How to get clear skin overnight: the ultimate guide

How to Get Clear Skin Overnight

Clear skin is achievable, but it’s important to recognise that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to skincare. Each person’s skin is unique, and what works for one may not work for the other. By paying attention to your skin and understanding your skin type, you can create a personalised skincare regime to help you achieve clear, healthy skin.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through what to take note of when planning the perfect nighttime skincare regime. We’ll also cover some skin care tips and treatments available for your skin type and concerns.

Understanding your skin type

The first step to any effective skincare regime is understanding your skin type, which will guide you on the type of products you’ll need to achieve clear, glowing skin. The 5 main skin types are:

  • Normal skin — normal skin refers to skin that generally doesn’t have any significant issues, such as oiliness, blemishes or dryness.
  • Oily skin — if you have acne-prone skin, enlarged pores or a shiny forehead, you may have oily skin.
  • Dry skin — dry skin is often characterised by skin that is flaky, rough, with noticeable fine lines and wrinkles. You may also experience tightness or itchiness, especially after cleansing your face.
  • Combination skin — combination skin refers to skin that is dry in some areas of the face, while oily in others (usually the forehead, nose and chin).
  • Sensitive skin —  sensitive skin gets easily irritated and is prone to redness and inflammation, sometimes due to certain ingredients in skincare products or environmental factors.

Various factors can influence your skin type, from genetic predisposition to your diet and lifestyle. Thankfully, there are ways to work around your skin type to achieve your goal of clear, smooth skin.

Pre-sleep skincare routine

During sleep, our body, including our skin, focuses on cell regeneration, and cycling oxygen and necessary nutrients as part of the natural repair and renewal process. This makes a proper pre-sleep skincare routine paramount in achieving clear skin.

Remove makeup thoroughly

Removing your makeup allows your skin to breathe and prevents clogged pores, excess oil and dirt from building up on the skin. It also helps prevent skin irritation and inflammation that comes with leaving makeup on throughout the night.

Make sure to remove your makeup thoroughly with the right makeup removing products, such as:

  • Eye and lip makeup remover — opt for a gentler eye and lip makeup remover when removing makeup and use a clean cotton swab. Focus on the lash line and remove any eyeliner or mascara.
  • Micellar water — micellar water is a mild makeup remover that can cleanse your skin of dirt without stripping it of its natural oils. It contains a mild concentration detergent that almost feels like water.
  • Cleansing oil — facial cleansing oils are a great option for removing dirt and debris, as well as hard-to-remove makeup after a long day out.

Double cleansing

As its name suggests, double cleansing refers to a two-step skincare routine to thoroughly clean impurities and makeup from the skin.

  • First cleanse — first, start with an oil-based cleanser to remove waterproof makeup and sunscreen. If you have oily skin, an oil-based cleanser can also remove excess sebum on the skin.
  • Second cleanse — the second step involves a water-based cleanser. This removes all impurities leftover from the first cleanse, including dirt and sweat.

Double-cleansing isn’t for everyone, but is generally beneficial for those with oily skin or who use heavy makeup.

Gentle exfoliation

Periodic exfoliation is important in achieving clear skin. It encourages cell turnover, removes dead skin cells and unclogs pores to reveal a healthy glow and smoother skin texture. Before exfoliating, consider your skin type:

  • Normal — for normal skin, you can try alternating between physical exfoliants and chemical exfoliants for a more balanced exfoliation regime. However, given the risks of physical exfoliators, we recommend alternatives like a Vitamin C serum.
  • Dry skin — if you have dry skin, try limiting exfoliation to only once a week, and opt for gentle chemical exfoliants like lactic acid or fruit-based enzymes.
  • Oily skin — if you have oily skin, look out for exfoliants with BHAs, or salicylic acid, as this can help clear out your pores and lower your chances of breakouts.
  • Sensitive skin — for those with sensitive skin, try to limit exfoliation to only once a week or every other week. Use mild exfoliants such as lactic acid or fruit-based enzymes.
  • Acne-prone skin — similar to oily skin, opt for BHAs to prevent acne formation. You can also opt for products that are labelled non-comedogenic and have other anti-inflammatory ingredients.

Read: Are you making this mistake when cleansing your pores?

Toning

Toning is the first step of preparation for every proper nighttime skincare routine. Not only does it help clear any residual dirt and oil left over from cleansing, but it also helps restore the skin’s natural pH balance. Our skin is slightly acidic, and maintaining this ensures proper barrier function and moisture retention.

There are a variety of toners available on the market, from those focused on hydration to astringent toners meant for oily or blemish-prone skin. Exfoliating toners with gentle acid components, such as AHAs and BHAs, are an ideal option if you’re looking to remove dead skin cells for a smoother, brighter complexion.

Dispense a small amount of toner onto a cotton pad and apply it over your face, keeping in mind to avoid your eyes. Alternatively, you can use your hands and pat gently to promote absorption.

Serums

Serums are potent yet lightweight treatments generally designed to address specific skin concerns. Choose the right type of serum for your skin type and condition:

  • Dry skin — if you experience dry skin, opt for hydrating serums with ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, glycerin and ceramide. Humectants like hyaluronic acid and glycerin work by attracting and retaining moisture in the skin, while ceramides work on skin barrier health and locking in moisture.
  • Oily and blemish-prone skin — exfoliating and clarifying serums are recommended if you experience oily skin and are prone to breakouts. Look out for ingredients like salicylic acid, niacinamide and tea tree oil. These work to unclog pores, reduce inflammation and have antibacterial properties.
  • Sensitive skin — sensitive skin calls for serums that help reduce inflammation and calm the skin. Opt for serums with gentle ingredients like aloe vera and centella asiatica, also known as Cica. These natural extracts are known for their soothing, anti-inflammatory properties and promote healing.
  • Fine lines, wrinkles and sagging skin — anti-ageing serums are an ideal option for reducing wrinkles, improving skin elasticity and promoting collagen production. Choose active ingredients like retinol, vitamin C and peptides.
  • Dull skin and pigmentation — brightening serums that contain components of vitamin C, alpha arbutin and licorice root help treat dull skin and hyperpigmentation. These work by inhibiting melanin production and promoting cell turnover to reveal newer, more radiant skin.

As serums vary in strength and potency, try doing a patch test before adding a new serum into your skin routine to prevent any adverse reactions.

Moisturising

Moisturisers are essential for providing hydration and protecting the skin from water loss. When picking the right moisturiser, it all boils down to your skin type and texture preferences — would you prefer gel-based moisturisers, or creamier formulations?

If you experience severely dry skin, opt for creams and balms that offer intense hydration and restore the skin barrier. Conversely, those who have acne-prone and oily skin should consider non-comedogenic gel-based or water-based moisturisers as these are more lightweight formulations that do not clog the pores.

Ageing-skin would benefit from moisturisers with retinols, antioxidants and ceramides that nourish the skin and stimulate collagen and elastin production.

Additional sensitive skin care tips

Understandably, sensitive skin requires a little more TLC to avoid aggravating the skin, promote healing and to maintain a healthy skin barrier. Some tips for achieving clear skin overnight include:

Choose gentle products

When picking skincare products, opt for fragrance-free, hypoallergenic formulations with minimal ingredients to reduce your likelihood of skin irritation.

Additionally, look out for natural ingredients with anti-inflammation and calming properties, such as aloe vera, chamomile, centella asiatica and niacinamide. Conversely, avoid irritants such as artificial fragrances, sulphates and parabens.

Sun protection

Sun protection is essential for all skin types, but especially so if you’ve got sensitive skin! This is because you may be more prone to skin irritation and UV damage.

  • Pick a sunscreen with a minimum of SPF 30 for everyday use, and remember to reapply this every 2 hours. If you have sensitive skin, pick a mineral-based sunscreen as this lessens your likelihood of irritation compared to chemical sunscreens. It also helps to look for products labelled fragrance-free and hypoallergenic.
  • If you’re out and about, take extra sun protection measures such as wearing UV-protective clothing using an umbrella on sunnier days.

Avoid washing your face with hot water

Washing your face with hot water can strip it of its natural oils, causing skin barrier damage, dryness and irritation. Instead, use lukewarm water, which can gently open up the pores of the skin, providing a more thorough cleanse.

Do not rub your skin

At any stage of your nightly skincare routine, it is important to remember not to rub! Rubbing sensitive skin can aggravate any existing skin issues and cause irritation and redness. If done frequently and with harsh products, rubbing can also cause microtears in the skin, which increases your risk of infection and causes stinging or discomfort.

Use barrier creams

If you have sensitive skin, use barrier creams or balms that help protect your skin from the harsh weather, irritants, allergens and pollution. Many barrier creams also have skin barrier repair properties that soothe the skin and promote healing.

Always patch test new products

Before introducing any new product to your nighttime skincare regime, do a patch test first, especially if you have very sensitive skin. Apply the product in a discreet area and observe for any adverse reactions within 24 hours.

Cryotherapy Hydrating Facial

While you can take various steps to achieve clear skin, these may not always be effective on their own. That’s where professional treatments come in. At SkinLab we recommend the Cryotherapy Hydrating Facial.

This 90-minute treatment is based on the science of cryotherapy, or cold therapy, where the skin is exposed to extremely cold temperatures to reduce inflammation and redness. This is done with an I-Cool Plus machine from Korea that delivers 28,000 high-frequency vibrations to the skin, which effectively breaks down dead skin and clears pores of blackheads and other impurities.

This skin treatment’s main benefit include:

  • Regulates oil production
  • Reduces skin laxity
  • Plumps and softens skin
  • Smoothes fine lines and wrinkles
  • Deeply cleanses and hydrates

A deeply hydrating 100% hyaluronic acid serum and mask customised to your specific skin type and concern are also used. There is no downtime and you can get back to your daily activities right after the treatment session.

Get treatment and tailored skincare advice

Hopefully, this guide provided tips and tricks you can incorporate in your skincare regime. That being said, the best way to assess and improve your skin health is to get tailored advice from a professional based on your skin type and specific concerns.

Book a consultation with us for a thorough skin analysis and personalised treatment plan today!

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