Pillow Talk for Your Skin: A Must-Have Nighttime Skin Care Routine

We’ve all done this — hurriedly washed our faces (or sometimes not), put pyjamas on and got into bed. What’s missing? The night skincare routine! It’s tempting to skip it, right? Here’s where you need to understand that your skin also deserves some TLC after a long day.

A meticulous and regular night skin routine isn’t just about feeling fancy; it’s letting your skin recover and repair itself while you sleep, together with the goodness of skin-healthy products. Let us see how to wake up with a glowing, refreshed complexion and have your skin thank you the next morning!

To put it simply, it is the routine of cleansing, treating, and moisturising the skin of your face, neck, and/or other body parts to help it recover and rejuvenate overnight. Research focuses on the mechanisms of repair and rejuvenation that occur while sleeping.  Dirty, oily, and makeup-laden skin will not be the ideal foundation for repair; instead, clean, well-hydrated skin can accelerate the repair process and keep your skin healthy, youthful, and glowing.

Studies show that Inadequate sleep is linked to increased signs of natural ageing, reduced skin barrier effectiveness, and decreased satisfaction with one’s appearance. The goodness of skin-friendly products is best absorbed while you sleep. A recent study on the Indian population suggests that sleep disruptions may lead to skin dryness and irritation. The skin is exposed to harsh weather, UV rays of the sun, pollution, and touch during the day, making bedtime a great opportunity to apply products that moisturise, nourish, and address any skin concerns like acne, wrinkles, or dullness.

The steps of the nighttime skincare routine aren’t that complex. However, to see results, you must follow them consistently and in the right sequence.

After a long day, it’s tempting to skip washing your face when you just want to crawl into bed.  But sleeping with an unclean face is like trying to get a good night’s rest while dragging yesterday's problems along. Cleansing at night is the foundation of your skincare routine — it’s your skin’s reset button, removing dirt, oils, and environmental pollutants that have built up over the course of the day. A good cleanser opens up your pores, enabling your skin to breathe and effectively absorb the nourishing products that follow. This step does more than prevent breakouts; it reduces dullness and sets the stage for healthy skin.

• On a no-makeup day, a simple facewash and splash of room-temperature water are ideal. On ‘Makeup-on’ days, double cleansing is required. An oil-based cleanser can dissolve makeup and sunscreen, followed by a water-based cleanser to remove dirt and excess oil. Avoid oil-based cleansers if you have extremely acne-prone skin. Oil-based cleansers must be washed off completely with a normal cleanser, or they can lead to breakouts.

For quick fixes, micellar water can be your go-to for removing impurities without rinsing. Micellar water can also be used for double cleansing in case of very oily skin and light makeup. For those with very dry skin, cleansing balms can melt away makeup and grime while leaving your skin soft and hydrated. With pH-balanced washes, the use of toners can be skipped.

Your skin is now primed for the next product, the serum. Serums are concentrated with critical active ingredients designed to tackle specific concerns — wrinkles, dark spots, dehydration, etc. Serums include vitamin C, E, retinol, niacinamide, and glycolic acid. 

Serums are smartly formulated to penetrate the skin more efficiently than moisturisers due to their smaller molecular size and high concentration. To apply, simply dispense a few drops onto your fingertips and gently press or pat the serum into your face and neck. 

This is crucial because it locks in all the benefits of the previous steps (cleansing, toning, and serum application) and forms a protective barrier while your skin repairs and regenerates. 

Moisturisers keep the skin hydrated, smooth, and resilient, maintaining its natural balance of moisture, acid, base and more.

For oily skin types, the trick is to use a lightweight, non-comedogenic moisturiser that hydrates without clogging pores. Gel-based or oil-free formulas are excellent options, as they provide the hydration you need without adding excess oil. Always take a small amount of moisturiser and gently massage it into your face and neck in upward strokes.  Don’t forget to apply serum to areas like the neck and around the eyes, as these spots can be particularly prone to dryness.

A pro tip would be to apply moisturiser soon after the previous step, which can help seal in extra hydration.

This is the most underrated yet essential step. Take thirty extra seconds to do this. 

The skin around your eyes is the thinnest and most delicate on your face, making it more prone to signs of ageing, such as fine lines, puffiness, and dark circles. Regular facial moisturisers are beneficial, but they are often too heavy for this delicate area, potentially causing milia (tiny white bumps) or irritation.

• Eye creams are particularly formulated to deliver targeted hydration and critical ingredients, like peptides and antioxidants, in a lightweight form that your skin can easily absorb without clogging pores. 
• They also help to strengthen the skin barrier around your eyes, which can be weakened by constant movement (blinking, smiling, squinting) and environmental stressors.

Skin health is always a combination of external and internal factors. Together with the skin care regimen, a healthy, balanced diet with vegetables, fruits, protein sources, carbohydrates, fibres and fats will be instrumental to perfectly happy morning skin.

The human body always works towards restoring health as naturally as possible. The night skincare routine is an added boost to skin health in the process. Despite knowing the nuances of nighttime skincare, it is always advisable to follow the advice, steps, and products prescribed by the dermatologist. This ensures customised skin care — you do what suits your skin type. It also avoids inadvertent skin allergies, inflammation, or infections.

Fluent Health is the first digital health platform in India that offers confidential access to certified medical professionals, tailored prescriptions and diagnoses devoid of prejudice or preconceptions. We ensure that you know your skin type, health and needs at your fingertips with professional help.

It is essential to apply dermatologist-prescribed products at night for glowing skin. The usual steps will follow a cleanser, toner, serums, moisturisers and eye creams.

Glowing in 7 days is definitively challenging. However, following a disciplined, healthy diet, exercise pattern, and cleansers, toners, serums, moisturisers, and eye creams may yield some results in 7 days.

Discipline and routine in diet, physical activity, stress management, timely sleep and skincare are the secrets to glowing skin.

Tips would include never sleeping with makeup on, applying personalised dermatologist-prescribed moisturisers despite oily skin, and eating right for gut health.

The benefits of a night skin routine include clean skin with active skin-friendly products that set the stage for the repair, regeneration and rejuvenation of the skin cells as you sleep.

Using the same products for day and night skincare routine steps is not advisable as the skin needs and exposures are different. It's best to work with a dermatologist for the correct regimen.