CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion SPF 50 -- 3 fl oz

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Working the late shift again? Or do you find that your most productive time of day just happens to be in the wee hours of the evening? Either way, creating a targeted nighttime skincare routine can help combat some of the specific skincare issues that only night owls tend to experience and will help put a glow back in your complexion that even an early bird will envy!

6 Steps for a Skincare Routine After Dark

Step 1: Double cleanse

By the end of the day, your face has been wearing not only makeup or sunscreen, but it’s also been exposed to all types of pollutants, harmful UV rays, stress, foods, oils and sweat. Double cleansing ensures that all of these noxious residues are removed, preventing clogged pores and irritation. Start out with an oil-based cleanser or micellar water that can break down these heavy ingredients. For those with sensitive skin, Simple’s Micellar Cleansing Water is a great choice as it contains no artificial perfumes, dyes or harsh chemicals and instead delivers a dose of Vitamins B3 and C plus triple purified water. Then follow up with a gentle face wash such as Burt's Bees’ Orange Essence Facial Cleanser which primes your face for the layers of products to come.

Step 2: Apply retinol

After cleansing, use a retinol-based face serum to tighten pores, reduce age spots and help skin turnover. Dr. Daniel Sugai, a Washington based, board certified dermatologist, agrees. “They are great for anti-aging, great for acne, great for hyperpigmentation. They’ve been shown in studies to help with all three [and] they’ve been out for a long time,” he confirms. “Sunlight will deactivate your retinoid [and while] there are photo stable forms that are out, I say, make it simple and make it your main nighttime ingredient.” Try Derma E’s Anti-Wrinkle Retinol Concentrate Serum which contains time-released encapsulated retinol which delivers a gentle dose throughout the day without triggering the potentially negative side effects, such as redness, dryness, irritation and peeling. Dry your face first as “you don’t want to apply your retinoid to damp skin because it will increase penetration and thus increase your risk of irritation which is a common side effect when you’re starting out on a retinoid,” Dr. Sugai explains. “But the world of benefits you get from it is totally worth it if you can stay with it consistently.”

Step 3: Consider an eye cream

Night owls may sport darker circles under their eyes, plus more puffiness or redness. Anything cold will reduce the bloated look, so a gel eye mask or eye roller fresh from the fridge or even a cold spoon held over your eyes can help. Try lightly tapping the area around your eyes and massaging localized pressure points to encourage lymphatic drainage and reduce congestion. The infamous cucumbers over your eyelids can actually be effective as well, since they’re full of antioxidants, minerals and vitamins. Simply slice two cold cucumber slices, lie down and place them over your eyes for at least 15 minutes. Additionally, ingredients like green tea, caffeine, niacinamide and other antioxidants can help reduce inflammation and constrict blood vessels to reduce puffiness as well as helping to alleviate those dark circles. Formulated with a potent trio of caffeine, hyaluronic acid and peptides, Tree to Tub’s Caffeine Eye Cream will help you look bright eyed and bushy tailed by morning.

Step 3: Slug (a little)

Late nights can often come with multiple caffeine breaks or snacking – both of which dehydrate the skin. Remember to drink water as you work, lounge or socialize into the early hours of the morning. “While we sleep, the heaters are on and it’s pulling out all the moisture from our face,” Dr. Sugai adds. “So it’s really important to put Vaseline or some sort of petrolatum over the lips, over the eyelids and so when you put your retinol on you won’t have as much dryness and irritation.” However, don’t get carried away. “I don’t recommend slugging right over your retinol, like putting a whole layer of Vaseline over the layer of retinol you put on your face because that can really occlude it, trap it in too much and push it into the skin further and cause more irritation. So just use a moisturizing cream to layer over your retinol – don’t slug.”

Step 4: Moisturize

Finishing off your routine with a rich and nourishing nighttime moisturizer will keep skin hydrated and repair the skin’s moisture barrier while you sleep. Consider it to be the finishing touch – an essential final step that locks in all the previously applied products. Pacifica’s Dreamy Youth Day and Night Face Cream is an advanced option as it contains a powerful blend of concentrated floral stem cells, peptides and antioxidants that create a dreamy effect on your complexion. Since many late-night environments are often drying to the skin, try elevating your routine with overnight face masks, which will boost hydration without clogging your pores and work on penetrating your skin while you sleep. Biohoney’s Rejuvenating Bee Venom Mask contains powerful age-defying ingredients including bee venom, manuka honey and New Zealand Tree Fern extracts which attract and retain moisture for a more supple appearance while also sporting antibacterial properties to help reduce clogged pores, acne and inflammation.

Step 5: Invest in a silk pillowcase

Though they may seem a bit pricey, a silk pillowcase is worth it. “Whenever you do a pillowcase that’s silk, you pay more,” Dr. Sugai agrees, “But if you’re a side sleeper like myself [its] totally worth it because when I wake up with a regular pillowcase, those sleep wrinkles are real. We’ve seen it published in plastic surgery journals that these sleep wrinkles remain over time. When you have frictional rubbing and pressure on your face, you can get static wrinkles that don’t go away [or] permanent wrinkles from lying on your side for so long and so consistently. They lead to wrinkles that just stay there – not just right after you wake up but throughout the day and every day.” In addition, if late nights encourage late mornings, wear a satin eye mask to help block morning light as you snooze. Blocking early morning rays will encourage melatonin production, giving you a more restful sleep and leaving you feeling refreshed and energized when you wake.

Step 6: Set a bedtime routine

Even if you’re a late sleeper, try to stick to a consistent bedtime to help regulate your body’s rhythm. “I’m guilty of going to sleep late at times when I have a lot going on,” Dr, Sugai admits. “Busy family, lots of activities, I’ve got work, [but] I go to sleep at a reasonable hour and I try my best to go to sleep on time.” How much sleep is enough? “Strive for 7 to 8 hours of sleep, that’s so important. We’ve seen studies that the skin does need sleep to help regenerate collagen, help repair itself just like other things. The brain is an example and also the heart so people who don’t get enough sleep can have dementia down the road or cardiovascular disease and it can shorten our life span, so I think sleep is so important.” A regular sleep routine, a little eye cream and a face mask can really make a difference so don’t wait to get started. Hopefully these six steps have inspired those of you who are active at night to take a moment before sleeping to care for your skin and body – helping not only your skin glow but also giving you a little pep in your step as you start out your day![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_text_separator title="Featured Products" border_width="2"][vc_row_inner equal_height="yes" content_placement="middle" gap="35"][vc_column_inner width="1/3"][vc_single_image image="184308" img_size="full" alignment="center" onclick="custom_link" img_link_target="_blank" css=".vc_custom_1746026689419{padding-right: 7% !important;padding-left: 7% !important;}" link="https://www.vitacost.com/kroger-night-time-facial-moisturizer"][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width="1/3"][vc_single_image image="184307" img_size="full" alignment="center" onclick="custom_link" img_link_target="_blank" css=".vc_custom_1746027527675{padding-right: 7% !important;padding-left: 7% !important;}" link="https://www.vitacost.com/derma-e-retinol-line-smoothing-hydro-gel-under-eye-patches"][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width="1/3"][vc_single_image image="184306" img_size="full" alignment="center" onclick="custom_link" img_link_target="_blank" css=".vc_custom_1746027541644{padding-right: 7% !important;padding-left: 7% !important;}" link="https://www.vitacost.com/cerave-resurfacing-retinol-serum"][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row]