Evening skin care routine: how to prepare the skin for night regeneration?

Did you know that at night, when you sleep, your skin works up a sweat to look healthy and beautiful? For the skin, sleep is a season of increased regeneration, so you should make sure that your evening routine creates favorable conditions for it to work effectively.

Diurnal rhythm of the skin

The daily rhythm of work and optimal physical activity can be quite different for each of us. In the process of skin reconstruction, a key role is played by night rest – then the epidermal cells regenerate intensively. An important function in this cycle is played by melatonin (also called the darkness hormone), responsible for sleep. Its production decreases with the appearance of light (mainly blue light, emitted by televisions, computers, phones or light bulbs). Meanwhile, melatonin effectively fights free radicals and is of no small importance in skin regeneration. The easiest way to reap the benefits of melatonin is by giving up blue-light-emitting devices an hour before you plan to go to bed.

#skincycling

One of the most popular facial skin care trends is – created by Dr. Whitney Bowe – #skincycling. The trend has enjoyed hundreds of millions of views on TikTok and is a response to the need to find the right skin care routine. The American dermatologist teaches in simple steps when and how to use skin care products to optimize your daily evening routine for the greatest benefit to your skin.

Dr. Bowe’s observations showed that patients’ attention to skin care did not always produce the desired results, as it did not go hand in hand with knowledge of what (what cosmetic), when (morning or evening) and under what conditions to use (how to prepare the skin). As a result, patients made elementary mistakes, such as using cosmetics that should not have been combined at the same time, like a mechanical peeling and a strong acid-based exfoliating preparation.

Dr. Bowe’s proposed skin cycling is a night care regimen for four consecutive days, repeated in cycles. Day one – exfoliation, day two – retinoids, day three and day four – regeneration. Exfoliation is based on any acid product that you are most comfortable with (there is no specific indication here as to the type of product, acid and concentration – it should be a product matched to your skin type). In the case of retinoids, similarly – the concentration and type of product are left to the personal needs of each user. Moisturizing and regeneration are supposed to complete and close the skin care cycle.

According to Dr. Bowe’s observations, skin cycling makes the skin soft and nourished, while wrinkles are gently smoothed out. This is all due to potent active ingredients, applied alternately, combined with an individually tailored regeneration period. Over time, each stage can be lengthened or shortened to minimize irritation and maximize skin benefits.

How to prepare the skin for night recovery?

Evening facial care is slightly different from morning care. During the day it is important to prepare the skin for sun protection, in the evening – for deep cleansing and restoration. Regardless of the skin cycling trend, care before bedtime should always consist of a minimum of two stages: cleansing and creating conditions for the skin to regenerate. The optimal skin care regimen involves cleansing the skin, exfoliating (1-2 times a week), toning and moisturizing.

Purification

Contrary to appearances, cleansing the complexion is one of the activities that can easily be done incorrectly. This is because during the day we increasingly turn to long-lasting products. SPF filters and “all day wear” or “long lasting” color cosmetics can be particularly difficult to remove.

What do you wash off your complexion with?

When choosing a cleansing cosmetic, there is complete freedom. Manufacturers offer a wide range of cleansing products, available as oils, foams, mousses, soaps, gels, milks, micellar liquids, emulsions or pads. Choose the product that works best with your skin and cleanses it thoroughly. It is worth noting that after washing, the skin is not left unpleasantly dry and tightened. This may mean that the chosen cosmetic does not work best with your skin and will adversely affect it. The requirement for effective care is clean skin, so – if necessary – you should repeat washing until the remains of makeup, care and other impurities, completely disappear.

Creating conditions for regeneration

We could base this care segment mainly on hydration, because properly hydrated skin regenerates perfectly. However, when we talk about creating optimal conditions for nighttime skin regeneration, it is worth referring in some detail to Dr. Bowe’s scheme.

Exfoliation

Exfoliation of dead epidermis facilitates penetration and increases the effectiveness of active ingredients contained in cosmetics. The skin becomes visibly smoother and has a nicer tone. There are many exfoliating products available on the market, from gentle enzymatic scrubs to quite invasive acids. At LaQ you’ll find a peeling face wash mousse with microcordium particles. This treatment is meant to prepare the skin for subsequent cosmetics.

Toning

An optimal skin care ritual also includes toning the skin. The purpose of a toner is to prepare the skin for further skin care treatments, such as restoring the proper pH. Depending on the type of toner chosen, it can help regulate sebum secretion, tighten pores, moisturize, soothe, brighten skin, etc.

Nourishing and moisturizing

At this point in the skin care cycle are all the treatments aimed at nourishing, moisturizing and regenerating the skin. So here we have a place for masks, skin care serums, emulsions and creams.

Masks

There is a wide range of masks available on the market in cream, gel or sheets. Some of them can be left on the skin for several minutes, and some can be left on all night. In the case of the latter, there is no need to apply a skin care cream at night, as this function will be performed by the mask. There is no recommendation on how often to use the masks – the skin will benefit regardless of whether you use a mask once a week or every day.

Serum

Serums are concentrated preparations with a precisely indicated function: they can minimize the appearance of blood vessels, shallow the depth of wrinkles, crack down on acne, strongly moisturize, lighten hyperpigmentation, etc. Serums are based on concentrated active ingredients and support the action of the cream. It is not a mandatory step in your skin care routine, but you can use serums if you want to benefit faster skin regeneration.

Cream

Night cream is a pillar of the evening skin care routine, because it is through it that the skin is injected with the greatest number of ingredients, enabling its conditions to rebuild throughout the night. There is no one-size-fits-all set of ingredients that will satisfy and regenerate every complexion. Faced with the choice of a suitable night cream, we are faced with cosmetics containing, among others, ceramides, coenzyme Q10, hyaluronic acid, vitamins or antioxidants. Properly prepared skin (cleansed and exfoliated) will absorb the active ingredients like a sponge, and their beneficial effect on the complexion will be felt and visible to the naked eye.

Sleep + routine = recovery

The appearance of our skin is greatly influenced by sleep hygiene, proper routine and the selection of the right cosmetics. Their harmonious combination will make care pleasant and result in healthy and rested skin.