Top 5: Nighttime Skincare Routine
Every time you’re feeling too lazy to get up and wash your face before you go to sleep just remember that your skincare products are most effective at night – which makes sense, right? You’ve got a freshly washed face to let the products absorb into and hours of uninterrupted face time with your pillow and no contaminants so this is the time to pack in a punch and address whatever issue you may be facing.
For those of you who have been pestering me about what my nighttime routine is, here I am, with zero gatekeeping – just don’t sell out my favorite products please! 🙏🏽
Who am I? My name is Laura and I’m on a mission to keep my 37 year old face as wrinkle and acne free as possible, despite my serious hormonal cystic acne and refusal to inject myself with botox or fillers – zero hate, just not for me. To do that requires spending a little (ok, a lot) of cash upfront in the skincare department, but gives me the freedom to be as low maintenance as possible.
My MO is to use what the estheticians and dermatologists do – I invest in premium formulas with pharmaceutical grade, hypoallergenic products when necessary, and shave off costs where I can (like in moisturizer).
I booked a virtual session with LA’s queen of skin, Shani Darden, over the pandemic and fine-tuned both my morning and bedtime stacks and learned where to spend and where to invest in my skincare. I’ve tweaked a couple of things since our chat, but here’s what’s in the current rotation, in order:
1. Sofie Pavitt Micellar Cleansing Pads – micellar water
$24 / https://www.sofiepavittface.com/products/micellar-jar
At this point most of us now know that double cleansing is the way to remove all the gunk, sunscreen and makeup you may have acquired throughout the day, but if you’re acne prone you need to steer cleaaaarrr of all oils and balms and go for a micellar water that doesn’t leave a balm. Previous versions have been effective but impractical, especially for travel; enter Sofie Pavitt face’s amazing new pads that are debuting. With 35 pads per purchase, they last me about a month and can be used morning or night, though I personall\y use them at night as my “first pass” before washing my face. These genius non-comedogenic micellar pads are not only a game changer in terms of their form and function with my life on the go, but you know the formula is fire when it comes from Sofie, known to those who know as New York City’s acne whisperer. She’s in the process of launching a slew of products which never cease to impress and is definitely one to watch in the skincare space.
2. iS Clinical Cleansing Complex – face wash
$48 / https://isclinical.com/cleansing-complex.html
Back to the ‘basic’ – even though it’s anything but – product of the iS Clinical bunch, a hydrating and gentle yet seriously effective cleansing face wash. I’m a sucker for anything low maintenance, and I love this cleanser because it’s paraben free, has salicylic acid and acts as a cleanser, toner and makeup remover in one, but it’s also gentle enough for the double cleanse. It leaves your skin feeling exfoliated but doesn’t strip the skin and leaves you ready to absorb all the goodness you’re about to give it.
3. Shani Darden’s Moisture Boost Plumping Serum – moisturizing serum
$78 / https://www.shanidarden.com/collections/shani-darden/products/moisture-boost-plumping-serum
For the first step in the “retinol sandwich,” I’ve swapped my traditional hyaluronic acid for Shani Darden’s new moisture boosting serum since it’s more hydrating and really provides that overall glow. It’s a silky, non-sticky serum powered by snow mushroom and glycerin to effectively attract, retain & replenish moisture for instant, continuous plumping and long-lasting hydration. If you’re looking for that dewy glass skin look, you can use this product in the morning right before your sunscreen and be prepared to dazzle – while strengthening and repairing your skin barrier.
4. Tretinoin – retinol
DEPENDS ON INSURANCE / RETIN-A PRESCRIPTION
If you’ve made your way onto this page, chances are it’s not the first time you’re hearing of tretinoin, the generic name for Retin-A, affectionately reffered to as tret. Although it has a bit of a bad rap for its tendency to cause redness, dryness, and sensitivity, it is *the* holy grail product for anti-aging, cellular turnover and collagen production. What does that mean? If you have issues with acne, fine lines, skin texture, hyperpigmentation or just generally want to freeze your face in time, this is the product for you. And because you get a prescription from your dermatologist it’s a far more cost effective option than buying an over-the-counter retinol. NGL, starting tret is a commitment. You shouldn’t use it where the sun is strong (without sunscreen and a hat) and you need to make sure to use not too much or too little, or you’ll flake all over at first. Oh, and also you might purge.. but if you can endure all of that, on the other side of the rainbow is a pot of golden, glowy skin. (The goal is to work yourself up to a pea sized amount for your whole face as often as your skin can tolerate.)
There are a couple of things to know when starting on tret: always apply it on fully dry skin or it becomes more potent, start using it once a week and work your way up until you build up a tolerance (I use it practically every night but it depends on what your skin can handle), and be careful of not putting too much product close to areas which tend to flake (nasolabial folds, corners of mouth, eyes, etc). When in doubt, start out using the sandwich method, which is putting on a moisturizing serum before tret and then a moisturizer afterwards to prevent dehydration in the area. If you can’t get to a derm or are too sensitive for the ‘hard stuff’ I highly recommend Shani Darden’s Retinol Reform which is both gentle on sensitive skin and ridiculously effective.
5. CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion – moisturizer
$14.29/ https://www.cerave.com/skincare/moisturizers/daily-moisturizing-lotion
I used to spend a lot of money on moisturizers, but when I had my virtual session with Shani Darden she assured me that one of the areas I can save on skincare is in the moisturizer department. At the time I was using CeravePM and she recommended switching to their regular daily moisturizing lotion (not the cream) – a cost-effective hydrating option with ceramides and hyaluronic acid, which also helps to restore and protect the skin barrier. Looking for a more upscale version, check out Shani Darden’s Weightless Oil Free Moisturizer.
(*6) Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Peel Pads – weekly chemical exfoliation
$92 / https://drdennisgross.com/products/alpha-beta-universal-daily-peel
Although those are the top 5 products I use daily, there is a 6th product that I use as a bonus one to two times a week religiously, which is a chemical exfoliation. It removes all the dead skin cells and allows your products to absorb better, preventing buildup and reducing hyperpigmentation. I use Dr Dennis Gross’s Universal Daily Peel, an iconic two-step anti-aging peel with clinical results targeting uneven tone and texture, fine lines and wrinkles, and enlarged pores. Packed with 7 exfoliating and brightening acids (including AHAs and BHAs) plus skin renewing antioxidants and vitamins, it removes the layer of dead skin on the surfaces and clears out all the congestion in your pores. When I use the peels I double cleanse, then I swap out the tretinoin (you never want to use too many actives at once) and put on the moisturizing serum after and then seal it all in with a moisturizer.