Exclusive: Morning vs Night Skincare: 6-Step Routine For 24/7 Anti-Ageing Protection

Morning vs Night Skincare: At the beginning of the day, you should use targeted skincare products for the protection of the skin against environmental stressors such as UV rays, environmental pollutants, allergens etc.

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With advancing age, the skin begins to show the signs of ageing too and it is completely natural, but with an appropriate skincare regime. However, you can not reverse, or slow down these skin changes of appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, sagginess etc. Also, we need to understand the importance and difference in both morning and nighttime skincare routines as the skin needs vary with the time of the day. Kiran Bhatt Cosmetologist, the vice president of Junoesque shares with Zee News Digital a 6-Step Routine For 24/7 Anti-Aging Protection:

Morning routine - For 24/7 anti-ageing protection

At the beginning of the day, you should use targeted skincare products for the protection of the skin against environmental stressors such as UV rays, environmental pollutants, allergens etc. 

(1) Cleanser - A gentle and hydrating cleanser should be the first thing to be used in the morning to remove the extra sebum, sweat or dirt that is collected on the skin after the night’s sleep. You can choose one containing nourishing ingredients such as glycerin, ceramides, hyaluronic acid etc. 

(2) Antioxidant enriched serum - The exposure of the skin to UV rays or environmental pollutants have the ability to break down collagen and age the skin. For neutralizing this effect, use an antioxidant-rich serum such as one containing vitamin C, niacinamide etc. 

(3) Hydrating serum - The aged skin tends to appear dull and dry and needs extra hydration. So the best choice for this is using a hydrating serum containing hyaluronic acid for keeping the skin plump and glowy. 

(4) Moisturizer - For locking in the skin’s moisture, a lightweight, non-comedogenic and gentle moisturizer needs to be applied, consisting of peptides, ceramides, squalane etc. to make the skin elastic yet firm. 

(5) Sunscreen - Sunscreen application is non-negotiable when it comes to anti-ageing as sun exposure is the leading cause of skin damage and premature aging. Choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen possessing a minimum SPF of 30 and consisting of zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. 

(6) Lip and eye cream - To reduce the under-eye puffiness and make the eyes appear fresh, a lightweight eye cream needs to be applied. Lips also need a hydrating balm with an SPF of at least 15. 

Night routine - For 24/7 anti-ageing protection

The skin’s repair mode begins at night and thus night skincare routine should be inclusive of intensive treatments to reduce the signs of daytime damage. 

(1) Double cleansers - The buildup of pollutants, dirt, sunscreen, makeup etc. on the face needs to be removed with a double cleansing technique - first using an oil-based cleanser and then a hydrating face cleanser. 

(2) Exfoliators - The ageing skin appears dull and dry but exfoliation is the magic solution to boost up cellular turnover and stimulate collagen synthesis. A gentle exfoliator consisting of glycolic acid, lactic acid, salicylic acid etc. should be used twice to thrice a week. 

(3) Retinol or peptide-based serum - The gold standard anti-ageing solution is retinol as it plays a role in the production of collagen. 

(4) Hydrating and repairing serum - The effects of daytime skin damage can be targeted with a night serum that should consist of actives that give hydration and assist in repair such as hyaluronic acid, niacinamide etc. 

(5) Moisturizer - Strengthening the skin's defense barrier requires hydrated skin and this makes the role of applying moisturizer crucial. To give a boost to the skin’s firmness and elasticity, choose a night cream enriched with ceramides, squalane or peptides. 

(6) Eye cream and lip balm - Retinol-containing eye cream is effective for reducing the signs of aging from the eye area and lips need care too with a thick and nourishing balm enriched with shea butter.

Conclusion: Skin’s rejuvenation and freshness can be achieved by consistently following this 6-step morning and night routine. For achieving great skin, these small steps daily give long-term effects.