How to Establish an Effective Nighttime Routine #healthyskin

2013-07-23 21.04.37

We call it beauty sleep for a reason. When we shut down for the evening that’s when our skin goes into repair mode and renews itself. That’s why it’s important for us to get plenty of rest and stick to a nighttime routine that supports our bodies. Here are a few evening rituals I try to abide by to help put my best skin forward:

1. Have a skincare routine – Mine goes something like this… remove makeup, facial cleanser, toner, spot treatment/serum, nighttime overnight cream. 2-3x’s a week I include an exfoliant to help remove the dead skin cells. And once a week I’ll add in a hydrating face mask to give my skin a little something extra. I also keep face wipes by my bed just in case I’m coming in late or get too lazy to make it to the sink. If your skin renews while you sleep you don’t want dirt or makeup anywhere near that process.

2. Get restful sleep – I keep a notepad by my bed and make a to do list before I fall asleep so my mind is clear when I hit the hay.

3.  Close the kitchen at least 2 hours before bed – It’s bad for you and can upset your sleep pattern. Plus, I’m convinced that when I partake in late night snacking and sugar is involved it gives me bad nightmares.

4. Plan for enough sleep – I try to avoid alarm clocks as much as possible or at least schedule them after the recommended 6-8 hours of sleep so that my body can get what it needs. On the nights I’m up late writing I try to clear my mornings and vice versa so the 6-8 hours are accounted for. When I skimp on my zzz’s, that’s when the dark circles, and tired skin comes out.

5. Foot spa – this is something I learned from my dad. Every night before bed I like to sit in the tub and scrub my feet. With summer flip-flop season, my legs take quite a beating so having this time to wipe the days grime off of them and moisturize is a really relaxing way to end my day.

What’s your nighttime routine? Leave a comment or tweet me @prettyconnected.

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{Disclosure: Compensation was provided by AVEENO® via Glam Media.  The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of AVEENO®.”“Disclosure: Compensation was provided by AVEENO® via Glam Media.  The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of AVEENO®.}