5 Nighttime Skin Care Habits That Could Be Ruining Your Skin

When it comes time to go sleep, you likely only have one thing on your mind—getting as much precious shut-eye as possible. You might not be considering all the ways your nighttime skin care routine (or lack thereof) could be wreaking havoc on your skin…but you should be. Even if you’re careful to be consistent with the perfect daytime skin care routine, a few bad habits at night can make all the difference in how your skin looks. Everything from skipping over using facial cleanser at night to forgetting to change your pillowcases can play a part in ruining the appearance of your skin—if you aren’t careful. If you’re wondering why you have such dry skin or why you keep experiencing acne, you may want to make a few changes to your nighttime skin care routine. We’re revealing five common skin care habits that might be responsible for your complexion concerns.

Skin Care Habit #1: “Forgetting” to Wash Your Face

Chances are everyone has been told time and again that they need to wash their face at night. Still, skipping this essential step is a bad habit that many people are in need of breaking. When you don’t wash your face before bed, it means you’ll be slipping between the sheets with lingering makeup, oil, and dirt sitting on the surface of your skin. This buildup can lead to clogged pores, and clogged pores can lead to breakouts. Just as you wouldn’t want to get into bed after sweating up a storm at the gym (without showering afterwards), you shouldn’t let your face near your pillow unless your skin is completely clean. Try a clay facial cleanser, like the L’Oréal Paris Pure-Clay Detox & Brighten Cleanser, L’Oréal Paris Pure-Clay Purify & Mattify Cleanser, or L’Oréal Paris Pure-Clay Exfoliate & Refine Cleanser.

Skin Care Habit #2: Using All the Wrong Skin Care Products

Skin care products meant to be used in the morning and night aren’t interchangeable. If the instructions say they should be used during a certain time of day, it’s for a good reason. That means no slathering your skin with moisturizers with SPF before going to sleep. You don’t need sun protection if all you’re doing is heading to bed. As for skin care products you should incorporate into your nighttime skin care routine, peel pads, like the L’Oréal Paris RevitaLift Bright Reveal Brightening Daily Peel Pads, and overnight face masks, like the L’Oréal Paris RevitaLift Triple Power™ Intensive Overnight Mask, are best used at night.

Skin Care Habit #3: Not Changing Your Pillowcase

If you only change your pillowcase when you’re doing your laundry, it might not be enough. Just think about the oils and impurities that could transfer from your skin to your pillow over time. According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), by the end of the week your pillowcases are literally swarming with dead skin cells and bacteria. Instead of tossing them in the wash when you remember to change your sheets, the AAD suggests putting on a fresh pillowcase twice a week.

Skin Care Habit #4: Catching Shut-Eye in a Dry Environment

You might think if your bed is comfy and the room is quiet, that’s as good as an environment to sleep in can get. But you’d be wrong, one of the most important parts of getting a good night’s sleep—and not ruining your skin while you’re at it—is the quality of the air around you. If you’re sleeping in a room with dry air, your skin is more likely to feel dry, too. Thankfully, changing the air isn’t as complicated as you might think. The AAD recommends adding moisture into the air with help from a humidifier. Plug one in by your bedside and you can sleep soundly. 

Skin Care Habit #5: Getting Too Little Sleep

News flash: Beauty sleep is real. If you’re burning the candle at both ends—i.e. staying up late and waking up early—the repercussions could be worse than yawning all day and falling asleep mid-meeting. You could be doing your skin a disservice. According to the AAD, sleep gives your body time to refresh and renew itself, making it essential that you get enough of it—for your skin’s sake.

Don’t forget, how you take care of your skin in the morning matters, too. Check out The Morning Skin Care Routine You Should Never Skip.