A good night skincare routine has three jobs: get the day off your face, do one useful thing, and lock in moisture.
That’s the whole list.
Most of what gets sold to you past those three steps is optional, and some of it makes your skin worse.
I care about this for selfish reasons.
I’m 34, and I’m a fan of this stuff and not an expert.
I do my getting ready in a small bathroom with terrible light, and I’ve learned that no amount of foundation fixes skin that’s dry and angry underneath.
A look that only lasts for one photo is not a good look, and your skin is the part that has to last.
I’m also not a dermatologist, so everything below comes from what the American Academy of Dermatology and Cleveland Clinic actually tell people, plus my opinion on how to make it fit into a real evening.
If you’re brand new to all of this, start with my skincare routine for beginners, which covers the basic order for morning and night.
This one’s only about the hours after dark, and it goes deeper on what to use and what to leave alone.
The Night Routine in Order
Here’s the order I’d follow at the bathroom mirror.
Two of these steps are only for some nights, so a tired Tuesday can be as short as wash and moisturize.
Night has two things going for it.
There’s no makeup or sunscreen going on top, and it’s when dermatologists tell you to use a retinoid, since the American Academy of Dermatology says to apply it at night and protect your skin from the sun during the day.
So the evening routine is where the slow, useful work happens, and the morning one mostly protects it.
On time, a plain night is about 5 minutes: wash, pat, cream.
A retinoid night runs closer to 35, and 30 of those minutes are just waiting.
Start at 9:30, put the retinoid on at 10:00, and you’ve got time for one episode of something while it happens.
Take the Day Off First
The American Academy of Dermatology’s advice on washing is plain.
Wash your face once in the morning and once at night, plus any time you’ve been sweating.
That’s 2 washes on a normal day, and not 3 or 4.
The night wash matters most if you wore makeup, since it takes off the makeup and the grime of the day before you press your face into a pillow for eight hours.
How you do it matters more than what you buy:
- Use lukewarm water. Hot is not the upgrade you think it is.
- Use your fingertips. The AAD says a washcloth, a mesh sponge or anything else can irritate your skin, and so can scrubbing.
- Pick a gentle cleanser. Look for one that’s non-abrasive and has no alcohol.
- Pat, don’t rub. Use a soft towel and press it to your skin.
One small thing from my own bathroom mirror: deal with your hair first.
Take out the bobby pins and pull everything back before the water goes on, so you can reach the whole hairline.
It’s the difference between washing your face and washing most of it.
You Probably Don’t Need a Double Cleanse
Double cleansing means an oil-based cleanser first, then a water-based one, and it’s all over your feed right now.
It’s useful if you wear waterproof makeup or a heavy waterproof sunscreen, because oil breaks those down better than a regular face wash can.
For everyone else, a Cleveland Clinic dermatologist is pretty blunt: “For most people, washing your face once thoroughly with a gentle cleanser is more than adequate.”
The same doctor says dermatologists worry more about overwashing, which can leave skin dry and irritated and wear down its barrier.
Oil cleansers can also bring on breakouts if you’re acne-prone.
So here’s how I’d sort it out.
A normal day of tinted moisturizer or a no-makeup makeup look gets one wash.
A full face with waterproof mascara gets two: massage the oil cleanser in, rinse with lukewarm water, keep your skin damp, then follow with your regular gentle cleanser and pat dry.
Micellar water before your cleanser is another option if oil makes you break out.
If your skin is dry or sensitive, Cleveland Clinic points to an unscented cleanser, and says a cream is less drying than a foam.
One Active a Night, Not Three
An active is the ingredient that’s actually trying to change your skin: a retinoid, an acid, something of that kind.
The most common mistake in a night routine is stacking them because each one sounded good on its own, then wondering why your face stings.
My rule is one active per night, and on many nights, none.
Cleveland Clinic’s retinol guide lays out how the popular ingredients get along, and it’s worth keeping handy before you add a bottle to your cart.
The two “apart” acids can be used on alternate days, and that’s what I’d do.
It’s simple to remember and it keeps your shelf from turning into a chemistry set.
Cleveland Clinic also says to stick to one retinol product at a time, and to stay away from it if you have a sunburn or broken skin.
How to Start Retinol Without Regretting It
Retinol is the star of most night routines, and also the reason a lot of people end up flaky around the nose.
The American Academy of Dermatology’s advice is to use the least intense formula you can find, every other night to start.
Cleveland Clinic says about the same: do a patch test, then use a pea-sized amount every other day for the first couple of weeks.
Pea-sized really does mean a pea, for your whole face.
It looks like nothing, and that’s correct.
On a calendar, I’d make that Monday, Wednesday and Friday for the first 2 weeks, with plain wash-and-cream nights on the other 4.
If your skin’s calm after that, you can think about adding a night.
If it’s not, stay at 3 for longer.
Nobody’s grading you, and rushing it is how you end up with a peeling chin.
Timing helps too.
Both sources suggest waiting after you wash.
The AAD says 20 to 30 minutes, and Cleveland Clinic says 30.
If that’s still too drying, the AAD offers a workaround: moisturize right after washing, then put the retinoid on 20 to 30 minutes later.
A few honest warnings before you buy anything:
- It gets worse before it gets better. Results take several weeks, and your skin may look worse first. Don’t panic and add a second product.
- Daytime sun protection isn’t optional. If you’re using a retinoid at night, wear sunscreen the next day.
- Skip it if you’re pregnant. The AAD says not to use retinoids during pregnancy, and Cleveland Clinic discourages it too. Ask your doctor about anything else.
- Go slower on deeper skin tones. The AAD notes that irritation can trigger darker patches, so a gentle start matters even more.
- It’s not for everyone. People with skin allergies or very dry skin may not be good candidates. A dermatologist can tell you.
Finish With Moisturizer While Your Skin Is Still Damp
This step takes 30 seconds and does more than most serums.
The AAD’s dry skin advice is to put moisturizer on while your skin is still damp, and it points to creams over thinner lotions when you need more moisture.
A thick cream in a jar feels old-fashioned next to a dropper bottle, but at night that’s exactly what you want.
If you’re acne-prone, look for “non-comedogenic” on the label, which is the word Cleveland Clinic uses for what should follow retinol.
Hyaluronic acid and niacinamide both play well here too, and they may even help calm retinol irritation, so a moisturizer with either one is a nice thing to find.
Run the last of it down your neck and across your neckline, which most routines forget and half the dresses I write about put on show.
If your bedroom air is dry, the AAD also suggests a humidifier.
It’s the one skin product you only buy once.
Keep the Shelf Short
The whole routine fits on the shelf in this photo: one cleanser, one thing that does something, one good cream.
That’s 3 products, and I’d want a very good reason for a fourth.
If you can’t name what a product is doing for you, I wouldn’t keep buying it.
Swatching every new launch on your hand is fun, but your face isn’t a test strip.
The rule I’d hold on to is about the night before anything big.
A wedding, a job interview, the photos you’ve been planning for a month: that’s not the night to try a new acid, a new retinol or a new mask.
Anything you want on your face that morning should be something your face already knows.
Test new products weeks before, not hours before.
It’s the same logic as breaking in your heels before the party, or putting on top coat the day before so my nails survive the event.
You can also let the routine be boring.
It should be.
A plain night wash and a plain cream, done every night, beats an expensive ten-step routine you only do on Sundays.
If you want more on building a good base, my guide to skin makeup picks up the next morning, once all this work has had a chance to show.
And if something burns, or the peeling and breakouts last past a couple of weeks, stop the new product and book a dermatologist.
I’m a fan with a bad mirror.
They’re the ones who can look at your actual skin.
