Nighttime skin care routine-best products for combination skin

Nighttime skin care routine…..you asked, I tell!  These are my favorite products for Nighttime and maintaining my best skin.

The P.M. is a bit more than my A.M. to be honest. The PM is when I actually cleanse my face and do my treatments (masques, laser or heat device treatments, acid & retinol application). I’m going to put the housekeeping and FYI stuff below again just ‘cuz.

1. This is what works for me. It may not work for you. Regardless, I hope there is something that you can take away from this –even if its just that my routine is or is not a great idea for you. Real talk people.
2. There are seasons in the area of the world I live in. I change part and/or all of my routine for the seasons.
3. My skintype is combination with an oily T-zone. I am in my 40’s and have hyperpigmentation from being foolish and tanning in my 20’s and early 30’s.
4. I do invest in professional skincare treatments in the form of facials/peels. Yes, it can get expensive. I am happy to talk about less expensive ways to get facials and skincare treatments-just request this and I will speak on it.
5. I will make every attempt to post ‘where to buy’ information and/or a brief description of these products. In most cases, being at the blog is the ‘best’ bet, as most of the images should direct to a link where you can read more about the product and purchase it.

The routine (followed by 1-2 times a week treatments):

Eye Makeup remover-that doesn’t burn the heck out of my eyes

Honestly, Missha (which you know by now is a favorite South Korean beauty brand of mine) makes great eye makeup removers and I would recommend most of them.  I find that this one is especially great at removing my eye makeup.  I wear tubing mascaras and find that this product removes these with ease with no red eyes, burning, or irritation.

Cleansing oil-dissolve the day away! 

I love using an oil (sometimes a balm) to dissolve the makeup. Right now, I’m using Dermalogica pre-cleanse a true favorite of mine. I massage this onto my entire face-and I do massage it in (that’s a good way to stimulate the muscles in your face as well).   I wipe this off with a warm washcloth and then move on to the actual cleansing product.

Benefits:

• Achieve ultra clean and healthy skin with a double cleansing regimen
• Formulated with conditioning rice bran and vitamin E oils
• Plant-based cleansing oil, fortified with Olive and Kukui oils
• Recommended for all skin conditions
• Made in USA

Cleansing-you are probably going to be shocked about my cleansers

They don’t have a lot of bells/whistles…..and why should they? I’m washing them down the drain. This is a good takeaway-your cleanser doesn’t have to be ‘all that’…..your active and results oriented products need to be your toner, serum, and cream. My cleanser right now is from Olay-Oil minimizing clean foaming face cleanser. 

Benefits:

• Removes dirt, oil and make-up without over-drying your skin
• Designed by Olay skin professionals for combination/oily skin

If I am using a skin treatment device, I will skip some steps and go to serum and/or use a hydrating sheet masque in place of serum. Otherwise, read on

Acid toner-this is fairly new to my nighttime routine

I use this at night because my skin has been exposed to all sorts of environmental pollutants during the day and I want cell turnover to occur on a clean face with a solid 8 hours of not being exposed to the pollutants. Right now I’m using Pixi Glow Tonic and just purchased the larger size.  This is an acid but not incredibly harsh and does also contain aloe vera and ginseng.

Benefits:

• Exfoliating, alcohol-free toner for smoother, brighter, and clearer skin.

Serum-this depends on what I’m doing.

If I’m treating my skin with a device, I treat it before serum. The serum I use in the morning is for oil control. The serum I use at night is for hydration. Right now I’m using Skinceuticals Metacell renewal B3 which isn’t technically a serum but is a treatment containing B-vitamins and Hyularonic Acid. This product has been termed ‘Botox in a bottle’, which I could comment on because I do get actual Botox…..it’s a topical product folks, so there’s a limit to its effectiveness. If you’re looking for a ‘Botox effect’, you pretty much have to get Botox. I do find after using this that my skin feels plumped and firm.

Benefits:

• Reduces wrinkles, re-tighten skin surface elasticity and even skin tone
• Correct early symptoms of photoaging
• Reduces the appearance of discoloration and the look of redness
• Reduces wrinkles, re-tighten surface elasticity, and even skin tone

Cream-surprised? Yes, I’m an oily skinned girl that needs some hydration

I still need hydration but don’t need anything overly heavy. On a whim, I purchased this A’PIEU Essential Source Salt Cream when I was at an Asian beauty store and it’s proved to be an EXCELLENT cream to use at night. It’s not heavy, absorbs quickly and doesn’t leave me greasy.  Unfortunately, this product is tricky to find (it also comes in a tube) so I do have an alternative below.

Benefits:

to be honest, couldn’t find specific information on this product other than that sea salt is the main ingredient and has somehow been infused with oxygen to provide hydration.  It’s safe for all skin types, and absorbs quickly.

Alternative to Essential Source Cream-since it’s challenging to find

This Laneige Water Sleeping mask is GREAT.  It’s a gel formula (great for combo-oily skin) and light in texture.  There is a light fragrance to this.  I find that when I wake up in the a.m. my skin looks brighter and feels soft (not greasy).   My only FYI here-if you use this, you do have to rinse your face with water in the a.m.

Benefits:

• A lightweight, gel-textured overnight mask
• Enriched with Beta-glucan to deeply hydrate fatigued & dry skin
• Contains exclusive Sleepscent TM, a blend of aromatic essences to relax mind & skin
• Formulated with Ceramide SLN formula to consolidate skin’s barrier
• Loaded with Snow Water to restore clarity & vitality to skin
• Skin awakens smoother, more luminous, vigorous & healthier

Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask – yes there is such a thing and it’s a big deal.  Get it.

This product ALWAYS sells out everywhere.   It was a challenge to get this and when I did, I got one for my mother (and I hope she is using it).  I use this almost every night.  It actually makes a difference.  My lips tend to be on the dry side all the time and all year round (oh joy).   I used this religiously when I got my lip injections (let me know if you want me to talk about that, it was a ‘situation’ for sure) and it made a huge difference in the hydration and helped my lips so much.

Benefits:

• Nutritive & moisturizing lip-sleeping mask
• Formulated with Berry Mix ComplexTM rich in Vitamin C & anti-oxidants
• Helps eliminate dry flaky dead skin on lips during the night
• Blended with Hyaluronic Acid that builds a moisturizing film to seal in active ingredients
• Infused with a sweet & fruity berry fragrance
• Leaves lips soft & smooth

My eye cream-same one I use during the day.  The difference is, at night, I use this LAST.

Then, I apply my Organic Nation eye cream. I am shocked by how much I love this product.   It hydrates my under-eye area thoroughly and I highly HIGHLY recommend this eye cream. It is different and better than anything I’ve ever tried.  Benefits and ingredients of the product listed below (several I cannot pronounce).

BENEFITS:

Devices I use and when/where/how I use them:

FOREO Luna Cleansing Brush

I use this 2x a week with my cleanser in order to really break up the dirt and residue on my skin. I have used cleansing brushes in the past and find this to be gentler and less abrasive.

Benefits:

• Gently exfoliates dead skin cells, unclogs pores of makeup residue
• Removes up to 99.5% of dirt and oil.
• Improves the absorption of your favorite skin care products

Silkn Titan Skin Tightening Device

I was hesitant to include this because I am still testing this product but it IS a part of my routine and will be for the next 2 months. I use this with a water based conductor gel twice a week after cleansing. When I use this device, I do NOT use my acid toner. That’s not a hard and fast rule, but I don’t want to add that extra layer of irritation to my skin after using the device.  This device is rather new and may be challenging to find-if this is a must have for you, then I suggest going to the source:  https://www.silkn.com/titan/

Tria Beauty Age Defying Laser

I use this 2 times a week as well (and cycle this device every few months-as this IS a laser). I’ll be honest with you-this device Is not painless. It’s a laser and yes I know I just said that. The package I got did include 2 additional Skinceuticals products to use post treatment (CE Ferulic and Reservatrol). I do dab those on as well and recommend them. If you are interested in me talking about the laser, I’m happy to do so as this device really needs its own video/post.  Yes, I know it’s not inexpensive.  It works.  Look at my skin.  Im proof it works.

 

Sheet masques-I have so many

I buy these as post treatment for the above devices. 99% of the time they are from South Korea, Taiwan, Hong-Kong or Japan. The one I am loving right now (and using) is the IOPE Bio Essence Mask (pssst, thy just came out with an Intensive version of this, watch for it)I love this masque because it is a fiber masque and allows more of the essence to be absorbed into your skin as it is woven very tightly.

And that’s it!  So-your thoughts? Anything groundbreaking here?  Do you use any of these products?  Let me know and thanks for reading!