Your skin deserves the utmost care and attention, and a well-thought-out skincare regimen can work wonders in achieving a healthy and radiant complexion.
Though morning and night routines both hold significance, this guide emphasizes the paramount importance of the PM skin routine. What makes the PM skin routine so indispensable? As night falls, your skin embarks on its healing journey, offering an ideal moment to feed, revitalize, and greet the morning with a rejuvenated countenance.
Differences Between Night and Day Skincare
Skincare routines differ significantly between night and day.
Daytime skincare is multifaceted, with protection being a primary focus. It safeguards the skin from external aggressors such as UV rays, pollution, and other environmental factors. A well-curated daytime routine prepares the skin for makeup application, ensuring a smooth and even canvas. Day creams, in particular, are formulated with antioxidants to combat environmental challenges while also providing sustained hydration throughout the day, keeping the skin fresh and radiant.
Evening skincare, on the other hand, emphasizes repair and rejuvenation. As the body rests, the skin's cell regeneration accelerates. Night creams and treatments are typically richer, infused with ingredients that nourish deeply, combat signs of aging, and restore skin health.
Fundamentals of a PM Skin Routine
Cleansing
Any care, whether evening or morning, starts with skin cleansing – this should be a rule of thumb. It's important to know how to wash your face properly, as the outcome of subsequent facial procedures depends on this step. Only on cleansed skin should serums, creams, and lotions be applied.
Begin your evening skincare routine by removing makeup and oil-soluble impurities. For this, you'll need a hydrophilic oil or cleansing balms. Additionally, gel-oils and cleansing emulsions work well against such impurities.
Once the cosmetics are washed off, it's time to remove water-soluble impurities and any residue from previous products. Almost everyone remembers this step. It involves using a face wash that does the job without stripping skin. Apply these products to skin dampened with water. Distribute cleansers with massaging movements. The movements will vary depending on the skin area. On the cheeks, use outward circular motions, while around the nose wings, apply the product with your index finger using circular motions towards the center. On the forehead, repeat the movements as on the cheeks.
Toning
While almost everyone who takes care of their skin uses cleansers, toning procedures are not as popular among women. And that's a pity. Certain products, along with removing makeup, also strip away the top layer of the skin, leaving it more vulnerable. As a result, external factors, such as bacteria that cause skin inflammation, start to affect it. Therefore, after cleansing procedures, it's essential to normalize the pH level. That's why various toners were invented.
If you choose the right cosmetic toner, it will not only remove the remnants of cleansing agents but also balance the acid-base environment, reducing the negative impact of hard water on the dermis.
Special Treatments
The evening routine presents an optimal opportunity to introduce advanced actives that might be too sensitive for daytime use due to UV exposure. Products containing retinoids, hyaluronic acid and various oils are prime examples. Night time allows these potent ingredients to work their magic without the interference of sunlight, which can diminish their effectiveness. For instance, retinoids, known for their powerful anti-aging properties, can make the skin more susceptible to sun damage if used during the day.
Scentual Aroma recommends considering and incorporating the following products into your evening routine:
This serum, enriched with whole-plant derived vitamin A and vegan encapsulated retinol, is a pro-aging powerhouse ideal for evening use. It targets visible signs of aging, minimizes wrinkles, and evens skin tone & te. Additionally, it boosts cell turnover and fades pigmentation.
This antioxidant-rich face oil is perfect for evening application. Formulated with botanicals high in polyphenols, it combats free radicals while soothing conditions like rosacea and eczema. Rich in linoleic acid, vitamins E & A, it offers superior anti-inflammatory benefits. It hydrates instantly, leaving a dewy feel that settles to a matte finish.
The Serum is ideal for evening application, targeting blemishes without drying the skin or causing scars. Made with nourishing botanicals. Its natural salicylic acid from white willow bark effectively penetrates clogged pores, reducing acne breakouts and associated redness.
This hydrating serum, formulated with plant-derived hyaluronic acid and floral waters, is perfect for evening use. It rejuvenates and deeply nourishes, effectively replenishing moisture and combating fine lines. The serum provides an immediate plumping effect, giving the skin a dewy appearance before settling to a matte finish.
This universal face oil, ideal morning & evening application. It rejuvenates, soothes, and enhances natural radiance while addressing fine lines and dullness. Not only does it provide immediate hydration for a dewy complexion, but its lightweight texture also dries to a matte finish. Additionally, it can double as a makeup primer, ensuring a smooth, glowing skin base.
A Pressed serum formulated with whole plant infusion rich in anti-inflammatory benefit with ceramide rich plant oils to repair and strengthen skin barrier while boosting Collagen synthesis.
Moisturizing
For the skin to look healthy and beautiful, it needs to be moisturized. For this, a cream is included in the evening care routine. It's essential to choose this product carefully, as only a night cream should be applied before sleep. This is the only way to achieve proper skin hydration. During sleep, the cream has ample time to nourish the tissues, "sealing" all the moisture inside. Day creams work differently – their primary function is to protect the skin from the negative effects of external factors.
There's a common belief that night cream is a product that should only be used by women with visible signs of aging on their skin (wrinkles and pigmentation spots). However, this is a misconception. Active hydration is often necessary for those who have crossed the age of thirty. Night cream might be redundant for young girls, but even they should use it if they have excessively dry skin.
For those with oily skin, extra caution is needed when choosing a moisturizing cream. In some cases, they might even need to forgo this product entirely, allowing their skin to "breathe" at night. There's also the option of using a night cream with anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects.
Night creams by age
When choosing night creams, consider your age group as follows.
- Creams for 25+ are products that focus on maximum hydration. They often contain natural oils and extracts of medicinal plants. However, if there are no age-related skin changes, then anti-aging products are not necessary.
- After 30, the first signs of aging start to appear, so it's time to move to the next level – 30+. These creams, in addition to hydration components, also contain botanical extracts and fruit acids.
- For those 40 and above, formulas are enriched with polypeptides as well as retinol and collagen enhancing actives. All these substances aim to enhance the skin's hydration effect.
Additional Care
Beyond the mentioned products, it's essential to remember additional measures. This refers to exfoliation. Such a procedure should be conducted no more than twice a week. After using the exfoliant, follow with a hydrating facial mask that will moisturize and nourish the skin.
Initially, it might seem challenging to follow all these steps. However, once all the procedures become a routine, skincare won't take up much time.
