Medically reviewed by Minimalist Health Specialist - Written by Nikitha Terence (Beauty Expert) on 21st Nov 2020
Why should we have a different skincare routine for AM and PM?
There is so much to explore & experiment with, given the evolving times and trends. For instance, when we have a close look at our regular skincare routine, there are not many efforts to improvise on it. The reason being, we all are comfortable in what we have and don't see much difference in having a varied routine for day and night. Experts reveal the motive behind all this and state how wonderful an individual would feel after regularly following a well thought out day and night regimen. Before we leap into the "why" aspect, let us see if having a basic skincare method is as complicated as most think.
What does a proper skincare routine mean?
According to a survey, 70% of the women have asserted that they spend their monthly expenses on the best makeup products. It includes both removable and leave-on products. As much as it is important to eat right and to exercise often, it is equally essential to know how a skincare routine works for each skin type.
As technology is outsmarting everyone in the universe, it is important that we, humans, adapt to this change rapidly too. Many of you might find the trendy skin health habits being treated by branded cosmetics or what they call the "clean beauty" products, but what works for your colleague or friend needn't be suitable for your skin. So, go ahead, ask the experts, try products that are closer to your skin type, be friendly with your epidermal layers, and, most importantly, help maintain the ultra shine obtained by this uncomplicated system.
It all lies in the patience and accuracy that will lead you to find a dynamic skin routine. The millennials have divided each of these routines into two major parts: morning skincare routine and night routine.
What is a morning skincare routine?
You get up early morning, and you are all excited to start a new day with high expectations. But is your skin prepped enough to face the deadly monsters out there? Can it hold its ground for an entire day?
The most basic steps of a regular morning skincare routine that are followed by anyone is to:
Cleanse, which is crucial to remove all the night bugs to start afresh every day.
Moisturize with a reliable sunscreen that has at least SPF 30 or more.
This routine has proven to work explicitly well for the working women staring from their early 20s, as they are always rushing out of the door, and it is very important to follow this kind of routine like a ritual.
Here's a checklist for young, healthy-looking skin:
Cleansing is the fundamental of any therapeutic process. It helps remove the unwanted dirt, oiliness, and dirt particles deposited on the outermost skin layer. Go in for a deep cleansing process with either an oil cleanser for those with dry skin and a water cleanser, a good option for oily skin peers. The latter is also meant to clear up the residue left behind by the oil cleansers too.
After cleansing, there might still be some free radicals that need to be booted out of the skin, and what better than a toner doing a wonderful job of cleaning up and leaving behind an ample amount of hydration. This is a way of prepping for the upcoming heavier products like the moisturizer or makeup. A serum is the next in line that keeps the skin away from the free radicals. The skin's firmness is highly improvised by serums rich in antioxidants like Vitamin C, caffeine, etc.
We all are in love with the idea of one product that ticks all boxes: it can plump, hydrate, moisten, smoothen, tighten pores, diminish dark spots, etc. Dermatologists always suggest that beauty enthusiasts choose water or gel-based moisturizer when you step out as the oil-based products can create smooth lines around the eyes or forehead, thus spoiling your entire look.
Sunscreens with an SPF 30 can prevent the UVB rays from reaching our skin layers to about 95%, and SPF 50 has the ultimate capacity to block for about 98%. Consider a thumb rule to never go outdoors without a robust shield of protection.
Coat it up with the right and trusted kind of makeup that helps your skin glow and breathe simultaneously.
What is a morning skincare routine? What are you applying to your skin before hitting the bed?
Nighttime is always meant for your body to relax after a long, tiring day at work, and it is the period when all the systems of the body repair, heal and get well prepared for the morning. So it is the perfect time to invest in products that are more on the heavier and oilier side so you would not have to worry about your skin's blotting.
We can easily assume that one's nighttime routine will have more work to get done than the one you do in the daytime routine. Dr. Jessica swears that it is an excellent opportunity to turn to sun-sensitive products like retinoids and glycolic acid.
The most crucial point advised by many beauty bloggers or even celebrities is never going to sleep with your makeup. Wash it up with a gentle cleanser and remove any makeup residue.
The alcohol-free toners would be the additional step that cleans up the extra dirt that stubbornly clings to your skin. Additionally, it hydrates to the maximum, and most importantly, the skin's pH is balanced to the correct level.
According to Charlotte Cho,
a leading esthetician, even though toners are not a necessary step in each skincare routine, it can be assumed for a sponge that absorbs all water molecules from the atmosphere and keeps the foundation and creams in attendance.
At this point, feel free to alternate this routine as per your skin's needs and conditions. After doing so, we come to one of the major turning points where we have to take care of one of the face's sensitive areas: the eye creams.
For the night care routine, a cream-based eye cream rich in hyaluronic acid (a heavy hydrating product) must always be applied topically with careful measures.
Spot treatment, which is the primary cause of breakouts in the daylight, can be treated very well without disturbing pollution or stress during the nights.
Try this:
If you have got much time to put in some skin routines, help yourself with a hydrating or a clay mask (as per your skin types) to rehydrate your skin and get your worries out of the window!
What are the major variations in them?
There is a reason why people are spending their hard-earned money on two types of specially designed routines for the day and night. We have been given some very effective natural ingredients that can work at any part of the day, while others are only required for a particular period of the day.
For instance, the commonly known derivative of Vitamin A is too sensitive for the sun rays and can result in a harsh irritant for your skin in the day, so this becomes a part of the night skincare method. Similarly, if we choose Vitamin C, it has a very light texture and can easily be worn under your makeup.
Marnie B. Nussbaum, a New York City-based dermatologist, tells us
to switch to an increased intake of retinoids before hitting the bed. It helps a great deal to generate new skin cells and gradually diminish all those ominous aging signs.
Similarly, embracing more gel-based moisturizers than the heavier stuff for a morning makeup routine is advisable. It helps to absorb your products more quickly, and there is no chance that a greasy residue will ever trouble you, with a regular application on the skin layers.
Did you know:
As explained by Mona Gohara, a top-notch dermatologist at Advanced DermCare, Collagen is one of the necessary protein forms that are good at erasing the wrinkles, and it is the result of many building blocks of peptides.
Final Word:
Now that you have understood what an essential skincare routine involves and its many faces, this might help you understand how each product works or complements the others. Also, that minor steps like oil treatment, exfoliants can help you in the long run.
