The ELEMIS Guide to Curating a Perfect Night Skincare Routine

Have you ever woken up to an angry blemish on your face with no idea why? Maybe your skin feels itchy, or your fine lines and wrinkles are more visible in the morning. If that sounds familiar, you could be missing one vital thing - night skincare.

Perfecting your nighttime skincare routine is crucial for a glowing complexion. Without it, you could struggle with premature ageing, dullness, dryness and breakouts. Read on to discover the perfect night routine for face care and wake up to naturally beautiful skin.

Your grandmother wasn’t lying when she told you to get your beauty sleep. A good night’s rest is time for your body to detoxify, renew cells and revitalise skin. Continue reading to find out the power of night skincare while you slumber.

Prevents dry skin

When you sleep, you lose moisture through sweat and respiration, resulting in dry and dehydrated skin. You might wake up to a tight, itchy face and heavily defined wrinkles.

Using a moisturiser before you turn off the light compensates for water loss, keeping skin hydrated and conditioned. Seal the deal by creating a watertight barrier with face oil to prevent excess moisture from escaping while you sleep.

Heals skin and reduces premature ageing

While you sleep, your body goes through cell rejuvenation, which sheds cells to make way for new ones. This process helps repair, lift and firm.

When you apply serums that target blemishes and premature ageing, skin uses the ingredients to boost cell turnover - excellent news for blemishes, scarring, wrinkles and fine lines.

Clears and preps skin for the detoxification process

Your body is hard at work when you sleep. It flushes out your kidneys and liver and naturally exfoliates skin cells. You can give the process a helping hand by removing all makeup, oils and grime before bed. It prevents clogged pores, which can cause dull skin and overnight breakouts.

Your body also uses skincare products such as serums most effectively at night. This is because your cell turnover absorbs the ingredients, maximising your product potential.

Night time skincare tops daytime skincare because your skin rejuvenates while you sleep. That means it is prime time for your body to take in nourishing ingredients. You also lose a lot of moisture overnight, so hydrating your skin before bed is crucial. However, skin cells shed overnight, so it is essential to use a morning cleanser. 

A bad night’s sleep means slower skin cell turnover. Over time, this can lead to deeper fine lines, wrinkles, under-eye bags, and a loss of vitality. Luckily, there’s something you can do to improve your quality of sleep.

Winding down before bed decreases your stress hormones, allowing you to drift off. A consistent night’s sleep provides time for cell turnover. This means fewer fine lines and wrinkles and healing from blemish scars. Here are a few tips for winding down in the evening:

Keep a gratitude journal - Writing down three things you’re grateful for releases a happy hormone called serotonin. This counterbalances your stress hormone, cortisol, for better sleep.

Use scents - Soothing scents regulate the nervous system, making you feel calm and enticing a good night’s rest. Lavender releases your sleep hormone, melatonin, while rose and lemon relax the mind.

Sip a hot drink - A cup of non-caffeinated tea before bed flushes out toxins and relaxes muscles. Milk, lavender and chamomile are natural sedatives. So make yourself a warm drink before bed and wake up to beautiful skin.

Read a book - It’s hard to switch off your brain, so take your mind off things with a good read. You should also steer clear of screens, as they emit blue light, which suppresses sleep hormones.

Skincare is never one-size-fits-all, so finding the perfect routine for your skin type is essential. Below, we have broken down the most common skin types and concerns so you can create a personalised night routine.

Mature skin

Everyone has a fibre called collagen, which keeps skin elasticated and youthful. But from the age of twenty-five, collagen production declines. This reduces cell rejuvenation, creating dull, loose skin, deeper fine lines, and wrinkles.

If you have mature skin, then opt for collagen-infused products. They aid skin cell turnover to reveal vibrant skin and lift your complexion to minimise creases.

Oily skin

Oily skin looks shiny, and you may struggle with regular breakouts. If that sounds like you, you need products to balance your skin. Gel cleansers are particularly beneficial because they harmonise oily skin without stripping and creating dryness. You should also opt for face masks to hydrate skin so it doesn’t overproduce oils.

Dry and dehydrated skin

Dry and dehydrated skin creates a tight feeling on your face, making skin itchy and flaky. Dryness can be caused by mature skin because the loss of collagen allows moisture to escape easily. However, a compromised skin barrier also leads to dryness and blemishes.

If you struggle with dry and dehydrated skin, a deeply nourishing face mask will leave you with a silky smooth complexion.

Blemish-prone skin

Blemish-prone skin is often sensitive and needs cleansers that contain calming and antibacterial ingredients. Blemishes may also result from dry skin, so use conditioning ingredients.

When it comes to night time skincare, slapping on a bit of oil, followed by a moisturiser and toner, won’t work. You must apply them correctly to ensure you maximise the properties of each product. Follow the below steps to curate the perfect night skincare.

Step 1: Cleanse
Even if you haven’t applied makeup, you still need to cleanse your skin. To start your skincare routine, fully remove any makeup. We recommend an oil-based cleanser like our bestselling Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm that melts away makeup alongside the daily build-up of sweat, grime, and sunscreen to make way for refreshed and beautiful skin.

Step 2: Exfoliate
Exfoliating clears dead skin cells and encourages cell turnover to reveal a radiant shine. You can use physical or chemical exfoliators. Chemical exfoliators are generally more gentle and better for the delicate skin on your face.

Step 3: Apply toners
Toners feed your skin with additional ingredients and hydration. You should be free of make-up, sunscreen and sweat before applying your toner. Smoothly sweep the liquid across your face, and don’t forget your neck. You don’t rinse off toners; instead, leave them on to nurture your skin.

Step 4: Smooth on serums
If you’re using a specific skin treatment, such as serums, add them after your toner. Our Pro-Collagen Renewal Serum is an effective alternative to retinol, reducing wrinkles and plumping up skin.

Step 5: Moisturise
After all your hard work, your skin needs hydration replenishment. This is particularly true before bed when you experience high water loss through respiration and sweat. Use an ELEMIS moisturiser with a thick consistency to condition skin cells. 

Step 6: Seal with an ELEMIS oil
It’s crucial to lock in nourishing ingredients and moisture with a lightweight oil. Massage in a few drops of an It’s crucial to lock in nourishing ingredients and moisture with a lightweight oil. Massage in a few drops of an enriching face oil to support your skin barrier and protect it from oxidative stress.

There are thousands of skincare products, all claiming to give you beautiful skin. But how do you know which one is right? Below, we’ve broken down our favourite products and ingredients so you can choose the best one for your skin.

Make-up remover – best for all skin types

We had to start with the first step in a night time skincare routine: removing makeup. Efficiently sweeping away the day's foundation is a must for your products to work their magic.

Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm - Our award-winning original cleansing balm combines a luxurious 3-in-1 texture with visible skin-enhancing results. The essential first step in your daily ritual, this cleansing balm is clinically proven to melt away waterproof and long-wear makeup, strengthen the skin’s barrier, and deliver instant hydration.^

Collagen products – best for mature skin

When you’re sleeping, cells rejuvenate for younger-looking skin. Collagen products increase cell turnover, keeping skin tight and minimising fine lines and wrinkles. Below are a few fantastic collagen ingredients to support cell turnover while you sleep.

Pro-Collagen Night Cream - Our ELEMIS night cream contains the gorgeous ingredient Padina Pavonica, a brown algae that boosts collagen synthesis. We’ve also included deeply hydrated oils, such as avocado and sesame, to protect your skin against free radicals.

Pro-Collagen Overnight Matrix - If you’re struggling with stress, our overnight matrix is for you. Its Drone Peptide Technology targets areas of the face that show intense stress, helping it bounce back for a youthful glow.

ULTRA SMART Pro-Collagen Night Genius - This cashmere-smooth night cream uses revolutionary skincare technology to hydrate skin in just 24 hours. Apply the night before and wake up to a silky complexion.

Superfood and exfoliating creams - best for blemishes or dry and dull skin

Superfood skincare is bursting with antioxidants to protect against free radicals, while our exfoliants improve skin texture and smooth creases.

Superfood Midnight Facial - Between 11 pm and midnight, your skin cell turnover is at its highest, which is where the ELEMIS Midnight Facial comes in. The delicious cocoa butter deeply moisturises while Camu Camu sleuths away dead skin cells to unveil fresh skin.

Dry skin, deep lines and blemishes can be a thing of the past with the perfect night time skincare routine. Melt away the day with a cleanser, gently exfoliate and enrich your skin with revitalising serums and nourishing creams. It's the ultimate night skin care for a happier and glowing you.