After a night out on the town, it’s important to remove all traces of makeup and complete a deep cleanse before your beauty sleep, so your skin can regenerate. Not doing so could lead to clogged pores, breakouts or dehydrated skin. A proper cleansing routine for every skin type consists of double cleansing, exfoliating a few times a week, toning and moisturising. Do so every single night without fail, no matter how tired you are. And remember, makeup remover wipes and micellar water will not remove all traces of dirt, makeup and pollution from your skin – you need to really get in there with a non-foaming facial wash.
Here’s how to get clean after the party:
DRY OR SENSITIVE SKIN
If you have dry or sensitive skin, it is important to avoid products containing irritants, like perfumes, mineral oil and sodium lauryl sulfate. SLS is what makes products foam and it is dry skin’s number one enemy. Look for products labeled “fragrance free” and “alcohol free” with gentle, hydrating ingredients such as hyaluronic acid or aloe vera. Also look for glycolic acid and lactic acid, which helps relieve and heal dry skin. Focus on balm, oil and milk cleansers – never foaming.
Step 1: Cleanse
Our pick: MUN Akwi purifying cleanser
Step 2: Tone
Our pick: Fresh Rose deep hydration facial toner
Step 3: Treat
Our pick: Farmacy Honeymoon Glow AHA Hydrating Night Serum
Honeymoon Glow AHA Hydrating Night Serum w/Hyaluronic Acid for Fine Lines & Wrinkles
COMBINATION SKIN
As with sensitive skin, its best to avoid harsh foaming products when cleansing. Gel-based and mild cleansers are best. Toners rich in antioxidants will further cleanse the skin and might help reduce the appearance of pores. As a final step before moisturising, apply a chemical exfoliant with AHA (like glycolic and lactic acid) or BHA (like salicylic acid).
Step 1: Cleanse
Our pick: Ole Henriksen Find Your Balance Oil Control Cleanser
Step 2: Exfoliate
Our pick: Glossier Solution
Step 3: Tone
Our pick: Origins United State Balancing Tonic
OILY SKIN
Oily skin can be difficult to tackle but with the right products you can keep the oiliness balanced. The biggest mistake people with oily skin make is to think they can and should strip away the oil – this will only lead to your skin producing even more oil, leading to clogged pores. It’s also a myth that oily skin can’t use oils like oil cleansers or facial oils. In fact, using the correct oils will help keep your skin’s own oil production in check. As always, avoid foaming products which will only strip your skin, include acids and use products with lighter consistencies, such as a gel or lotion.
Step 1: Cleanse
Our pick: Dermalogica PreCleanse Balm
Step 2: Exfoliate
Our pick: The Body Shop Drops of Youth Liquid Peel
Step 3: Tone
Our pick: Thayers Witch Hazel Aloe Vera Formula Rose Petal Toner