The best nighttime skincare routine for mature skin
24 April 2024 – 4 min read
We all know that a nighttime skincare routine is key for repair and renewal (they don’t call it beauty sleep for nothing), but what products do you actually need for mature skin? Do you need a 12-step K-beauty strategy or can you stick to a minimalist regimen?
Our skin is our body’s largest organ, and so it makes sense that we’re fixated on pampering, nourishing and protecting it. It endures all kinds of conditions, from fluctuations in humidity to growth - don’t even get us started on the foods we eat. So it should come as no surprise that no singular routine will work for all mature skin or skin types.
But there are some general rules of thumb that you can follow - and they don’t need to be elaborate or complicated at all. Read on for a simplified nighttime skincare routine to suit mature skin, plus some optional extras for the overachievers.
Step 1: double cleanse
We’re big fans of double cleansing for clear, healthy skin. Start with an oil-based formula like Overachiever Balm Cleanser to melt away any sunscreen, makeup, pollution, excess sebum, dirt, sweat and debris from the day. Next, a water-based follow-up like Clean Canvas ensures anything that wasn’t removed in the first step is washed away, including leftover residue from cleanser number one, and preps pores for better product absorption. Bonus: save when you shop them together in the Fresh-faced Set.
Using the spatula, apply Overachiever Balm Cleanser to dry hands and massage into dry skin. Rinse well with warm water. Apply one pump of Clean Canvas Gel Cleanser to damp skin, massaging in small, circular motions. Cleanse the entire face and neck, avoiding the eye area and rinse. It’s as easy as that!
Optional: exfoliator
Exfoliators work by dissolving, lifting or gently buffing away the top few layers of the skin; removing dead skin cells, pigmentation and encouraging cell turnover (learn much, much more here). Save time by using a daily cleanser that contains chemical exfoliants like Clean Canvas, which has a hint of salicylic acid to regulate oil production, target congestion and reduce blackheads without stripping your skin. Or use higher strength AHAs, BHAs or PHAs 1 - 3 times per week at night - just remember to start slow and decrease the frequency if your skin shows any signs of irritation.
Step 2: serum/s
Now’s the time for a targeted treatment depending on your skin concerns.
Concerned with fine lines and wrinkles? Seek out retinal, the gold standard in plumping and smoothing because of its ability to boost cell turnover and collagen production. Enter Super Retinal Vitamin A Serum, a powerful treatment to firm, plump and brighten while you snooze aka a must-have for mature skin. This innovative formula, featuring next-generation retinal, is clinically proven to work 11 times faster than retinol,* effectively smoothing, brightening and firming mature skin. Crafted to be gentle yet potent, it delivers transformative results without irritation, making it suitable even for sensitive skin.
Dealing with dehydration, dryness or redness? Seek out vitamin B (or niacinamide), a blooming brilliant ingredient that helps to strengthen cell walls and increase your skin’s ability to hold moisture; making it plumpier, less wrinkly and all-round healthier. Enter our Back In Balance Vitamin B Serum, a quick-absorbing formula to soothe and hydrate when skin needs a reset.
Step 3: eye serum
Finishing with an eye cream or serum is like icing on the cake of skincare routines, a glorious way to deeply hydrate, smooth and soften tired eyes before tucking them in for bed. While we we consider this step optional for your AM routine, applying an eye cream or serum at night really allows the product to sit and soak in, without being exposed to daytime oxidisers.
Step 4: facial oil
If you identify with dry or ageing skin types, then you’ll be intimately aware of your skin’s struggle to produce much of its own oils. But even oily skin types will benefit from facial oil; they’ll work to moisturise the skin, which in turn regulates the oil your skin is producing.
Our Caretaker Vitamin E Serum is a calming oil-based serum that helps to even skin tone and reduce the appearance of blemishes. Think of this lightweight formula as 3-in-1: vitamin E and F for scar healing, an oil-soluble form of vitamin C to help renew skin cells and tackle pigmentation plus a nourishing blend of oil to protect the skin barrier. Pro tip: add a pump to Skin Drench for a richer evening moisturiser and to reduce transepidermal water loss.
Step 5: moisturiser
Every skin type should end their evening skincare routine with moisturiser, even if you’re oily or acne-prone (see our note on regulating oil production above!) Look for a skin barrier-supporting formula that will both hydrate and lock in moisture like Skin Drench. Peptides soften the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles while niacinamide and ceramides provide an immediate and long-lasting moisturising effect, plus the warm, earthy scent calls to mind your favourite day spa. Dreamy.
Want to learn more?
Take a deep dive into the best at-home anti-ageing skincare routine.
