April 7, 2015 10:27 am

Guest Post: 6 things you need to include to your bedtime skincare routine

Experts

I used to be the kind of person you’d meet and say: “My, what beautiful skin you have!” Not bragging, that’s just how it was. I prided myself in my skincare “routine” (not really a routine, I’d simply wash my face twice a day and that was that) and felt mighty proud of the fact that my skin required little to no upkeep.

That was until I turned 25 and things hit the ceiling. I found myself dealing with breakouts, acne scars and I was very, very unhappy. It took me some serious soul searching to finally realize that things needed changing. These 6 things at your bedtime skincare routine will change everything.

1. Use coconut oil as a makeup remover: I’m a strong advocate for essential natural oils and I’m especially partial to coconut oil. Not only have I found it to be gentle and soothing on my skin, but I’ve also noticed that it makes my skin incredibly soft and supple afterward. Just add a few drops of coconut oil to a cotton ball and gently rub the makeup off your face.

2. Wash your face the right way: Yes, there can be a wrong way and it could very well be your way.

Always use lukewarm water to wash your face.
The cleanser you use should be suited for your skin type – oily, dry, combination or normal.
Massage the cleanser into your skin in circular, upward motions for about a minute, focusing on the problem areas such as your T-zone and the sides of your nose.
Finish by splashing your face with cold water to close the pores and pat dry with a soft towel.

3. Apply toner: New to the toner and unsure of how to use it? I was too. Washing your face can be harsh on your skin, which is why toner has been recommended to even out the PH balance of your skin. If you’re worried about the alcohol in the toner drying out your skin, look for one that doesn’t contain alcohol and is best suited for your skin type. Add a few drops to a cotton ball and dab it onto your face and neck.

4. Serum is the way to go: You might not even realize how important serums could be in your nightly bed-time routine. Serums have been known to boost collagen, which means bye-bye sagging skin, hello firm, younger-looking skin. If your skin is prone to breakouts, use a serum that contains L-ascorbic acid and retinol. Just dab a pea-sized dot of serum into your skin after you cleanse it and wait 5 minutes before you follow it up with moisturizer.

5. Always moisturize: It doesn’t end there! Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize! A recent article published on the Marinello beauty blog says that it’s important to moisturize your face right after you wash it every time. People with oily skin tend to skip this step for fear of making their skin oilier, but what most of them don’t realize is that failing to moisturize your skin could lead to your skin producing more oil to compensate for the imbalance, thus making your skin oilier. Moral of the story? Always moisturize.

6. Exfoliate: It is not advisable to exfoliate your skin every day and so it is recommended to do it once or twice every week. Buy an additional exfoliating face wash that you can use once or twice in a week. Exfoliation is important since it washes away the dead skin. You can then follow this step the way you normally would- with toner and a moisturizer. I like a good face scrub and would recommend the Ole Henriksen Walnut Complexion Scrub, but you can use whichever you like. Quick points:

Don’t scrub your face hard.
Exfoliate your face for at least 3 minutes
Follow up with a hydrating cream

These are the 6 things you need to include to your bed-time routine. Sure, you’ll experiment with products over the years, but remember, no matter what product you use, always follow these 6 steps to radiant, blemish-free, acne-free skin!

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I’m Kathleen Case and in my beauty salon I make people pretty. With the help of a fine education provided by Marinello I’m able to make the people of the world beautiful one face at a time. I have collected the experiences I have gained perfecting every face I work on and using all that information, I write about beauty in all its forms to help the people I cannot reach with my own hands.

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Note: All views expressed in this blog post are the personal opinions of the guest blogger. mySkin.com doesn’t favor any particular skincare brand or take advertising from any of them. Our scientific algorithm is entirely unbiased and based on your skin profile.