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You’ve made it through the day (congratulations), and before heading to bed for a restful sleep, it’s time to hit the reset button your skin. The best nightly skincare routine isn’t one-size-fits-all. Once you understand the key categories, you can select products that address your skin concerns. “Your skin repairs itself overnight, meaning its natural renewal process is most active while you sleep. This is because moisturizers and hydrating ingredients work best when your skin isn’t exposed to environmental stressors,” explains board-certified dermatologist Dr. Amy Spizuoco. “A solid nightly skincare routine should focus on cleansing, treating, and hydrating to help your skin repair itself overnight.” That’s just the basics, though—if you’re ready to step it up, you can add toners, exfoliants, LED tools, or nourishing sheet masks to the mix. Feeling overwhelmed by all the options? Experts advise us to return to the fundamentals and avoid overthinking: the best skincare routine is luxurious yet effective, with science-backed products.
Vogue’s Nighttime Skincare Essentials
Board-certified physician assistant Paula Brezavscek agrees, musing that bed time is where the magic happens—the skin renewal magic, that is. “Your nighttime routine is the foundation of youthful, radiant skin, allowing it to repair, restore, and glow while you sleep. Think of it as a reset button for your skin. Your complexion faces pollution, UV exposure, and other environmental stressors daily. At night, it’s time to undo the damage and set the stage for rejuvenation,” she explains. While it’s tempting to skip your skincare routine—especially after a long and exhausting day—Brezavscek warns that you may regret it in the near future. Skipping your routine can accelerate fine lines, dehydration, and loss of firmness.
Start with Removing Makeup and SPF
“If you wore makeup or sunscreen, double cleansing is key. This method ensures all residue is removed, preventing clogged pores and irritation,” Dr. Spizuoco tells Vogue. Gunn agrees, adding that you should also consider double cleansing if you’ve spent time in a polluted environment (say, your daily commute in a city like New York), explaining that oil cleansers breakdown heavy ingredients in a way that standard face wash can’t do on its own. Step one of a double cleansing routine starts with an oil-based cleanser (pick your preferred texture between liquids and balms) or micellar water to dissolve makeup, SPF, excess oil, and pollutants.
Wash with a Gentle Cleanser
The second step of a double cleansing routine requires an effective yet gentle face wash that cleanses your complexion without stripping it of its natural oils. “If you didn’t wear makeup or SPF, a single cleanse with a gentle cleanser is usually enough,” says Dr. Spizuoco. However, Gunn stresses that regardless of whether you’re sticking to a single or double cleansing method, the remainder of your nighttime routine should stay consistent to ensure effective results. Consider your freshly cleaned face a fresh canvas, ready and primed for the layers of products to come.
Exfoliation
“This is an important step for everyone, but if you are over 35, exfoliation is crucial for promoting cellular turnover,” Gunn tells Vogue. “Use a chemical exfoliant like an AHA or BHA to melt away any dead skin cells that naturally pile up, and clean the slate to kickstart skin cell turnover.” She recommends incorporating an exfoliant into your routine two to three times per week and ensuring you never exfoliate the same night you use retinol—otherwise, you’ll dry out your skin.
The Toners
Do you really need a toner? Gunn with a resounding yes. “Toners balance the pH of your skin and prepare it for the absorption of the products that come next in your routine,” she explains. From hydrating milky toners to balancing lightweight essences, toners patted directly into the skin or swiped on with a cotton pad help replenish freshly cleansed and exfoliated skin.
Targeted Treatments
As the name suggests, targeted treatments are specific to your particular skincare concerns. Gunn explains that common targeted treatments include retinol for anti-aging, niacinamide for redness and brightening, and acne care. When introducing retinol to your routine, the pros suggest starting by applying it two times a week, gradually increasing frequency as your skin adapts, and never using it in tandem with exfoliation.
Brezavscek agrees, adding that another popular option is serums with growth factors, which stimulate collagen production and enhance skin renewal. Her favorite medical-grade growth factor serum is Neocutis Bio Serum Firm.
Lock in Hydration with Serums
While active ingredients like retinol and exfoliants need to be cycled to avoid overuse, you can never overdo it with a hydrating serum—in fact, the more hydration, the better! “Hydration and barrier support to lock in moisture and prevent overnight dehydration,” Brezavscek tells Vogue.
Eye Creams for Under Eye TLC
In recent years, there’s been much abuzz on social media about whether or not you actually need an eye cream, with some beauty influencers arguing its the same thing as a moisturizer. The pro’s beg to differ. “Eye creams target concerns like puffiness, dark circles, crepey skin or fine lines,” says Gunn. Brezavscek agrees, adding that high-performance eye creams often have a thicker consistency, for added hydration to the delicate under-eye area.
Nourishing Face Oils
Another step? Sure, if you want to level up to the 2.0 version of your nightly skincare routine. Face oils are like the beautiful garnish on the plate of an exquisite meal—not needed all the time, but an appreciated, occasional finishing touch. “Facial oils can be used when required and are easy to incorporate into most skincare routines,” Dr. Rabia Malik, founder of skincare brand Skin W1, previously told Vogue. “In general, face oil should be applied as the last step in a skincare routine (after serum and/or moisturizer if they are being used).” While face oils are safe for daily use, Dr. Malik advises not to let your skin become overly reliant on them.
Finish off with a Moisturizer
The crowning glory to the best nighttime skincare routine ends with a nourishing moisturizer—its the finishing touch, locking in all the previously applied products. “Hydrating and treating the skin overnight helps reduce fine lines, wrinkles, and dullness by maintaining moisture levels and boosting collagen production,” explains Gunn.
An Added Bonus: Face Masks
“For those who want to elevate their routine, adding hydration boosters can maximize results,” says Brezavscek, adding that overnight masks and face masks are an optional bonus to any nightly skincare regimen. Not to mention, the two beauty products are Korean skincare staples for achieving glazed donut skin.
Occasional High Tech Gadgets
In an age marked by technological advancement, beauty tools have brought the high-tech tools once found only in dermatologist offices and posh spas into our very own homes—of course, aestheticians and derms still have the extra-high-powered versions. From LED light therapy masks and wands to facial massagers and microcurrent toning devices, consider high—tech gadgets the most luxurious (and optional) party of a nighttime regimen.
