Washing your face before bed is common knowledge. It prevents blackheads, blemishes and aging that can result from wearing makeup to bed. You already know the basics, so it’s time for some inside industry tips! We consulted Idaho-based anti-aging naturopath and acupuncturist Kristen Burris about her favorite pre-bed skincare rituals.
Sleep it off
Damage your skin (Seriously!)
After you’ve fully cleansed your skin at night, it’s time to damage your skin. It sounds crazy, but causing super small micro-tears with a dermaroller, a tiny roller with thin needles, can actually improve your skin, Burris says. Doing so makes your skin produce collagen, which will help your skin appear more plump and youthful. “Your wrinkles are filled in by your own body’s defense mechanism of healing,” Burris says.
Get on your back
Your long day might make you want to curl up into a ball at night, but fight the urge!
“Sleeping on your back is the ultimate sleeping position to fight off wrinkles that become imbedded in cheeks, crow’s-feet and even your neck,” Burris says. “This can take some sleep training, but it’s free and worth the effort.”
Eat before bed
We know, we know. This goes against any weight loss advice you’ve ever heard, but Burris says
eating healthy foods right before bed will show in the glow in your skin when morning comes. If you’re not comfortable with that, there’s always the supplement route.
“Right before bed is the ideal time to take supplements that reverse the signs of aging, and better yet, prevent it all together,” Burris says. “Vitamin D3 (1,000 mg) to prevent skin cancer, omega oils that moisturize and rejuvenate your skin and super anti-oxidants including C, E, Beta-carotene and selenium fight free radicals and correct damage that leave your skin looking aged and ragged.”
These anti-oxidants can’t be manufactured in your body, so adding them to your diet right before bed will let them settle and show in your skin.
Back to the grind, before bed
Most of us probably exfoliate in the morning, but Burris says we should think twice.
“Exfoliating too rigorously in the a.m. makes you more susceptible to the environmental stressors and irritation from application of makeup,” she says.
Instead, exfoliation should only occur at night before bed, whether you prefer the benefits of chemical or physical exfoliation. Burris recommends a combination of sugar and salt scrubs, but remember — don’t over-exfoliate! Exfoliating too frequently can cause more damage to the skin than benefits.
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