Here are some tips to a better bedtime routine for your skin.

You know you should at least wash your face before going to bed, but how often do you just crawl under the covers without even removing the dirt and grime of the day?  Here are some tips to a better bedtime skin routine:

1. Cleanse – if you do nothing else, the first step to a bedtime skin routine is to wash your face each night.
2. Remove Makeup – sometimes your soap alone isn’t enough. Try using a small amount of petroleum jelly (Vaseline)—about the size of a pea– or olive oil, and smooth it across your eyelids and through your lashes. Then use a cotton pad to wipe the makeup off.
3. Exfoliate – You should exfoliate no more than two or three times a week; more often can dry your skin.
4. Use Toner – Use a toner that is specifically made for your skin type. For example, if you have dry or normal skin you shouldn’t use toners that contain alcohol as they can irritate or dry your skin.  Toners help to remove any extra makeup and cleanser still on your face.
5. Moisturize – Moisturizing your face should always come after cleansing. When you wash your face, you wash away essential oils and moisturizing your skin helps replenish it. If you have oily skin, make sure you are using a moisturizer that is water based and meant for your skin type. Take some extra time and use a deep moisturizer on the extra dry areas of your body, such as elbows, knees, heels and hands and feet.
6. Seek Silk – pillowcases, that is. Your facial skin can actually be tugged and pulled, depending on the position you sleep in and how much you move around in your sleep. Silk pillowcases can help eliminate the pull on your skin.
7. Sleep on Your Back – again, it comes down to how much your skin is stretched and pulled while you’re sleeping. If you sleep on your back, your skin won’t be smashed into the pillowcase, which can contribute to wrinkles and creases.
8. Use a Humidifier – especially during the winter months, the air gets extremely dry and therefore so does your skin. A humidifier helps keep moisture in the air.
9. Get Enough Sleep – all of these things are really for naught if you don’t get a good night’s sleep.  While you’re sleeping, your body is healing and restoring daytime damage – including damage to your skin.