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Congratulations—you’ve made it through the day! Before heading to bed for a restful sleep, it’s time to hit the reset button your skin with the best nightly skincare routine. Tempting as it may be to skip it all in favor of slipping right under the covers, board-certified dermatologist Dr. Amy Spizuoco says you shouldn’t. “Your skin repairs itself overnight, meaning its natural renewal process is most active while you sleep. This is because moisturizers and hydrating ingredients work best when your skin isn’t exposed to environmental stressors.” In doing so, it can “accelerate fine lines, dehydration, and loss of firmness,” says board-certified physician assistant Paula Brezavscek.
“A solid nightly skincare routine should focus on cleansing, treating, and hydrating to help your skin repair itself overnight.” That’s just the basics, though—if you’re ready to step it up, you can add a hydrating toner, incorporate exfoliating pads, or turn on an LED face mask.
Board-certified physician assistant Paula Brezavscek agrees, emphasizing that bed time is where the magic happens—the skin renewal magic, that is. “Your nighttime routine is the foundation of youthful, radiant skin, allowing it to repair, restore, and glow while you sleep. Think of it as a reset button for your skin: your complexion faces pollution, UV exposure, and other environmental stressors daily. At night, it’s time to undo the damage and set the stage for rejuvenation,” she explains.
Vogue’s Nighttime Skincare Essentials
- The Makeup SPF Remover: Sulwhasoo Gentle Cleansing Oil, $40
- The Cleanser: iS Clinical Cleansing Complex, $49
- The Exfoliator: Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Pore-Tight Toner, $35
- The Targeted Treatment: Neocutis Bio Serum Firm, $290
- The Hydrating Serum: Skinceuticals Hydrating b5 Gel, $90
- The Eye Cream: SkinMedica Instant Bright Eye Cream, $92
- The Moisturizer: Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream, $305
Ahead, experts weigh in on the essential steps to follow—and the products and ingredients to look out for when building your best nightly skincare routine yet.
Start by Removing Makeup and SPF
“If you wore makeup or sunscreen, double cleansing is key. This method ensures all residue is removed, preventing clogged pores and irritation,” Dr. Spizuoco tells Vogue. Celebrity esthetician Kristin Gunn agrees, adding that you should also consider double cleansing if you’ve spent time in a polluted environment (say, your daily commute in a city like New York), explaining that oil cleansers break down heavy ingredients in a way that standard face wash can’t do on its own. Step one of a double cleansing routine starts with an oil-based cleanser (choose between liquids or balms) or micellar water to dissolve makeup, SPF, excess oil, and pollutants.
Follow Up With a Gentle Cleanser
Next comes a gentle face wash that clears skin without stripping it of its natural oils. “If you didn’t wear makeup or SPF, a single cleanse with a gentle cleanser is usually enough,” says Dr. Spizuoco. However, Gunn stresses that regardless of whether you’re sticking to a single or double cleansing method, the remainder of your nighttime routine should stay consistent to ensure effective results. With your face now a fresh canvas, consider it primed for the layers of products to come.
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Exfoliation
“This is an important step for everyone, but if you are over 35, exfoliation is crucial for promoting cellular turnover,” Gunn tells Vogue. “Use a chemical exfoliant like an AHA or BHA to melt away any dead skin cells that naturally pile up, and clean the slate to kickstart skin cell turnover.” She recommends incorporating an exfoliant into your routine two to three times per week and ensuring you never exfoliate the same night you use retinol—otherwise, you’ll dry out your skin. Pads and liquid serums work both great here.
Toners
Do you really need a toner? Some might argue that you could do without it, but for Gunn, it’s a resounding yes. “Toners balance the pH of your skin and prepare it for the absorption of the products that come next in your routine,” she explains. From hydrating milky toners to balancing lightweight essences, toners patted directly into the skin or swiped on with a cotton pad can help replenish freshly cleansed and exfoliated skin.
Targeted Treatments
As the name implies, these should be specific to your particular skin-care concerns. Gunn explains that common targeted treatments include retinol for anti-aging, niacinamide for redness and brightening, and BHAs for acne care. When introducing retinol to your routine, the pros suggest starting by applying it two times a week, gradually increasing frequency as your skin adapts, and never using it in tandem with exfoliation. Brezavscek agrees, adding that another popular option is serums with growth factors, which stimulate collagen production and enhance skin renewal; her favorite medical-grade growth factor serum is Neocutis Bio Serum Firm.
Lock in Hydration with Serums
While active ingredients like retinol and exfoliants need to be cycled to avoid overuse, you can never overdo it with a hydrating serum—in fact, the more, the better! “Serums that provide hydration and barrier support are key to lock in moisture and prevent overnight dehydration,” Brezavscek explains, emphasizing why you should never skip adding a hydrating serum to your nightly routine.
Eye Creams for Under Eye TLC
While social media might have you convinced that eye creams are no different than your average moisturizer, the pros beg to differ. “Eye creams target concerns like puffiness, dark circles, crepey skin or fine lines,” says Gunn. Brezavscek agrees, adding that high-performance eye creams often have a thicker consistency, for added hydration to the delicate under-eye area.
Nourishing Face Oils
Face oils are like the beautiful drizzle surrounding an exquisite meal—not needed all the time, but a welcome touch. While serums and moisturizers penetrate your skin barrier to deliver hydration and active ingredients, oils sit atop the skin, acting as a conditioning humectant barrier, locking in the products layered below it. “Facial oils can be used when required and are easy to incorporate into most skincare routines,” Dr. Rabia Malik, founder of skincare brand Skin W1, previously told Vogue. “In general, face oil should be applied as the last step in a skincare routine (after serum and/or moisturizer if they are being used).” While face oils are safe for daily use, Dr. Malik advises not to let your skin become overly reliant on them. Malik explains your complexion may become lazy when producing its own natural oils after becoming accustomed to a daily coating of a luxurious oil.
Finish Off With a Moisturizer
No nighttime skincare routine is complete with a nourishing moisturizer—it’s the finishing touch, and an essential final step to lock in all the previously-applied products. “Hydrating and treating the skin overnight helps reduce fine lines, wrinkles, and dullness by maintaining moisture levels and boosting collagen production,” explains Gunn.
An Added Bonus: Face Masks
“For those who want to elevate their routine, hydration boosters can maximize results,” says Brezavscek, adding that eye masks, overnight masks, and face masks are an optional bonus to any nightly skincare regimen.
Occasional High Tech Gadgets
While strides in beauty tech have allowed once a upon time, in-office-only treatments to make their way from the dermatologist’s office into our homes, there’s still something to be said about choosing—and using—a device that’s right for you. From LED light therapy masks and wands to facial massagers and microcurrent toning devices, each one serves a particular purpose. Read up on some of the buzzy tools we’ve tested and why we recommend it, including the Currentbody LED Light Therapy Mask, the Solawave wand, the Nuface Trinity+, and the TheraFace Pro facial massager.
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Meet The Experts
- Kristin Gunn is a celebrity esthetician and owner of Halcyon Skincare and Beaux Medspa.
- Dr. Amy Spizuoco is a board certified dermatologist and dermatopathologist based in New York and founder of True Dermatology group.
- Paula Brezavscek, PA-C, is a board-certified physician assistant and founder of Azala Skin Clinic.
- Dr. Rabia Malik is an aesthetic doctor, general practitioner, and founder of skincare brand Skin W1.
