If you're trying to stick to a nightly beauty routine that doesn't require you to abandon your entire evening or spend your whole paycheck, you're not alone. Whether they're balancing school, work, family, or all three at once, most women struggle to carve out enough time in their evenings to give their skin the care it deserves.
One of the most important nightly beauty practices is washing our makeup -- and our day -- off our face. Our face is the most sensitive area of skin on our body and the most prone to acne breakouts and wrinkles.
Most of us wash our faces before bed to rinse off our makeup from the day. But what if we don't wear makeup? Or what if wearing our makeup to bed doesn't cause us acne breakouts? Do we really need to wash our face?
Ways to care for your face before you head to bed
Regardless of whether or not you wear makeup or suffer from acne, it's important to wash your face before going to bed. Washing your face helps to:
- Clear pores. As you remove makeup from your skin, your pores open and your skin can finally breathe.
- Remove oil from skin. Even if you don't wear makeup, your face will have some oil on it by the end of the day. If left unwashed, this can clog pores, leaving your face vulnerable to breakouts and causing your skin to look dull. Washing your face removes this oil, opens your pores, and leaves your face looking fresh.
- Prevent wrinkles. Not washing your face can lead to premature aging and the development of wrinkles as your skin loses moisture and vibrance over time.
- Freshen your skin -- and your perspective. Your skin will look smoother as your nightly face wash removes dead skin and leaves you feeling, and thinking, fresher as you head to bed.
Unfortunately, despite its benefits, many of us lead such busy lives that we often neglect to wash our faces at the end of the day.
If we don't care for our skin properly while we're young, we'll regret it later. But how can we washour face properly when we don't have the time to do so, nor the money needed to buy a bunch of expensive skincare products?
If you're looking for a way to save time and money while caringproperly for your skin, here are a few quick, easy, and affordable ways to care for your face before you head to bed.
1. Give yourself time.
Make washing your face a priority every evening, even if you're traveling or coming home late. Once you know how long you need to wash your face well, build that amount of time into your bedtime routine. Will it take ten minutes to wash your face? Then turn off the TV or put down your phone and start heading to bed ten minutes earlier.
2. Use warm water.
Using warm water on your face helps to open your pores, clearing them of dirt, oil, and bacteria that can lead to acne. It also relaxes you -- a great feeling before bed.
3. Use a brush.
Facial cleansing brushes provide a great way to smooth skin, clear pores, remove dead skin, and prevent breakouts. Simply apply your favorite facial cleanser to your face and then gently massage it in with your facial cleansing brush, relaxing your skin and your face as you prepare to go to sleep.
If you use a facial cleansing brush, you will want to make sure to clean it thoroughly after each use and replace it entirely every few months. For best results, use several times a week, but not every night. Initial breakouts may occur as you begin the routine and your skin adjusts.
4. Try pads.
Makeup remover pads or other facial cleansing pads should not replace your normal face washing routine, but they can provide a quick solution if you're away from home or pressed for time. They help to remove a significant amount of makeup before bed, leaving your pores with room to breathe.
5. Rinse.
After you apply a facial cleanser or use your cleansing brush, rinse your face with warm water. You may also want to use a clean wash cloth to gently pull away any remaining cleanser and wipe away any dead skin that remains.
6. Repeat.
Once you've washed your face once, wash it again. Although it's not necessary to use your cleansing brush or another exfoliant again, it is important to wash your face once more with your cleanser, as one wash usually does not succeed in removing all oil, dead skin, or makeup. Most makeups have been formulated to last for 12 - 24 hours, so they do not leave your skin easily. For a more thorough clean, wash twice.
7. Dry your face.
Although this step is often neglected, it's important to dry your face, leaving it free of any excess water or product. Besides, the feeling of a clean, soft towel on your face feels great right before you hop into bed.
8. Use a lotion.
Using a moisturizing, antioxidant-rich lotion on your face before bed can help your skin stay vibrant and protect against the effects of aging.
9. Drink a glass of water.
Perhaps nothing can benefit your skin more than water. Water helps keep your skin moisturized and looking healthy. Drinking a glass of water before bed helps you stay hydrated through the night, leaving you more prepared to face whatever the morning holds.
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