Friday, December 28, 2007
Your Evening Skincare Routine - What Comes First?
Step one: cleanser
Dissolve makeup, dirt, oil and daily grime so all those nighttime goodies can work on clean, bare skin.
Step two: retinoids/prescription skin care
Skin-smoothing retinoids take top precedence at night -- and not just because they're prescription products. "If your skin is moist from water or cream, a retinoid can become more irritating to skin," says Audrey Kunin, a dermatologist in Kansas City and founder of dermadoctor.com. Never apply retinoid products over any sort of serum or lotion, and only apply it after dark. "Sunlight can degrade retinoids, rendering them powerless," Fein says. Retinoids also increase your risk of burning by thinning your outermost layer of skin. If your complexion calls for a different kind of prescription drug, use that product here in place of retinoids.
Step three: hydroquinone spot treatments
According to Graf, hydroquinone and retinoids work synergistically, intensifying each other's performance. So wearing one on top of the other makes good sense. Why at night? "The sun, which promotes melanin production, can counteract hydroquinone's pigment-inhibiting effects," Hirsch says.
Step four: peptide serum
Peptides are most useful at night when the skin is in renewal mode because they heal and regenerate skin, and can even rebuild collagen, explains Graf. If you're already using one or more of the other products listed above, opt for a peptide-rich night cream instead of a separate serum to streamline your routine.
Step five: eye cream
Find a night version (no SPF) with reparative retinol or peptides.
Step six: night cream
At night, the skin's pH is lower, which means dead cells shed more easily. Microcirculation is higher, allowing the skin to make new cells and mend old, tired ones, says Graf. Smoothing on a healing night cream bolsters this activity. Hirsch says rich formulas are best because their thick, heavy base can help drive active ingredients into the skin. But if you're using retinoids, avoid creams with alpha hydroxy acids. "The two can inactivate each other when used back-to-back," Hirsch adds.
***Of course, each steps is optional. Not all steps are necessary.
SOURCE
Dissolve makeup, dirt, oil and daily grime so all those nighttime goodies can work on clean, bare skin.
Step two: retinoids/prescription skin care
Skin-smoothing retinoids take top precedence at night -- and not just because they're prescription products. "If your skin is moist from water or cream, a retinoid can become more irritating to skin," says Audrey Kunin, a dermatologist in Kansas City and founder of dermadoctor.com. Never apply retinoid products over any sort of serum or lotion, and only apply it after dark. "Sunlight can degrade retinoids, rendering them powerless," Fein says. Retinoids also increase your risk of burning by thinning your outermost layer of skin. If your complexion calls for a different kind of prescription drug, use that product here in place of retinoids.
Step three: hydroquinone spot treatments
According to Graf, hydroquinone and retinoids work synergistically, intensifying each other's performance. So wearing one on top of the other makes good sense. Why at night? "The sun, which promotes melanin production, can counteract hydroquinone's pigment-inhibiting effects," Hirsch says.
Step four: peptide serum
Peptides are most useful at night when the skin is in renewal mode because they heal and regenerate skin, and can even rebuild collagen, explains Graf. If you're already using one or more of the other products listed above, opt for a peptide-rich night cream instead of a separate serum to streamline your routine.
Step five: eye cream
Find a night version (no SPF) with reparative retinol or peptides.
Step six: night cream
At night, the skin's pH is lower, which means dead cells shed more easily. Microcirculation is higher, allowing the skin to make new cells and mend old, tired ones, says Graf. Smoothing on a healing night cream bolsters this activity. Hirsch says rich formulas are best because their thick, heavy base can help drive active ingredients into the skin. But if you're using retinoids, avoid creams with alpha hydroxy acids. "The two can inactivate each other when used back-to-back," Hirsch adds.
***Of course, each steps is optional. Not all steps are necessary.
SOURCE
Labels: Anti-oxidant, how-to, peptides, skincare
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