Morning and Night Skin Care Routines

Create a Morning Skin Care Routine

The morning skin care routine is essential for starting the day with healthy skin. Its main goal is to cleanse, prepare, and protect the skin for the day ahead. By following a consistent morning skin care routine, your skin will feel hydrated and protected from external elements and you will have prepared a healthy canvas for makeup application, if desired. Ultimately, the morning skin care routine sets the foundation for a day of nourished and protected skin.

Here are the key skin care morning routine steps:

1. Cleanser: A Fresh Start

As discussed in our ABCs of Basic Skincare blog, a gentle cleanser serves as the foundation of your morning skin care routine. This step removes all of the impurities, oils, and sweat that have accumulated throughout the night.

Pro Tip for dry, sensitive skin: If you find yourself with delicate skin that needs extra TLC, we have a simple solution for your morning skin care routine: a refreshing splash of water (or hydrating toner!) to the face. This helps avoid overstimulation for sensitive skin that benefits from fewer steps in their skin care routine.

2. Toner: Prime Your Skin

Contrary to common misconception, toners are not meant to cleanse the skin and shouldn’t be used as a secondary cleansing step. Rather, toners are used after cleansing to continue preparing the skin for subsequent skin care steps.

Toners have traditionally been used to help balance the skin’s pH level after cleansing. Fortunately, most modern cleansers are already pH balanced and no longer strip the skin’s pH to the extent they used to. However, water itself can somewhat disrupt the skin’s balance, so using a toner after cleansing (or splashing your skin with water) is still very beneficial.

Newer toner formulations offer therapeutic benefits including hydration, brightening, antioxidant support, and softeners that condition the skin to aid in the absorption of serums and moisturizers.

Toner is best applied with woven gauze wipes or clean hands, rather than cotton rounds which tend to absorb more of the product than is delivered to the skin.

What type of toner should I use?

When selecting a toner, it’s important to take a few precautions. Different toners are designed for different skin types, so it is crucial to choose a toner that is right for your skin.

• • Normal skin: all skin types benefit from the best-selling Environ Botanical Infused Moisturizing Toner, which contains panthenol to soften and condition the skin, as well as botanical extracts and antioxidants to target multiple skin concerns and foster a glowing complexion long-term.
  • Blemish-prone skin: toners containing salicylic acid, such as Environ Sebu-Tone Clarifier, or mandelic acid, such as Rhonda Allison Antiox Defend Tonic, can be extremely helpful in encouraging skin cell turnover and reducing clogged pores.
  • Sensitive skin: hydrating toners such as Rhonda Allison Hydra Soothe Spritz contain soothing components that replenish and cool parched, compromised, inflamed skin.

3. Serum: Targeted Treatment for Healthy Skin

Next, apply a protective serum that addresses your daytime skin care needs. Typically, that means a hydrating, antioxidant-rich serum. High-quality serums contain potent ingredients in sophisticated formulas that penetrate deep into the skin, providing hydration and addressing issues like hyperpigmentation, aging, or acne.

Which serum is the best for your morning routine?

With so many options available, finding a serum that addresses your specific skin concerns is essential while providing optimal results. Here are a few serum suggestions that we recommend for your morning skincare regimen:

• • Vitamin C: Known for its antioxidant properties, vitamin C can help brighten skin, even skin tone and protect against environmental damage. It’s an excellent choice to combat hyperpigmentation and sunspots.
  • Hyaluronic Acid: If hydration is your primary concern, a hyaluronic acid serum is an excellent option. Hyaluronic acid is able to attract and retain moisture, leaving your skin plump, moisturized and smooth. 
  • Antioxidants: Look for serums that contain antioxidants, such as green tea extract or vitamin E. These help to protect the skin from free radicals, which can cause premature aging.

If you are unsure which serum to use, reach out to our Skin Therapists, who can help you find the best option for your specific skin.

4. Moisturizer: Locking in Hydration and Protection

A daily moisturizer is vital to your morning skin care routine, providing much-needed comfort and protection for your skin throughout the day. The emollient nature of moisturizers helps to create a protective barrier that locks in moisture, preventing water from evaporating and keeping your skin hydrated. To ensure your skin is well nourished and ready for the day ahead, choose a moisturizer that is appropriate for your skin type and apply generously.

To maximize its effectiveness, applying moisturizer while your skin is still slightly damp is recommended. This helps seal the moisture and replenish any water that may have been lost overnight or during cleansing. For optimal results, consider incorporating moisturizer into your morning routine immediately after applying serums, while your skin is still slightly damp and most receptive. 

5. Sunscreen: Shielding Your Skin

The last and most important step in your morning routine is sunscreen! Protect your skin from harmful UV radiation using a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 20 or greater. Apply it all over your exposed areas, including face, neck, ears, and hands. Remember to reapply throughout the day as well. 

Want to learn more about sunscreen application? Read our Choosing the Best Sunscreen for Your Skin guide.

Looking to reduce the steps in your morning skin care routine? Try multitasking products like the ElaSps Moisturizing Cream SPF 20, a moisturizer with built-in mineral suncreen. The lightweight and fast-absorbing formula protects your skin from aging UV rays while providing a nourishing, matte cream finish. 

Morning Skin Care Routine Roundup

A complete morning routine of cleansing, toning, serums, moisturizing and sunscreen sets the stage for healthy, luminous skin throughout the day. Each step plays an important role in preparing your skin to face the day and avoiding environmental damage.

1. 1. Cleanse
   2. Tone
   3. Treat (w/ Serums)
   4. Moisturize
   5. Protect (w/ Sunscreen)

Spending a few minutes each morning on these essential steps will help you achieve a complexion that looks and feels energized. Remember, consistency is key. Make it part of your morning ritual to prioritize your skin’s well-being every morning.

Create an Evening Skin Care Routine

As the day comes to a close, it’s essential to cleanse your face thoroughly and prepare your skin for it’s nightly rest and repair cycle. Remove any traces of makeup, sweat, debris, and pollutants accumulated throughout the day and nourish your skin with overnight nutrients and protection. 

1. Cleanser: Wash the Day Away

First, if you wear eye makeup, gently apply a specialty makeup remover such as ElaSpa Eye Makeup Remover with damp cotton, using light strokes to thoroughly cleanse the eye area without pulling or tugging at the skin. (For detailed instructions on cleansing the eye area, check out our Remove Eye Makeup Like a Pro article.)

Next, a good evening cleansing routine includes spending several minutes massaging your chosen cleanser into your skin, adding a little lukewarm water as needed to maintain slip. Then rinse with more lukewarm water. Full-coverage foundations require double-cleansing to ensure thorough removal; for this scenario, Environ Dual Action Pre-Cleansing Oil is our favorite strategy!

2. Toner: Restoring Balance

After cleansing, restore your skin’s pH balance and eliminate lingering impurities with a revitalizing toner. Apply it using the same method as your morning routine, gently sweeping it across your face. This prepares your skin for the upcoming nourishment.

3. Serum: Evening Targeted Treatments 

Nighttime is the opportune time for targeted treatments. Select one or two complementary serums that address your primary skin goals, whether that’s minimizing fine lines, reducing hyperpigmentation, or increasing barrier defense. Serums enriched with epidermal grown factors, botanical stem cells, and our perennial favorite, vitamin A, work wonders while you slumber, aiding skin repair and rejuvenation.

4. Eye Care: Nurturing the Delicate Under-Eye Area

As part of the nighttime skin care routine, the delicate skin around the eyes deserves special attention. Evening is the perfect time to incorporate an eye cream or serum specifically formulated to address concerns such as dark circles, puffiness, or fine lines.

Gently apply your eye product using your ring fingers: start from the outer corners of the eye (or crow’s feet area), and gently dab small dots along the boney area under your eyes, moving toward the inner corner of the eyes. Then, with a very soft touch, smooth the eye product into your skin with light strokes that start at the inner corner and end at the outer.

We adore Environ Vita-Peptide Eye Gel, specially formulated to nourish and protect the delicate eye area with a silky, light feel.

5. Moisturizer: Nourish and Repair

Seal your serum’s benefits with a rich night cream or moisturizer. Look for nourishing formulations prioritizing barrier repair and featuring ingredients like antioxidants and peptides. These ingredients will work harmoniously to repair and restore your skin during its regenerative hours.

Optional Steps: Tailoring Your Dream Skincare

Depending on your specific skin goals, your evening skin care routine provides an opportunity to further advance your skin transformation. Whether it’s every night or just once or twice a week, including some corrective skin care products like exfoliation, masks, or spot treatments elevates your bedtime routine into a luxurious self-care ritual.

Exfoliation

Exfoliation (in moderation) offers remarkable skin care benefits when used strategically. By gently eliminating depleted skin cells, exfoliation reduces clogged pores and reveals a smoother, more radiant complexion. Regular exfoliation can also help reduce the appearance of fine lines, uneven skin tone, and texture, giving your skin a refreshed appearance.

Care should be used with exfoliation, however; too much of a good thing can have detrimental effects on the skin’s microbiome and moisture barrier. As skin therapists, we see more problems caused by over-exfoliating than we do from a lack of exfoliation.

The frequency and type of exfoliation should be tailored to your individual skin type. In general, we recommend adding exfoliation to your evening skin care routine no more than once a week or once every two weeks. When in doubt, skip the exfoliant.

As for the type of exfoliation, we prefer enzymatic formulas over physical scrubs, and only advise gentle rejuvenating acids like lactic, asiatic, or mandelic on a case-by-case basis.

Masks

Including masks in your evening skin care routine offers a luxurious and effective way to address specific skin concerns and give your skin an extra boost of nourishment. Depending on your needs, you can choose from a variety of masks, such as hydrating masks to combat dryness, clay masks to draw out impurities and excess oil, or sheet masks infused with powerful serums to target various skin issues.

Masks are best applied after cleansing and toning and can be used once or twice a week, depending on your skin’s tolerance and the specific mask’s instructions. Remember to patch test new masks before applying them to your entire face to ensure they suit your skin type and avoid any potential adverse reactions.

Spot Treatments

Spot treatments such as blemish gels or hyperpigmentation creams are best used at night, when the potent active ingredients have time to interact with your skin without interference from light, makeup, or environmental stressors.

These optional steps enable you to personalize your nighttime routine and give it the specialized care it deserves. 

Night Skin Care Routine Roundup

The main goal of the night skincare routine is to take advantage of the skin’s regenerative process during sleep, allowing for deep healing and replenishment. Optional steps offer personalized care to address specific concerns.

1. 1. Cleanse
   2. Tone
   3. Exfoliate (optional)
   4. Mask (optional)
   5. Treat (w/ Serums)
   6. Eye Care
   7. Moisturize

Wake up to a revitalized and radiant complexion. Savour the moment and enjoy your nighttime ritual!