THEsleep is beauty. It’s not just a saying, but a truth healthy habit. As is well known, during the night the skin continues to “work” regenerating itself and it only does so if it has been cleansed and is not weighed down by inadequate skincare products. World Sleep Day, which is celebrated on March 13, is the right opportunity to put your nighttime skincare routine in order.
Evening skincare, a good resolution for World Sleep Day
It is at night that the skin regenerates and “recovers” from daily stress: just when you go to bed, the body’s general well-being mechanisms are activated. And which also regenerate the skin, increasing cell renewal activity and producing more collagen and elastin, two fundamental components for maintaining skin elasticity and firmness. However, the detail that is often underestimated is represented by the products: formulas, textures and even fragrances can make the difference.
World Sleep Day is the ideal opportunity to clarify what to apply before going to sleep and what is best left until the next day.
1. Foundation and make up, remove them well
It’s a simple gesture, which you learn from a young age, but which tiredness in the evening often leads to neglect: removing make-up before going to sleep. Removing make-up is in fact the first, indispensable step of evening skincare.
Remove foundation, blush, concealer, powder, mascara and everything else left on your face for the whole day, including fine dust, smog and pollutants that settle on the skin surface.
«The make-up tends to trap these particles, creating a sort of film that prevents the skin from regenerating. If it is not removed before bedtime, it can lead to blocked pores, the appearance of blackheads and imperfections. Furthermore, make-up residues can alter the skin microbiota and cause micro-inflammations which, over time, contribute to making the skin duller”, explains Dr. Laura Mazzotta, aesthetic doctor specializing in Hygiene and Preventive Medicine and Clinical Nutrition at the AEsthe Medica Clinic in Ferrara.
How to clean your skin thoroughly without irritating it? «With a delicate cleanser that completely removes make-up, sebum and impurities. Only on perfectly clean skin is it possible for night treatments to be truly effective.”
2. No to overly aggressive scrubs and exfoliants
It is no coincidence that the expert recommends choosing delicate facial cleansers for evening skincare: opting for more aggressive consistencies, which also require vigorous rubbing, risks in fact temporarily weaken the skin barrier.
«Applying an aggressive scrub just before going to sleep is not always the best choice, because the skin may remain slightly red or sensitive precisely during the hours when it should start its natural regeneration processes. If the skin barrier has just been stressed by intense exfoliation, the skin may be more vulnerable to external agents and more predisposed to burning, tingling or tension sensations. Furthermore, the temporary increase in skin microcirculation caused by the scrub can generate a sensation of heat which does not always favor relaxation before sleep.”
How to behave? Use scrubs at other times of the day, a maximum of 2 times a week. For the evening, choose more delicate textures so as not to attack the skin, leaving it time to regenerate at night.
3. Leave-on face masks? Depends
Many of these masks contain a high percentage of concentrated ingredients. Pay attention that they are not exfoliating acids, purifying or sebum-regulating substances which, if left on the skin all night, they can make you very sensitive and reactive.
«During the night hours the skin enters a phase of intense metabolic activity. The skin microcirculation increases slightly and the cells start the processes of repairing the damage accumulated during the day. In this physiological context, applying products that are too rich in active ingredients or with a particularly intense action can cause irritationdryness” explains the expert.
Another problem is represented by consistency, often too dense or film-forming: “Indeed when the skin is “overloaded” by products that are too heavy, especially if applied frequently, it can react with rebound effects. It is therefore important to remember that the night must not become the time when too many treatments accumulate at the same time.”
So which masks should you use at night? “Those specific for night use and those with hydrating, soothing and rebalancing ingredients. Alternatively.”
4. Body creams that are not too scented
«Many body creams contain ingredients that form a sort of protective film on the skin surface, designed to retain hydration. In some cases this barrier effect can be useful, for example when the skin is particularly dry or dehydrated. However, if the formulation is too rich, especially when it is applied in abundant quantities just before going to sleep, it can hinder natural perspiration».
During sleep, in fact, «the body continues to adjust your temperature through different physiological mechanisms. The use of very dense and occlusive creams can increase the sensation of heat or encourage greater sweating, making rest less comfortable.”
An attention that also extends to the fragrances. Before going to bed it is In fact, it is better to avoid creams with intense scents, which can be stimulating rather than relaxing. Better to focus on creams with very delicate fragrances and light consistencies, or apply them some time before going to sleep so as not to disturb your rest.
5. Beware of very active stimulating or toning products
Better also avoid cosmetic formulations that activate the microcirculationlike many anti-cellulite products based on caffeine, menthol, camphor and other ingredients with a revitalizing effect.
«If these treatments can be useful during the day because they give a feeling of lightness and activation, applying them just before going to sleep is not always the ideal choice. Some ingredients can indeed temporarily stimulate skin circulation or cause a sensation of intense freshness. A pleasant effect during the day, but which in the evening can interfere with the body’s natural relaxation process” continues the expert.
«In the hours preceding sleep, the body progressively reduces the level of activation to prepare for rest. Products that stimulate or “awaken” the skin may therefore not be consistent with this process. Furthermore, some of these substances can cause mild vasodilation or temporary tingling: generally harmless reactions, but sometimes uncomfortable during rest, especially for sensitive skin.”
Is creams based on hyaluronic acid, panthenol, ceramides or soothing ingredients which help calm and rebalance the skin at the end of the day. Focusing on more delicate skincare in the evening allows you to follow the body’s natural rhythm and improve the quality of sleep.