When you just want to collapse into bed a skincare routine is probably not top of your mind.
But your nighttime routine shapes how you look the next day.
Taking time to care for your skin before bed gives you a fresh, clean and hydrated face. And a fresh, clean, hydrated face at night means your skin will look great in the morning.
Plus, taking care of your skin lets you destress before bed, so you don’t take the pressures of the day to bed with you.
And it doesn’t have to be complicated.
The following routine can be done in under 3 minutes - and you’ll notice the difference from the very next morning.
Taking time to care for your skin before bed gives you a fresh, clean and hydrated face in the morning
Your nighttime routine shapes how you’ll look the next morning
Going to bed without washing off the dirt and bacteria of the day leads straight to pimples and breakouts.
And if you don’t hydrate your face before you fall asleep you’ll wake with dry, dull skin and, eventually, wrinkles.
Which is a shame because a good night’s sleep may be the closest thing there is to an elixir of youth.
And the best part about sleep?
Your skin care products work better when you’re asleep.
What happens to your skin while you're sleeping?
During the day your skin's primary role is to act as a barrier and protect from the effects of pollution, the sun and other damaging free radicals.
But at night, when you're sleeping, your skin has a chance to repair and regenerate.
There's an increase in blood flow, improved collagen growth and faster cell regeneration.
Skincare products work better while you sleep
The higher cell turnover which comes during sleep, coupled with the increase in blood flow, helps your skin to benefit from all the regenerating ingredients in your skincare products.
How to maximize your beauty sleep
You want to make the most of this by going to bed with skin that is freshly clean and hydrated.
The following routine will make sure that your skin gets the full benefit of an excellent night's sleep.
ACTION PLAN: Your Nighttime Skincare Routine
The first step in your nighttime routine is your face wash…
Step #1 Wash your face before going to bed
Before you do anything else you want to wash off the dirt, oil and bacteria that builds up on your skin throughout the day.
And to make sure your face is feeling extra clean, extra fresh, you want the face wash to clean AND exfoliate your skin.
Cleaning will wash off the oil and grime of the day, so there’s less chance of breakouts.
And exfoliating gets rid of the dry, dead skin cells that make your face look dull and clog up your pores.
Exfoliation also accelerates cell renewal and stimulates your skin’s natural repair mechanism while you’re sleeping.
In fact, gently exfoliating before you go to bed is one of the best things you can do for your skin.
But the key word is ‘gently’…
Avoid using a facial scrub to exfoliate your face! They are too harsh for facial skin, damaging the surface and causing your skin to become dry and irritated.
The solution?
Our Daily Face Wash.
A non-drying face wash that includes an exfoliating Alpha-Hydroxy Acid (an AHA) – so it does double duty - cleaning and exfoliating in one easy step.
Gentle enough to keep the natural oils in place, but still keep your skin clean.
And it never leaves your skin feeling tight.
A quick wash before bed with our exfoliating Daily Face Wash keeps your face fresh and clean - and dead skin cells never have the chance to build up and block your pores.
Exfoliating Face Wash for Glowing Skin
How to wash your face:
- Get your face nice and wet with warm water.
- Work a small blob of the face wash between your hands, then apply to your wet face.
- Wash really well on the areas you know can be a problem. That could be blackheads on your nose, or pimples on your chin or forehead.
- Then once it’s all good rinse it off with more warm water.
- And pat dry with a clean towel.
We've got more on the best way to wash your face here: “CLEAN: the best way to keep your skin looking fresh and healthy".
Step #2 Moisturize to keep your skin hydrated
Once your skin is nice and clean, the next step is to apply a moisturizer.
Whatever your age, and whatever your skin type, using a good moisturizer is a must if you want smoother, younger looking skin.
Your skin can lose a lot of water while you sleep, so it’s vital to keep it well hydrated.
And because the cells of your skin are regenerating at night you should give them everything they need.
So to wake up with a smooth, hydrated complexion in the morning, make sure to use an anti aging hydrating moisturizer before you go to bed.
Meet our Hydrating Daily Moisturizer.
It’s a light, fresh moisturizer that absorbs easily and doesn’t leave your face feeling heavy and oily. And it smells really nice too.
Otis Hydrating Daily Moisturizer maximises cell renewal, repairs daily damage and delivers hydration – all in one go.
We created it especially for a man’s skin – and designed it to be used day and night.
It’s packed with Hyaluronic Acid to deeply hydrate your skin while you sleep. Hyaluronic Acid attracts water to your skin and helps smooth fine lines and wrinkles.
Even better…
It's full of the best anti aging ingredients including Matrixyl (a peptide) to boost collagen production, and Jojoba Oil and Vitamin E to regenerate - smoothing out your skin and keeping it firm.
While you sleep, this lightweight moisturizer...
-
hydrates and smooths your skin
-
evens out your skin tone
-
reduces signs of aging, especially the fine lines around your eyes
and
prevents those wrinkles from becoming deeper.
So you wake up with fresh, smooth, hydrated skin.
Best Moisturizer for Smoother, Firmer Skin
Step #3 Moisturize around your eyes
Hydrating around your eyes helps to keep them looking clear, and stops dark circles appearing (even when you don’t get a lot of sleep!).
The eye area has virtually no oil glands and it's the first place that shows signs of aging, so it’s essential to keep the skin here well hydrated.
But you don’t need to buy a separate eye cream.
Our Hydrating Daily Moisturizer is so light that it’s perfect for the delicate eye area as well.
It will hydrate and soften your skin and diminish the look of any wrinkles. And with anti aging peptides it improves circulation, stimulates collagen and protects the delicate under eye skin from free radical damage, reducing the bags under your eyes and any dark circles.
How to apply moisturizer around your eyes:
- Tap moisturiser lightly onto your cheekbones and around the eye socket before you go to bed. This will help to reduce puffiness and also firm the delicate skin around your eyes.
If you tend to have bags under your eyes in the morning, try elevating your head slightly by sleeping with an extra pillow. When you lie flat, fluid can gather around your eyes.
You’ll wake up looking bright eyed!
And that's it! All done!
And now with your face fresh, clean and hydrated you benefit more from your beauty sleep…
The beauty benefits of sleep
Here are the six key beauty benefits for men of a good night's sleep:
Smoother skin
During your sleep cycle there is a release of growth hormone which stimulates collagen formation. This typically happens during ‘deep sleep’, stages 3 and 4.
And more collagen means your skin is smoother and less likely to develop fine lines and wrinkles.
Luckily, men's skin has about 20-30% more collagen than a woman’s.
But your collagen levels drop rapidly after you reach 40 years of age leading to skin losing its elasticity and firmness. Wrinkles start to form more quickly, becoming deeper and more visible.
This is made worse by a lack of good quality rest.
A glowing complexion
While you're sleeping your body increases blood flow to the skin. This not only transports essential nutrients to skin cells, it also results in a healthy glowing complexion the next morning.
Reduce under eye bags
Dark circles or bags under your eyes are the first things that people notice when you don’t get enough sleep.
When you’re low on sleep, and blood isn’t flowing well, it can collect under your eyes causing puffiness. This can also become visible as dark circles.
Improved blood flow (as a result of getting a good night’s sleep) minimizes this puffiness, and the dark circles too.
Healthier, fuller hair
Lack of sleep can have a direct impact on the quality and fullness of a man's hair (and beard) – leading to breakage and hair loss.
Hair growth begins in the hair follicles, and for them to function properly they need nutrients, vitamins, and minerals from blood flow. The increase in blood flow when we’re sleeping means more nutrients, resulting in stronger hair and improved growth.
Lack of sleep can also lead to more stress and the release of the stress hormone cortisol. Another cause of hair loss!
A happy, healthier appearance
When you’re tired, your facial expressions change in subtle ways. We tend to frown more, and the corners of the mouth turn down slightly.
And this is borne out in clinical research. A study published by The Royal Society found that sleep deprived people appeared less healthy, less attractive, and other people were less willing to socialize with them!
But when you’re well-rested, you look healthier, you feel happier and you smile a lot more.
The Takeaway
Your nighttime routine shapes how you look the next day.
So it’s worth spending a few minutes before bed making sure that your face is clean and fresh, and feels hydrated.
Follow these three steps and you’ll notice the difference from the very next morning.
And that’s it. Time to hit the pillow!
SHOP THE ROUTINE.
All you need to stay looking handsome.
PRESTIGE SKINCARE FOR MEN. MADE IN FRANCE.
