How to Build a Nighttime Routine for Aging Skin

If you don’t have a P.M. skincare routine, it’s time to consider making one an essential part of your bedtime regimen. Experts will tell you that nighttime is the best time to apply your skincare products. That’s when your skin goes into repair mode to counteract the damage done during the day. That damage—everything from sun exposure to environmental pollution—is what contributes to the aging of your skin, resulting in dullness, fine lines and wrinkles. A solid nighttime skincare routine also ensures that your skin is thoroughly cleansed before you hit the sheets and allows your skincare products to get to work while you sleep.

On board with amping up your beauty regimen but aren’t sure where to begin? Read on for the best ingredients and anti-aging skincare products to incorporate into your nighttime skincare routine, as well as application tips to help you get the most out of your beauty sleep.

Nighttime skincare routine step #1: Use a cleanser to remove makeup.

A cleanser is the first step of your nighttime skincare routine, helping remove makeup, dirt, debris and other impurities from your face. Skipping this crucial step can wreak havoc on your complexion in the form of clogged pores, breakouts and uneven skin texture. For mature skin, opt for a cream-based cleanser that boasts an emollient-rich formula, which will replenish your skin with moisture. Massage it into your skin, and then rinse with lukewarm water (anything hotter can be too harsh).

Nighttime skincare routine step #2: Address specific skincare concerns with a serum.

There’s a serum for every skincare concern, whether you’re dealing with fine lines and wrinkles, dark spots or uneven texture. Unlike a moisturizer, serums are lightweight and contain active ingredients that are designed to penetrate deeper into the skin where they can brighten, tighten or hydrate—or sometimes all of the above. Some key ingredients to look for include moisture-boosting hyaluronic acid (try L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Triple Power LZR Hyaluronic Acid Serum), skin-brightening vitamin C (give L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Triple Power LZR Vitamin C Serum a go), chemical exfoliants to gently exfoliate and the anti-aging powerhouse retinol. Once you’ve chosen your serum, apply it on just-cleansed skin, using your fingers to press the product onto your face.

Nighttime skincare routine step #3: Enlist an eye cream.

The skin around your eye area is thinner and more delicate than the rest of your face. It also loses moisture quicker and experiences regular wear and tear from facial expressions. (Think laughter lines, squints and frowns.) It’s one of the first areas to show the telltale signs of aging, like crow’s feet. This is precisely why it requires a separate anti-aging eye cream. Take a pea-size amount and, using your ring finger, gently pat the cream around the entire eye area until absorbed.

Nighttime skincare routine step #4: Lock in moisture with a night cream.

Your skin experiences moisture loss while you snooze in a process known as transepidermal water loss. Mature skin is even more susceptible to dryness. After you apply your serum and eye cream, layer on an anti-aging night cream. Look for a rich formula that offers maximum hydration like L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Hydra-Nutrition Ultra-Nourishing Night Cream, which taps into manuka honey, along with nourishing oils, to strengthen and hydrate your skin.

As you get older, cell renewal slows down. A slower cell turnover means drier skin, more dead-skin buildup, increased dullness and a loss of firmness and elasticity. Enlist the help of an anti-aging night cream to restore that youthful glow. L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Cell Renewal Night Cream Moisturizer is formulated with exfoliating LHAs and antioxidants to help stimulate cell renewal and keep skin bright and dewy. When applying moisturizer, use firm pressure to massage it into your face, and don’t skip out on your neck and decolleté.

Consider your nighttime skincare routine another form of self-care. Take the time to wind down and give your skin the TLC it deserves. You’ll wake up bright and refreshed, and your complexion will be happier for it.