Should Your Morning And Night Skincare Routines Be Different?

Your morning and nighttime skincare routines most likely follow the same basic steps: cleanse, tone, boost, and hydrate. That being said, these routines should not be exactly the same! While many skincare products can be used twice a day, morning and night, most are more effective during one or the other. 

Believe it or not, your skin does have different needs at different times of day. Some of these needs can be attributed to your skin’s circadian rhythm, while others are influenced by external factors. Here are some things to keep in mind.

morning

In the morning, it’s all about protection. Once you leave the house, you’re likely to be exposed to harsh UV rays, pollution, and other environmental factors that can cause oxidative stress. Oxidative stress, which is caused by reactive molecules with unpaired electrons (free radicals) attacking chemical compounds in the skin, leaves skin feeling thinner, weaker, and less healthy all around.

To combat the effects of oxidative stress, we always recommend working an antioxidant serum, moisturizer, or both into your morning skincare routine. Our vitamin C serum with sea grape caviar centers around sodium ascorbyl phosphate, one of the most gentle forms of antioxidant-rich vitamin C. SAP helps protect your skin against oxidative stress while also brightening it and boosting your natural glow.

For the sake of convenience, it’s also helpful to use lightweight, fast-absorbing products in your morning skincare routine. That way, you won’t have to wait for products to absorb before going about your day. Additionally, if you wear makeup, lighter weight products will layer better underneath.

And of course, the most important form of skin protection - sunscreen! As you probably know, unprotected sun exposure puts you at greater risk of skin cancer, and can also cause visible, premature signs of aging in the skin. If there’s a single skincare step you should absolutely never skip, it’s sunscreen! 

night

Cleansing at night is paramount to having healthy skin. If you wear makeup, every trace of it should be removed before your face hits the pillow. Even if you don’t, your nightly cleanse will help remove any dirt, grime, or pollutants that you were exposed to during the day. 

Additionally, while you sleep, your skin focuses on repairing itself - skin cells regenerate, and replace the old with new. Your skin’s natural barrier is also slightly more permeable, which means that your products will be able to sink in more deeply. That’s why you should always use your hardest working skincare products at night, when they have the best chance to really do their jobs.

The increased permeability of your skin barrier can also make your skin slightly more susceptible to moisture loss, so make sure that the products you use are ultra-hydrating as well.

Our favorite nighttime product is our resurfacing sleep mask, because it’s packed with natural but potent and hardworking actives. Our formula centers around bakuchiol, a plant-derived retinol alternative that helps reduce the appearance of dark spots, discoloration, and premature fine lines and wrinkles. It also features beta-glucan, an ultra-nourishing, plant-derived hyaluronic acid alternative, that helps lock in hydration, to protect your skin against nighttime moisture loss.

The key here is to use your products with the hardest working actives at night, when your skin will really be able to drink them in. It’s also crucial to keep your skin hydrated and nourished, since your skin barrier won’t be locking in moisture as effectively as it does during the day.

we hope you’ve found this helpful! for more skincare info, tips, and tricks, make sure to sign up for our emails below!