products work like a dream. However, as retinol makes your skin regenerate itself, you still need an acid toner (like Pixi Glow Tonic) to remove dead cells, and really make your glow shine through.
Lazy hacks
Want an even lazier routine? Try a mist and face oil. Just spritz your face with a good-quality toner and pat on a super-rich face oil when your skin is still damp. I went through a really bad acne phase a year back, and this is what I’d do for my overnight ritual. It was Purearth’s Wild Rose Himalayan Mist first, followed by two or three drops of manuka oil massaged all over my face when it was still damp. Rosewater helps hydrate and calm inflammation, while manuka oil is literally the best natural anti-acne remedy, being 20 times more powerful than tea tree oil. You can even follow the mist-and-oil routine if you want to treat discolouration, add lipids and hydration. Just spray on a mist (another one I love is Amly Silver Rich Face Mist) and then massage in a few drops of pure rosehip seed oil. The mist pulls the oil deep into the skin and you have both hydration and lipids. Try using the oil on a dry face and then after a mist and you’ll see Rosehip seed contains natural vitamin A which is a kind of natural retinol, but definitely not as powerful.
Is an even lazier routine possible? Of course. Try the Erno Lazlo method of using a good quality cleanser (I love the Julisis Silver Wash Night) and then splash your face 30 times with hot, but not scalding, water to prepare your skin for what’s coming next. You can choose any of the above treatments I’ve mentioned to follow. Or you could keep a bottle of face mist and oil mixed together. Give the bottle a good shake and spray the mixture on your face. Massage in before you sleep.
Less is more
There’s a whole different school of thought that recommends that you don’t apply anything on your face at night. I learnt this when I went to Germany, where I was told that our skin knows how to take care of itself. We make it dependant like a little baby by consistently feeding it creams and serums, instead of letting it care for itself. I tried this for a few months and you know what? Save for a week, when my face looked dry as hell, eventually my skin healed. All my dry patches peeled off and my face was better than ever. The reason I’m back to applying a ton of products is only because I’m a self-confessed skincare addict.
Which brings me to the latest obsession of sleeping masks. I’ve tried them but, honestly, I wasn’t too impressed. Actually scratch that, I was impressed not by sleeping masks but by regular masks that I’d left on for the night. Sisley’s Express Flower Mask is great for oily, dehydrated skin. And the queen of all masks — the Chantecaille Jasmine and Lily Healing Mask — is so rich and so creamy that it can also be used as a night cream, especially if you’re on the other side of 35 like me.
So really, there’s no right answer. You can go full Korean with nine steps or use nothing at all. I would say try them both and then choose what works for you. Don’t let anyone decide what’s good for you.
A fortnightly column to remind you about all things skin deep
