The Difference Between a Daytime and Nighttime Skincare Routine

Have you ever wondered if there’s truly any benefit to having two different skincare routines – one for daytime and one for nighttime? Skincare aficionados will have you convinced that it’s essential to change up your skincare routine depending on the time of day. However, we wanted to challenge the theory and dive deep into why you might use certain skincare products in the morning versus the nighttime. Let’s debunk this theory, shall we?

Is there a difference between daytime and nighttime skincare?

As easy as it would be to use the same face wash and moisturizer day and night, having perfectly radiant, ageless, glass-like skin needs more care than that. 

Specific products are recommended for use during the day in order to protect the skin against environmental factors such as free radical damage and harmful UV rays. On the other hand, nighttime products use more potent active ingredients to increase cell turnover and target stubborn skincare concerns. 

In order to see the benefits of having different skincare routines for daytime and nighttime, we’re going to dive into what each of your routines should achieve and what ingredients you might be missing in your current skincare routine. 

Daytime Skincare Routine: Achieving Radiance and Protection

Having good skin goes beyond just washing it. In order to achieve radiant skin that will defy gravity and delay signs of aging for as long as possible, we need to play an active role in enhancing our natural glow and protecting our skin. 

So, how can we achieve radiance and protect our skin with our daytime skincare routine? By understanding the purpose of our morning skin routine and what we are hoping to achieve. 

The purpose of a daytime skincare routine

The main job of your daytime skincare routine is to protect your skin against whatever it will encounter throughout the day that can negatively impact your skin. For example, environmental aggressors and the sun’s UV rays are two very important things your skin needs protection against. 

An example of an environmental aggressor that will negatively impact your skin is free radicals. Free radicals are molecules in the air that damage the skin, causing dullness, dryness, breakouts, wrinkles, and saggy skin. 

UV rays, on the other hand, may seem like they add to our goal of having radiant skin since they give us that sunkissed glow. However, certain UV rays are harmful to the skin and can cause premature aging and skin cancer.

All that being said, we didn’t even mention dirt and debris that can find their way into our pores and cause breakouts! 

This is exactly why it’s so important to make sure that your daytime skincare routine creates a line of defense to protect it from daily aggressors. 

Steps to the perfect daytime skincare routine

To protect your skin properly before a long day, make sure you’re incorporating these steps into your daytime skincare routine: 

Step 1: Cleanse. Use a cleanser or face wash that refreshes your skin while cleaning away skincare products from the night before.

Step 2: Treat. Reduce puffiness and dark circles with Illuminating Eye Gels to brighten the under-eye area. Get antioxidants into the skin and protect against free radicals by adding the Illuminate 5-minute Sheet Mask right on top of your eye gels.

Step 3: Moisturize. The right facial moisturizer will prevent dryness, protect the skin barrier, and slow down aging.

Step 4: Protect. Apply sunscreen to prevent sagging and sunspots. 

Pro-tip: You need to apply sunscreen every day – even when the sun isn’t out! According to Forbes, ”clouds filter less than 25% of the UV rays that penetrate your skin" which means harmful UVA and UVB rays can still cause skin cancer if you’re outside and unprotected.

Using Brightening Eye Gels

When putting together the perfect daytime routine, you might not think to include eye gels. You might not even realize it’s a skincare product you can use daily! 

However, with Rejuvenating Eye Gels, you’ll be able to specifically target under-eye concerns, leaving your skin visibly smoother and more youthful. With powerful ingredients like hyaluronic acid and peptides, you can achieve a bright ‘I-woke-up-like-this’ look.  

If you don’t believe us, let the results speak for themselves! 

100 participants said after five minutes of use:

100% said their tired eyes appeared awakened, revived, and revitalized

98% said their under-eye area looked and felt smoother

97% said their under-eye area looked less puffy

94% said one 5-minute under-eye treatment provided more immediate results than their current under-eye skincare routine

If you need a wake-up call for your under-eye area, this is it! 

Eye gels in general can help reduce:

• Fine lines
• Puffiness
• Dark circles
• Makeup creasing
• Dullness

Instead of letting your under-eyes age you, let's target them in the AM during your morning skincare routine so you can start the day off right! 

Must-have ingredients for a daytime skincare routine

According to Byrdie, here are some ingredients you should consider incorporating into your morning routine: 

• Antioxidants: Defend the skin from free radical attacks
• Hyaluronic acid: Balance hydration
• Niacinamide: Reduce redness and oil production

Now, it’s time to vet your skincare routine – is it packed with healthy ingredients that will protect your skin throughout the day?

If the answer is no, we have you covered – this is where face masks come in! 

The best face masks for your AM skincare routine

You may be thinking, how on earth am I supposed to get all of these ingredients into my skincare routine? You might also want to condense your skincare routine to keep it short and affordable. 

These most-loved face masks will give your skin the ingredients it needs without breaking the bank or adding more than 10 minutes to your morning routine. 

The best face mask for…

…extra antioxidants

Try the Illuminate Face Mask for a healthy dose of vitamin C.

Turn dull, lackluster skin and an uneven skin tone into a bright, refreshed, and glowy complexion thanks to this glow-getter face mask! Jam-packed with antioxidants, licorice extract, and grapefruit seed extract, this 5-minute sheet mask was designed to give radiance that will carry throughout the day.  

…a boost of hyaluronic acid

Try the Rosé Sheet Mask to replenish and retain moisture.

Without hyaluronic acid, your skin will be dry, dull, and prone to environmental damage which will lead to premature aging over time. Stop it all dead in its tracks with the 10-minute Rosé sheet mask! 

Infused with hyaluronic acid and a carefully selected blend of antioxidants, including strawberry extract and resveratrol, this mask will work to soften and smooth your skin, leaving it velvety and supple all day long.

…added niacinamide

Try the Bubbly Hydrogel Mask for a bright and even complexion.

Niacinamide has so many amazing benefits such as brightening skin tone and evening out complexion. If this key ingredient is missing from your morning routine, the Bubbly Hydrogel Mask is a great way to protect the skin and improve radiance. If you’re a big fan, there are even Bubbly Eye Gels to match that will brighten your under-eye!

Nighttime Skincare Routine: Repair and Rejuvenation 

Now that we have your morning skincare routine covered, you should feel confident that every morning is jam-packed with radiance and protection. Unfortunately, your nighttime routine will serve a different purpose, and should therefore be comprised of different products from your morning routine. 

The purpose of a nighttime skincare routine

The purpose of a nighttime skincare routine is to thoroughly cleanse any debris and oils from the face while also preparing the skin for the most restorative state – sleep! 

Plot twist – The concept of beauty sleep wasn’t solely reserved for sleeping beauty. According to Harper’s Bazaar, the hours of 11 PM to midnight are when your skin enters the process of cell mitosis. This means your immune system is functioning at maximum capacity to repair itself by generating new skin cells, cycling oxygen, and replenishing nutrients. 

The cell mitosis process is what makes it so important to properly nourish the skin and give it the right tools it needs for overnight recovery. 

This is a good thing! Nighttime is when the magic happens – if you have any breakouts, acne scarring, hyperpigmentation, aging, or virtually any skincare concern, it’s not just a dream that it can be healed overnight. With the proper nighttime skincare routine and the right ingredients, you can expedite your skin’s recovery.

Steps to the perfect nighttime skincare routine

Since nighttime is the best time to make big strides towards healing your specific skincare concerns, finding the perfect evening skincare routine can be very personal and highly customized. 

As a general rule of thumb, here are some steps you should consider in your nighttime routine: 

Step 1: Remove. If you wear makeup, use a makeup remover or oil cleanser to break down any cosmetics. 

Step 2: Cleanse. Use a gentle cleanser or face wash to remove SPF, oils, and daily buildup.

Step 3: Treat. Toners and serums are a great way to remove debris and replenish the skin to target specific skin concerns such as hyperpigmentation, scarring, texture, and clogged pores.

Step 4: Replenish. Sometimes our skin needs a little extra love – that’s where face masks and eye gels come in! Don’t be afraid to add this step if you need to replenish some essential ingredients back into the skin.

Step 5: Moisturize. Seal the deal with a nighttime moisturizer. This moisturizer should be different from your daytime moisturizer because it shouldn’t have SPF in it! Typically, nighttime hydrators are thicker creams or oils to ensure maximum hydration. 

Must-have ingredients for a nighttime skincare routine

Due to sun exposure, certain skincare ingredients aren’t recommended for daytime use because they can burn the skin or reduce in efficacy. Since we don’t have to worry about sun exposure at night, our nighttime skincare routine can feature more potent ingredients!

A well-rounded nighttime skincare routine features the following ingredients: 

• Retinol: Treat acne, prevent dullness, and minimize wrinkles
• Vitamin A: Improve blood flow to stimulate collagen and elastin production

• AHAs: Exfoliate dead skin cells to reveal healthy skin without irritation
• Essential oils: Treat redness, blemishes, and inflammation

These ingredients are extremely beneficial for the skin but should not be used during the day to avoid complications. If you’re struggling to build these ingredients into your nighttime skincare routine, these PM face masks are the perfect supplements!

The best face masks for your PM skincare routine

Nothing is more relaxing than a face mask at the end of a long day. It’s also a great way to incorporate nighttime skincare ingredients you may be missing in your current routine. 

The best face mask for…

…a dose of retinol 

Try the Beauty Sleep Restoring Night Hydrogel Face Mask to delay the aging process.

Loaded with skin smoothing retinol and peptides to smooth fine lines, the Beauty Sleep face mask also contains hydrolyzed collagen and centella asiatica, two ingredients that will hydrate and restore the skin’s youthful bounce.  

…soothing essential oils

Try The Good Fight Clean Skin Sheet Mask to soothe acne-prone skin, calm redness, and prevent future breakouts. 

Essential oils can increase skin sensitivity so they’re recommended to use at night. The clear choice face mask is the perfect way to fight red marks. With willow bark for anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties, this mask will soothe irritated skin while using its tea tree and peppermint essential oils to reduce the appearance of blemishes. 

A moment for nighttime eye gels

No nighttime skincare routine is complete without targeting the under-eye area. If you’re struggling with crow’s feet, fine lines, wrinkles, or dark circles around the eye area, Restoring Night Eye Gels are a must-have for your nighttime routine.  

In just 5 minutes, retinol, squalane, and peptides do their work to speed up cell turnover to delay the aging process, while naturally hydrating and reducing fine lines. It can be easy to forget about the under-eye area, but this part of the face makes a huge difference in your appearance and shouldn’t be neglected! 

Relax tired eyes and wake up looking refreshed by giving your under-eye a little extra love at night.

Glow up and wind down: Nailing your day and night skincare

In our quest to challenge the theory of differing daytime and nighttime routines, we’ve uncovered the truth – your skincare should be different during that day than it is at night. 

During the day, your skincare should protect you from the elements. At night, your skincare should help you heal, restore, and repair. 

Certain ingredients will be beneficial to your skincare routines if used properly. If you’re struggling to incorporate them into your routine or just want a luxurious, pampering element to your day and night routines with just 5-10 minutes added at an affordable cost, face masks and eye gels are the way to go! When in doubt, mask it out, baby! 

Still need help building your skincare routine? Take our skincare quiz!