Having beautiful skin is every woman’s dream, but , there are a number of factors that can hinder skin health. Hormones, diet, environment, heredity, stress, smoking, high-sugar diets, and alcohol are just some of the things that can rob your skin of vital nutrients and accelerate the aging process—leading to premature aging, brown spots, sagging, and dull skin.
But the environment doesn’t have to have the last word—every woman can fight back and have beautiful skin just by taking care of herself. Eating a healthy and balanced diet, staying well-hydrated and exercising can help. Add to that a regular skincare regimen which includes cleansing, moisturizing and protecting your skin from environmental toxins such as UV rays, pollutants and bacteria and you’ve already taken important steps to healthy skin. And while many women are adamant about taking care of their body and skin during the day, even the savviest ladies sometimes ignore a vital part of the routine—nighttime skincare.
Nightly Skincare
Needing your beauty sleep is no myth! At night our bodies rejuvenate and regenerate, not just mentally but physically as well Regeneration happens during delta sleep, the second stage of sleep. During this stage, hormone levels rise and cellular repair takes place.1 Dead skin is removed and new skin formation is accelerated and damaged cells that could cause premature aging are repaired.
You can help your body help itself with a superior night skincare routine, which includes these steps:
Four Important Steps for Nightly Skincare
Cleansing Is Absolutely Essential:
Regular soap can dry delicate facial skin—a soap-freeface wash is best for cleansing skin. Using lukewarm water—gently scrub to remove makeup, dirt, dead skin, and excess sebum. A good cleanser will not disturb the pH level of your skin or its moisture content.
Exfoliate with fine granules to remove dead skin on the epidermis.
Toning and Refreshing
Use a toner to remove all traces of cleanser, as well as any minerals left by tap water. Toner also acts as an antibacterial for your skin, and helps to tighten and impede sagging.
Care and Protection
High quality daily moisturizers should protect your skin from everyday environmental factors, such as weather, pollution, and UV rays.
Optimally your night cream should contain vitamin C, in the form of L-ascorbic acid. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that can only work at night—its superpowers are inhibited by light. Vitamin C protects skin from premature aging due to UV radiation and is a key component in collagen production and elastin formation, giving it the power to reduce fine lines and wrinkles.2-3
Construction and Regeneration
While you are asleep your body is hard at work. At night skin cells divide and rejuvenate faster than during the day, and the right night cream can make this process even more efficient. An effective nighttime moisturizer can help to reverse damage done during the day just being exposed to the environment, as well as correct the skin’s pH balance. It can also help to restore vital moisture that has been lost during the day.
Nighttime skin care products, like NightSkin, can be a very effective way to fight aging by giving your skin the extra boost it needs to repair itself at night — helping to keep it looking young, fresh, supple and glowing.
References:
The Phenomena of Human Sleep, Dept of Human Sciences, Loughborough University, UK. Topical ascorbic acid on photoaged skin. Clinical, topographical and ultrastructural evaluation: double-blind study vs. placebo, Exp Dermatol. 2003 Jun;12(3):237-44, PMID: 12823436. Ehrlich M, Rao J, Pabby A, et al. Improvement in the appearance of wrinkles with topical transforming growth factor beta(1) and L-ascorbic acid. Dermatologic Surgery 2006/5;32:618-625
