Why Washing Your Face at Night Matters for Every Skin Type

No matter what profession you’re in, there’s probably one piece of advice you find yourself giving on repeat. After 26 years as an esthetician, mine is surprisingly simple: wash your face before bed.

It may sound like something your mother or grandmother told you growing up, but it still holds true. No matter how expensive your moisturizer is, how elaborate your skin care routine has become, or what professional treatments you may be getting, going to sleep without cleansing your skin is one habit I always encourage people to change.

Think about everything that accumulates on your face throughout an ordinary day: oil, sweat, makeup, sunscreen and environmental debris. Instead of taking all of that to bed with you and transferring it to your pillow, washing your face gives you a clean slate before you sleep.

And if I’m being frank, I’d rather see someone consistently spend two minutes washing their face and applying moisturizer every night than spend hundreds of dollars on skin care products and then regularly skip this basic step.

Why Nighttime Cleansing Matters, Even If You Don’t Have Acne

For oily or acne-prone skin, washing your face before bed probably seems pretty straightforward. Removing excess oil, makeup, sunscreen, and the day’s buildup is an important part of keeping skin clean.

But nighttime cleansing isn’t only for people worried about breakouts. Dry and aging skin need that nightly reset, too.

Our skin naturally loses water through a process known as transepidermal water loss, or TEWL, and studies have found that this water loss follows the body’s circadian rhythm, increasing in the hours before and during sleep. That’s one reason I consider cleansing and moisturizing before bed such an important combination.

Cleansing removes what has accumulated on the skin throughout the day, while applying moisturizer afterward helps support the skin barrier and reduce moisture loss. You aren’t simply taking something off your face. You’re also giving freshly cleansed skin the opportunity to benefit from the products you put back on.

That doesn’t mean everyone needs an elaborate nighttime routine. In fact, I generally think the opposite.

A cleanser appropriate for your skin, followed by the moisturizer and any treatment products that make sense for you, may be all you need. Product choice certainly matters, particularly if you’re dealing with a specific skin concern, but consistency with the basics matters, too.

Too Tired To Wash Your Face at Bedtime? Do It Before Dinner

There’s one response I’ve heard countless times over the years, particularly from busy moms: By bedtime, I’m just too tired.

I completely understand.

Once you’ve made dinner, cleaned up, helped with homework, taken care of everyone else, and finally made it to bed, washing your face can feel like one more chore standing between you and your pillow.

That’s why, for more than 20 years, I’ve suggested what I think of as a dinnertime skin care routine.

Don’t wait until bedtime.

In those few minutes before dinner hits the table, head into the bathroom, wash your face, and apply your evening moisturizer and other nighttime products. We’re talking about roughly two minutes; you’re still awake, and your skin care is finished before the evening gets away from you.

There’s no rule that says your nighttime skin care routine has to happen at 10 p.m.

For parents, there’s another part of this habit I’ve always liked. Your kids get to see you taking a couple of minutes to care for yourself. Self-care doesn’t always have to mean an expensive appointment, a complicated routine, or an hour carved out of an already busy day. Sometimes it’s simply two quiet minutes at the bathroom sink.

Expensive Skin Care Can’t Replace a Consistent Routine

The beauty industry has changed enormously during my two and a half decades as an esthetician. There are more products, treatments, devices, and procedures available than I ever could have imagined when I started my career.

But one of the pieces of advice I give most often hasn’t changed at all.

Wash your face before you go to sleep.

If you’re investing hundreds of dollars in serums, creams, and other skin care products but regularly falling asleep with the day’s makeup, sunscreen, oil, and debris still on your face, start with the simplest part of your routine before adding another product to the shelf.

You don’t need a 10-step routine. You don’t need to wait until you’re exhausted at bedtime. And you certainly don’t need to spend a fortune to establish a good nightly habit.

Cleanse your skin, apply the products that work for you, and do it consistently.

After more than two decades of working with skin, I’ve learned that some of the most useful advice isn’t particularly glamorous or complicated. Sometimes, the habit your mother or grandmother reminded you about all those years ago is still a pretty good place to start.