What you do in the evening can make a big difference on how fresh your skin looks the following day.
Speaking exclusively to GB News, a doctor explained how to achieve glowing skin "overnight".
Following a good skin care routine is key to achieving these results, according to founder of CellDerma skin care Dr Dev Patel.
The expert shared seven "overnight skin care hacks for a morning glow".
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Good skin care products can make a big difference
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Avoid indulgences
Dr Patel said: "It's no secret that what you consume can impact your skin and the quality of your sleep. Certain types of foods, especially those high in sugar or saturated fats, can cause the body to work overtime to digest the food while you sleep, impacting the repair phase your skin undergoes during a good night's rest. Without enough sleep, your skin can become stressed and appear duller, drier and with a higher likelihood of developing breakouts.
"As well as this, drinking alcohol before bedtime can spike blood sugar levels and create inflammation in the body, worsening skin conditions such as acne, rosacea, and eczema. Dehydration from alcohol will also dry and flare up skin. Alcohol can further disrupt sleep patterns, contributing to a dull and lacklustre complexion when waking up.
"If you’re feeling peckish before bedtime, opt for unprocessed foods, like antioxidant-rich fruits such as strawberries, blueberries, pecans, or oven-baked kale chips. Better still, ensure you drink enough water early in the evening as hunger can often be due to dehydration. Avoid eating heavier meals at least two hours before bedtime to give your body time to digest most of the food."
Double cleanse
He added: "A cleanse is essential in the evening to remove the build-up of dirt, dead skin cells, excess oil, pollutants, and other foreign particles. Going to bed with an unwashed face can cause these impurities to clog your skin, disrupt its natural pH balance and most importantly, contribute to free radical damage in the skin. This leads to inflammation and premature skin ageing. If you wear make-up, a double cleanse is essential. A two-step cleansing process helps ensure a clean canvas for your skin care to penetrate more effectively, leaving you with a refreshed and glowing complexion by the morning.
"Use a gentle botanical cleanser that does not leave the skin dry or feeling tight – look for the presence of nourishing fatty acids. The first cleanse will be to break down the makeup and sunscreen, and then clean the skin on the second. A high-quality, sustainably sourced ingredient to look out for in your cleanser is rosehip seed oil.
"This is a pressed oil extract taken from the seeds of the wild rose and contains high levels of linoleic acid, which is beneficial for strengthening the skin barrier, reducing inflammation, hydrating the skin, and targeting breakouts. When washing off your sunscreen, don’t forget to cleanse near your hairline and under the jaw as this is where sweat and sunscreen can trickle down."
Use good skin care
Dr Patel said: "At night, when the skin renews and repairs, it becomes more permeable and responsive to skin care products. Therefore, night-time is ideal for incorporating ingredients like retinoids and Vitamin C into your skin care routine. Some retinoids may increase skin sensitivity to UV radiation, so applying them at night minimises this risk. New generation retinoids, such as hydroxypinacolone retinoate (HCP), have considerably higher potency than retinol but without the expected side effects such as skin irritation, increased sensitivity, dryness, and flaking.
"It also reduces sebaceous gland hyperactivity, closes pore size, and minimises acne. Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate (vitamin C) has excellent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits, which can help regenerate the skin whilst you sleep without the distraction of daytime stressors.
"My go-to product at night is Retin-ACE which contains a powerful blend of HCP, Vitamin C and E, followed by a rich moisturiser to further help cell repair."
Use anti-ageing cream
"Not all night creams are created equal; their effectiveness depends on the quality of ingredients they contain," the expert added.
"When choosing a night cream, opt for a formula that boasts skin-loving components such as peptides, antioxidants, and hyaluronic acid. Peptides are compounds made up of short-chain amino acids naturally present in the body. When applied topically to the skin, peptides act as messengers triggering skin functions, such as boosting the production of collagen and slowing down the formation of expression lines.
"To brighten the skin, use powerful antioxidants such as Resveratrol (derived from red grapes) which fights against oxidative damage, and therefore ageing. For hydration to keep your skin looking plump and smooth by the morning, sodium hyaluronate is the most effective form of hyaluronic acid when topically applied.
"Plant-derived squalene and ceramides can boost hydration further. While some night creams may fall short in delivering noticeable results, a carefully selected night cream can be a game-changer for achieving a glowing complexion by the morning."
Use a good eye serum
Dr Patel said: "Our thinnest skin is around the eyes, so a dedicated eye serum is key to slowing down damage to this delicate area. Daily use will help slow down the formation of dark circles and fine lines, giving you a fresher appearance when you wake up.
"Look for a potent but very well-tolerated blend of a duo of active ingredients: Darutoside and Albizia Julibrissin Bark extract in your eye serum.
"Darutoside boosts collagen and elasticity whilst providing anti-inflammatory effects, and the latter fights glycation of collagen (sugar binding to collagen rendering it ineffective)."
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Dr Dev Patel shared his tips
DR DEV PATEL
Apply lip balm
He added: "Although it may not seem obvious, well-hydrated lips can make the complexion look more refreshed in the morning. Dry or chapped lips can appear dull and aged, while well-moisturised lips convey a more youthful and fresher look.
"Throughout the night, moisture levels tend to decline, especially indoors where heating or air conditioning can contribute to reduced humidity and drier air. To moisturise and diminish the formation of lines around the lips, opt for a lip-plumping balm that contains palmitoyl tripeptide-1 to support collagen and glycosaminoglycans, which are the components essential for firm, healthy skin."
Change your pillowcase
The expert said: "Improving your skin health can be as straightforward as changing your pillowcase. Acne can be exacerbated by not washing your pillowcase enough. Some fabrics, like cotton, are more absorbent than others and hold in grime, sweat and debris which you may be sleeping on every night.
"Ensure you are washing your bedding once a week to avoid these breakouts on your face and body. I’d recommend a silk pillowcase, as they are naturally hypoallergenic and less irritating due to there being less mechanical friction against the skin.
"The smooth surface of a silk pillowcase also reduces the chances of waking up with sleep lines or ‘bedhead’, to wake up with a more refreshed appearance."