I’ve been on quite a journey with my skin over the years, dealing with hormonal acne most of my life and now as I’m getting older, fine lines and wrinkles starting to appear. As I’ve delved into the wellness world, I’ve learned that a lot of how our skin looks and feels depends on the lifestyle we live and the healthy habits that best serve our bodies as a whole. I’ll go over some of those foundational habits I follow in a second, but finding quality skin care products that properly care for your skin and the season of life you’re in make such a difference. So today I’m sharing my highly requested nighttime skin care routine –  holy grail products I’ve used for 5+ years now, the order you should be applying your skin care in, how to make sure you’re actually washing all your makeup off before bed, and tips for smooth, clear, radiant skin you’ll be excited to wake up to.

I’ll start by going through some of the daily habits I do to help heal my skin and body naturally. Gut and hormone health has been a big focus for me this year because no matter how good or expensive of skin care I use, if my body is imbalanced, acne and other skin issues are just going to keep coming back. Here are a few of the biggest things I try to do or incorporate daily:

• eliminate sugar, alcohol, and highly processed foods from my diet
• eat a variety of colorful fruits/vegetables and fiber-filled foods
• include probiotic foods such as kefir, Greek yogurt, sauerkraut, and kombucha
• hydrate with plenty of water throughout the day
• drink anti-inflammatory teas like ginger/turmeric or green tea
• stress management and 7-8 hrs quality sleep
• red light therapy and 15-30 mins sauna several times a week
• supplements like a women’s probiotic for digestive, vaginal, and immune support, DIM for hormone balance, and an adrenal cocktail for better stress response and hormone regulation – you can see all the supplements I use here

I know it sounds like a lot, but these are little habits I’ve slowly incorporated into my daily routine over time. Once you start getting in tune with your body and giving it what it truly needs to thrive, it’s amazing how good you will feel.

It may or may not surprise you that MOST of these products are the exact same ones from the same brand that I first shared over 5 years ago now. I came across Paula’s Choice after a large amount of Google research, long before I had ever seen anyone talk about it or I had even heard of it. I was intrigued by the quality ingredients backed by science, but more than that, the amount of positive reviews from longtime customers who have been using these products for years. To be clear, I am not sponsored by this brand – I genuinely love, use, and re-order these products repeatedly, and I hope sharing them might be the help your skin needs too. 

NIGHTTIME SKIN CARE ROUTINE

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OVERVIEW

OIL CLEANSER | DHC Deep Cleansing Oil
WATER CLEANSER | Resist Perfectly Balanced Foaming Cleanser
TONER | Resist Advanced Replenishing Toner
DAILY EXFOLIANT | Skin Perfecting 6% Mandelic Acid + 2% Lactic Acid Liquid Exfoliant
WEEKLY PEEL | Skin Perfecting 25% AHA + 2% BHA Exfoliant Peel
RETINOL | Clinical Pro Retinaldehyde Dual-Retinoid Treatment
SERUM | Intensive Wrinkle-Repair Retinol Serum
MOISTURIZER | Resist Intensive Repair Cream
EYE CREAM | RoC Retinol Correxion Eye Cream
LIP MASK | Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask

DAYTIME ROUTINE | details here

step 1: CLEANSE | Resist Perfectly Balanced Foaming Cleanser – This anti-aging and pore-reducing cleanser is formulated to gently remove makeup and excess oil while balancing your skin’s moisture. I use it morning and night, and I love how creamy and gentle it feels on my skin.

• combination/oily/normal skin types
• gently removes all traces of makeup, sunscreen and excess oil
• hyaluronic acid helps retain moisture and instantly plumps skin
• ceramides restore the moisture barrier and strengthen skin’s surface
• aloe calms sensitivity and soothes signs of redness

IF I HAVE MAKEUP ON

I will use either: 1) micellar water and cotton rounds or 2) a reusable makeup remover cloth (I use this in the shower) to remove my makeup before cleansing. These are great for stubborn eye makeup and get the majority of everything off so the cleansers I use next can really deep clean my skin before bed. Then I double cleanse, which simply means washing your face twice. I only do this at night, and I start with an oil cleanser like DHC Deep Cleansing Oil, which is the best at washing away any remaining makeup, sunscreen, dirt, etc. It’s also really gentle on your skin and helps protect your moisture barrier, which is even more important during cold weather months. If you want to do a lymphatic drainage massage, this is a great time to incorporate that. Then I wash once more with the Resist Foaming Cleanser to deep clean pores and remove any lingering oil. I know it sounds like a lot of steps, but the double cleansing goes really quickly and is so important to get every trace of makeup off before applying the rest of your skin care.

Another noteworthy product that seems insignificant but is actually a genius invention, is a pair of towel wristbands so water doesn’t run down your arms while washing and rinsing your face!

step 2: TONE | Resist Advanced Replenishing Toner – This milky, anti-aging toner replenishes essential nutrients and visibly hydrates and soothes skin. I use this after cleansing by applying the toner on a cotton round and gently wiping all over my face and neck.

• dry/normal/combination skin types
• hyaluronic acid replenishes skin barrier, hydrates, and plumps skin
• linoleic fatty acid diminishes dullness and supports skin’s resilience
• ferulic acid helps defend against sun damage and targets discoloration

step 3: EXFOLIATE | Skin Perfecting 6% Mandelic Acid + 2% Lactic Acid Liquid Exfoliant – If there is one thing I would say most people don’t do enough for their skin, it’s sufficient exfoliation. This liquid leave-on exfoliant is a powerful, yet gentle blend of acids to resurface skin for smoother, softer, brighter skin. I’ve purchased a lot of different scrubs and manual exfoliators over the years, which can sometimes feel harsh on my sensitive skin. I love that this is just a simple liquid I apply daily with a cotton round and leave on my skin underneath my moisturizer. I highly recommend using this mandelic + lactic acid product at night, and my tried-and-true Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant in the morning to prep your skin for a smooth, flawless makeup application.

• all skin types
• gentle, but effective blend of acids resurface & shed built-up layers of dead skin
• unique formula reverses a compromised skin barrier
• improves sun damage, dullness, and fine lines

1x WEEKLY

This isn’t a necessary step, but once a week I like to do a deeper exfoliation with a peel containing a higher concentration of AHA and BHA. If you have sensitive skin, you really need to slowly work up to using these kind of exfoliating products, so please use caution when trying it. My skin is very sensitive, but with consistent use of my skin care routine, it can tolerate these more potent products and responds to them very well.

I use the Skin Perfecting 25% AHA + 2% BHA Exfoliant Peel once a week IN PLACE OF the mandelic/lactic acid liquid exfoliant. You don’t want to use both. I like to do it on Sunday’s, which is my self care day before the busy week starts. Apply a thin layer to clean skin, rinse after 10 minutes, and continue with your serums, moisturizer, etc.

• all skin types
• multi-acid blend smooths fine lines and refines rough, bumpy texture
• plant extracts soothe skin and calm redness
• results visible immediately after rinsing off

A budget-friendly option would be The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution. It’s under $10 and has tens of thousands of great reviews.

step 4: TREAT | Clinical Pro Retinaldehyde Dual-Retinoid Treatment – Retinol is an important step in your skin care routine, and I highly recommend adding it if you don’t currently use one. In general, retinol increases collagen production and stimulates skin cell turnover, which improves fine lines and wrinkles, sun damage and discoloration, acne, uneven skin texture, etc. This is another product that is very potent and can cause skin irritation, so you’ll want to start using it slowly, maybe once or twice a week, and increase frequency as your skin can tolerate it. Also, please make sure you are wearing sunscreen during the day, especially when using retinols and peels – I use this one every morning.

This particular product is a unique high-potency dual-retinoid that is the closest to prescription strength with minimal irritation. I’ve built up to using it almost every night, and I can tell such a difference in my skin when I wake up in the morning. The only negative is Retinaldehyde has a naturally bright yellow color, and when I don’t give my skin care enough time to soak in before I go to bed, it transferrs to my white pillow cases. Yes, the color does come out in the washer, and you only need to give it about 10-15 minutes to fully soak in before laying down.

• all skin types
• closest to prescription-strength retinoid delivers advanced results
• calcium-encapsulated to minimize irritation
• oil-soluble retinoid promotes clear skin

OTHER TREATMENTS I LOVE

When my skin is feeling dry or irritated and needs a little extra TLC, I’ll use this Intensive Wrinkle-Repair Retinol Serum in place of the Retinaldehyde treatment. It has a silky, soothing formula that feels so nourishing to my skin while delivering pure retinol and vitamin C. It’s made for all skin types and helps firm skin and smooth fine lines and wrinkles.

The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 Serum is another favorite serum of mine that comes at a great price point. It’s made with hyaluronic acid for deep-penetrating hydration, ceramides to support the skin barrier, pro-vitamin B5 to lock in moisture. My skin feels smooth, plump, and hydrated whenever I use it.

step 5: MOISTURIZE | Resist Intensive Repair Cream – For the final step of my nighttime skin care routine, I want a moisturizer that seals in all the good stuff I’ve applied, restores and rejuvenates my skin, and deeply hydrates for a radiant glow the next morning. This product does just that and feels so creamy and soothing on my skin. The repair cream is great for normal/dry/combination skin, especially in the winter, but in the summer months, I switch over to the Resist Barrier Repair Advanced Moisturizer, which is a little less heavy and perfect for all skin types.

• ultra-creamy formula improves firmness and visibly reduces the signs of aging
• unique blend of retinol, peptides, and antioxidants revive the skin barrier and improve texture
• hyaluronic acid plumps skin and locks in moisture

NIGHTTIME ROUTINE ADD-ONS

If you want something to target your under eyes, specifically fine lines, dark circles, and puffiness, I highly recommend RoC Retinol Correxion Eye Cream. This little tube has lasted me forever because you only need a tiny little dot of product, and it has tens of thousands of rave reviews touting great results with regular use.

I can’t stand my lips being dry, so at night I slather on this Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask after I do my skin care and brush my teeth. Your lips feel so soft and hydrated when you wake up in the morning. Again, a very little goes a very long way, and this jar will last you a long time!

Any questions? Let me know!

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