Everyone knows we must cleanse and tone our skin every morning and every evening before bedtime. This is non-negotiable, and I recently wrote about the importance of cleansing. Your nighttime regimen goes beyond cleansing and toning if you want to wake up feeling refreshed and looking fabulous. It also includes hydrating your skin before bedtime with the application of a night cream. Don’t worry, though: your nighttime routine should only take a few short minutes. Whatever you do, when you get home from work or school, don’t just flop down on the bed. Once you do that, it’s all over and your skin won’t have a chance. When you get home, march straight into your bathroom and commit to a short beauty routine. You’ll be thankful you did when that alarm clock goes off in the morning.

 

Of course, your first step is to always give your skin a good cleansing to remove dirt, oil, makeup and other impurities from your skin. This is the best way to end a long day. Think about all of the yucky stuff your skin comes into contact with throughout the day. Pollution, dust, smoke from cigarettes, or even from cooking over a stovetop or BBQ. Did you spray cologne, room deodorizer or hair spray today? If so, then those things may now be on your skin. Did you eat, cough, blow your nose or touch your face even once? If so, think about what’s on your face. Begin your night with a nice, clean face and cleanse and tone accordingly. Proper cleansing and toning will allow your night cream to work its magic without any interference.

 

Night cream is very important when it comes to nourishing and hydrating your skin. The best part is it works while you’re sound asleep. Night cream is for both men and women. Yes, that means you too, gentlemen. Your skin needs night cream just as much as a woman’s, so you’re not off the hook here. In fact, if you’re shaving each day and apply aftershave, you may just need night cream even more than women, because your skin is probably desperate for some hydration.

 

• How to apply night cream

To apply the right amount of night cream for your skin, you should start by using the “5 dot method.” Start by pumping your night cream onto your fingertips.

Put a dot of product on your forehead, nose, chin and each cheek (5 dots). Once the dots are on, simply massage your night cream into your skin in an upward and outwards motion. Once all of the product has been massaged into your skin, do a self-assessment and see if you need additional product. If you do, just add some more until you are content. Before long, you will know exactly how much product to apply and you won’t have to use the 5 dot method anymore.

 

Treat your neck as an extension of your face and be sure to apply night cream there as well. Your neck can be a sure giveaway to your actual age, so keep it hydrated by using all of your skin care products on this area as well.