15 Beauty Habits You Should Do Every Night

2. Use A Toner

Toner is the step between cleansing and moisturizing and is often the most misunderstood beauty product. In the past, it’s been advised to avoid toner as it was believed to dry out skin. However, with modern formulas, toner has come a long way and can now provide many wonderful benefits to your skin.

The purpose of toner is to balance the pH levels of your skin. Because our skin is naturally acidic, the alkaline nature of soaps and cleansers disturbs that pH balance. So rather than having our skin work overtime trying to correct it, which can result in an overproduction of oil, we can use toner to quickly restore balance. Toner helps close our pores, providing added protection against impurities and contaminants, and it removes the dirt and oil that gathers on our skin throughout the day. It’s an important pre-step before adding serum or moisturizer and can diminish redness and blemishes.

The toners of today contain many good qualities, like antioxidants, fatty acids and ceramides. As with all makeup though, the key is to find one that is well-suited to your skin type. Generally, there are three types of toners. Alcohol-based astringents, such as witch hazel, tend to dry out the skin and can cause irritation, making it harder for the skin to repair itself. Then there are water or glycerine-based toner that contains floral fragrance or citrus extracts. These are little more than perfume, and while they make you smell good, they can cause bad reactions and provide little benefits. Finally, there are water-based toners that are loaded with beneficial vitamins and minerals, and these are purported to be the best for your skin.

Toners can now cater to your skin type to ensure you get the best treatment available. Those with dry or flaky skin should use a toner that contains ingredients like aloe vera, vitamin E, or chamomile extract as these ingredients work towards soothing and moisturizing the skin. Similarly, the addition of essential oils to toners can make them even more powerful. Lavender essential oil calms the skin and provides an antimicrobial defense, while marigold extract can both soothe and lighten blemishes. When using toner, simply pour or spray some onto a fresh cotton pad, wipe gently over your face, jawline, neck and décolletage, and follow with moisturizer.

3. Apply Hand Cream

Your hands are a very important part of the body. They’re frequently used and rarely thought of, so it’s imperative to take good care of them by applying hand cream every night before bed. This way, your hands stay supple and smooth, as most hand creams contain lactic acid and other elements that treat dryness and fill out the microscopic cracks that can make skin feel rough.

When you think about all the things your hands do for you each day, you’ll be more inclined to take good care of them. Our hands are exposed to the elements every single day, such as sun damage and dishwater, and this can cause them to become extremely dry.

Applying hand cream before you go to bed ensures your skin and nails remain healthy and strong. When choosing a good hand cream, find one that contains ingredients like vitamin E, which is good for treating scars and wrinkles. Peppermint and rosehip contain vitamin A, which nourishes skin and promotes healthy skin cell regrowth, and are excellent additions to hand cream, while vitamin C can help skin appear brighter and younger, and creams containing retinol support collagen production.

If you have extra dry skin on your hands, treat yourself to a deep-moisturize once a week by coating your hands in cream, and putting a pair of cotton gloves on over the top. The cotton fabric keeps the moisture close to the surface of your skin, allowing for an intense hydrating treatment. To avoid future damage, take simple steps like wearing rubber gloves when washing dishes, and moisturizing after every shower.

4. Use Eye Cream

Using eye cream before bed is a beneficial step when preventing signs of aging. Because the skin around the eye area is so delicate and fragile, it can be prone to dryness and flaking. This skin is also the quickest to show age and signs of fatigue, because the various eye movement that we do every day, such as squinting, speeds up the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles as it puts more stress on the skin.

Eye cream helps reduce wrinkles that are caused by years of environmental exposure, as well as the constant touching and rubbing that occurs through makeup application and removal. Eye cream is specially formulated to treat the delicate skin around the eyes, having a thicker consistency than other facial lotions. It contains more oil than other lotions and includes active ingredients to support healthy skin.

Eye creams can combat puffiness and dark circles, which occur when fluid collects underneath the eyes due to things like sun damage or genetics. Find a cream that contains ingredients like sodium ascorbate (vitamin C), which thickens the skin and can conceal dark circles over time, especially when used with vitamin B3 which can lighten those circles.

When applying eye cream, never rub or pull at the delicate skin. Instead, lightly tap eye cream around the eyes and temples, massaging gently into skin with the fingertips. This action also stimulates blood flow and circulation to the area.

5. Brush Your Teeth

An unsightly smile can be one of the most damaging things to your self-esteem. So, brushing your teeth is the most important step when it comes to preventing poor dental health. When we eat and drink, the leftover food and liquid sit on the teeth and can create plaque, which is a sticky, film-like substance that can be very hard to remove if not treated regularly. Untreated plaque can cause cavities, gum disease and eventual tooth loss. Your best bet in avoiding this is to brush thoroughly, two to three times a day.

Aside from cleaning the surface of the teeth, toothpaste helps protect our teeth from damage. It contains fluoride, which keeps teeth more resilient to decay and promotes remineralization which can repair early damage before it can even be seen.

Not only does a healthy dental routine give you fresh breath, a study published by the American Academy of Periodontology found that healthy gums help to prevent risk of pneumonia and lung disease. Without regular brushing, plaque and tartar can lead to gingivitis, which is a painful inflammation of the gums and if not treated, can turn into periodontitis.

It’s advised by dentists around the world to brush for at least three minutes. Imagine your mouth is separated into four ‘quarters’. Ensure you spend at least 45 seconds on each quarter, brushing across all surfaces and gently massaging the gums. Don’t forget to clean your tongue as well, by gently scraping the toothbrush down the surface of your tongue. A study performed by Matsui M. et al., and published on BMC Oral Health deduced that tongue-cleaning is just as important as tooth-cleaning when reducing the bacteria that cause bad breath.

6. Apply Petroleum Jelly To The Feet

Your feet can be such a neglected body part. We use them all the time, shoving them into uncomfortable shoes or standing on them all day. Dryness and flaking can be common problem, and when left untreated, can lead to pain, bleeding and infections. Taking a few minutes every night before bed to give them a little TLC is easy, and you will reap the benefits. But instead of buying expensive foot creams that promise to give you silky smooth feet, just pull out the petroleum jelly (we’ve all got some hiding in the back of the cupboard!) and use that instead.

Petroleum jelly is a substance similar in consistency to paraffin wax, and while it has no medicinal qualities, when used on the skin it creates a very protective layer that seals in moisture. It’s also used to treat wounds, as the jelly acts as a barrier against germs and bacteria.

The soles of our feet don’t have oil glands, so the skin on our feet is naturally dry. This dryness can be made worse by the friction caused by our feet rubbing against our shoes and socks and tends to occur on the ball and heel of the foot. Flaking, tender skin can also be caused by failing to moisturize regularly, frequent hot showers or baths, harsh exfoliants, soap, ill-fitting shoes and extreme weather conditions.

To replenish this loss of moisture, coat your feet in a generous layer of petroleum jelly every night before bed. Throw on a pair of cotton socks, which will allow the moisture to stay close to the skin, and enjoy baby-soft feet in the morning.

7. Put Hair Up While Sleeping

Bed hair happens to us all, but it doesn’t have to. Sleeping with your hair pulled up into a loose bun or top knot can ensure your mane doesn’t tangle during the night. You have over 100,000 strands of hair on your head. Each of those strands is covered by overlapping scales, like roof shingles, and when you sleep with your hair down, those ‘shingles’ can get rubbed the wrong way, which creates frizz and rough-feeling hair.

Every night before bed, brush your hair out from root to end using either a wide-tooth comb or a paddle brush with natural bristles. Both are gentle on hair, and the act of brushing will move the natural oils down from your scalp and coat your hair strands for added protection. Then twist your hair up and around into a bun, securing loosely with a fabric scrunchie. Avoid elastic bands, as they can pull and snap at the hair, causing even more damage.

If your hair needs a little extra moisture, spray with light conditioner before pulling your hair up, and leave it overnight. When you wake, your hair will feel softer and healthier. The act of twisting it up into a bun also sets your strands in loose waves, meaning you don’t need to use any heat-based appliances to style. This adds extra time to your morning routine and saves your hair the added stress of heating.

If you’re not a fan of the waves, however, you can instead simply wrap your hair up in a scarf rather than twisting into a bun. This allows your hair to remain straight while not getting tangled across your pillows while you sleep.

8. Turn On A Humidifier

The cold night air can wreak havoc on our skin, especially during winter months. Moisture is sapped from our skin while we sleep, which can cause dryness, flaking, dull skin, accelerated aging and more. Using a humidifier is the best way to counteract this, as it put much-needed moisture back into the air.

Humidifiers also help clear the sinus passages, which can prevent snoring and nosebleeds. Cold air can dry out our sinus passages, which makes us more susceptible to colds and flu, so using a humidifier at night is not only beneficial to your looks, it also gives your immune system a healthy boost.

There are two types of humidifiers: warm and cool. Warm humidifiers work by heating the water inside, then releasing hot steam into the air. It works well in cold weather, but the warmth can encourage mold and bacteria growth, especially when damp. Cold humidifiers can be noisier, and they work by pouring a stream of cool water over a wick, which releases vapor into the air. With less chance of burning than a hot air humidifier, these are generally safer.

When using a humidifier, regardless of whether it’s warm or cold, it’s important to replace the water daily to prevent mold build up, and clean it once a week to ensure no bacteria is growing. Tap water holds many minerals that can create build-up in your humidifier, so remember to change the filters regularly and use distilled water.

9. Silk Pillowcases

They don’t call it “silky smooth” for nothing, and swapping out your regular cotton or polyester pillowcase with a silk one is possibly the best change you can make to your bedtime routine. Silk is made by extracting individual fibers from the cocoons of silkworms, and is a naturally hypoallergenic material that is resistant to fungus, dust mites, mold and other allergens. Sleeping on a silk pillowcase can prevent a lot of allergy problems which can add to dry, flaky skin.

Silk pillowcases can benefit our skin and health because the fibers are tightly woven together, keeping moisture close and enabling a plump, fresh look. And because silk allows our skin to glide smoothly across the surface without catching, there are no unsightly pillow marks upon waking.

Cotton and other synthetic fibers don’t breathe as well as silk and can cause you to sweat while you sleep. This can clog up your pores and cause pimples.

When shopping for a silk pillowcase, it’s important to ensure you purchase one that is 100% silk. There are different kinds of silk, and if you want the smoothest, look for a long-strand mulberry silk with a traditional charmeuse weave. The name alone is fit for a princess and when you wake up, that’s exactly what you’ll feel like.

10. Get Your Beauty Sleep

The most important step to a healthy sleep routine is just that – sleep. So much goes on while we’re asleep, and lack of it can result in many different health problems both inside and outside. When we don’t get enough rest, our looks, moods, and daily performance are all affected. Sleep is the time when the cerebral cortex – also known as the thinking center – can ‘switch off’ and recharge, getting ready for the next day.

Lack of sleep has been closely linked to depression. A study published by The National Center of Biotechnology found that roughly three-quarters of depressed patients had symptoms of insomnia. Healthy sleep helps our cognitive thinking, our concentration, and our productivity, and when we don’t get enough, we perform poorly the next day.

Poor sleep has also been linked to obesity and weight gain. Sleep deprivation has been found to lower leptin, the appetite-suppressing hormone that our bodies produce at night, and various studies such as this one, have found that sleep deprivation has a metabolic effect that predisposes weight gain.

And if you really needed more convincing to go to bed earlier, a 2010 experimental study published in the British Medical Journal compared two groups of people and found that those who had a full eight hours of sleep were perceived to be healthier and thus more attractive than those who were sleep-deprived.

11. Use the Exfoliator

There is no doubt that exfoliation helps your skin look perfect. It doesn’t matter that you cleanse your skin frequently if you disregard exfoliation you will not have that perfect appearance. Exfoliation helps remove those dead cells so that you can have that perfect skin for people to see. Having a good exfoliation schedule is the best way to start.

There is no better time to start than doing it before bedtime. Most will agree that there is enough time to spare before you go to sleep. Morning times can be tricky because there is always little time to prepare for the day ahead. You need to give yourself enough time in the morning to apply those fancy creams and treatments.

Exfoliation should not only be done on your face. Your whole body as well requires being given that treatment. It doesn’t matter whether you are looking to stimulate dry skin or want to apply creams, appropriate exfoliation is important.

Getting it done at night makes sense because that’s when most of the skin care happens. You have enough time to do it correctly. You don’t want to leave behind some dead cells because of lack of time. This is what will happen if it’s done in the morning.

If you use makeup most of the days, doing it at night is better as it will lift any remaining makeup particles from the skin. It will ensure that the creams and treatments you apply in the morning are penetrating in the right way.

Remember to use the exfoliant which is gentle, with vibrating brushes and superfine scrubs. You don’t want to hurt your skin with the large and rough ones. A good moisturizer will be ideal for a follow-up.

12. Drink Water

We all know we should be drinking water before sleeping, but when asked, do we really know why? Water is one of the best tools for keeping our hearts healthy, and may even prevent heart attacks. It contains nutrients and minerals you need to be healthy.

Taking water before you go to bed helps your body rehydrate the fluids it loses during the day. It aids in digestion, helps to clear up skin problems by flushing out toxins and waste products. It will leave your skin looking nice and healthy.

When you are sleeping, the water reaches every part of your body. It refills every part with nutrients and minerals. By drinking water before you go to bed, the hormones, energy levels and muscles are balanced. That enables you to relax and can sleep soundly. In the morning you feel stimulated. There is nothing that can beat the beauty of an energized person.

There is nothing that can compare with water when it comes to cleansing. The body always faces many toxins that you get from the food and the environment around you. This has a great toll on the body which has to work hard to get rid of. Removing these will leave the body well-functioning and healthy.

When you drink water before going to sleep, it gives the chance for the body to get the necessary nutrients and enough time to get rid of the toxins. This benefits other body parts such as the digestive system and muscles.

You will realize that drinking water before you sleep will help you sleep better and feel better in the morning. It helps your body lose weight. Excess weight can bring unnecessary health problems such as diabetes. It has an effect on your body as you can easily get fatigued which can make your day unproductive.

13. Use a Moisturizer

Dry skin is a problem for almost everyone at some time or another, especially in winter. And it’s not just the folks in the drier climates that feel it, even the coastal people are at risk. This is because with decreased temperatures comes indoor heating, long, hot baths and pots of coffee. All of these will leave your skin begging for moisture for you to feel perfect in the morning.

You can use hydrators to rejuvenate your skin which will leave it soft and removes the fine lines that appear on the skin. This will help you feel nice and beautiful in the morning. They work well when done after exfoliation as they soothe the skin. You can then apply a hydrator overnight mask when you are going to sleep.

Choosing the right cream or lotion makes all the difference. The wrong product will leave undesirable results and a waste of money. Looking for particular creams that will be effective during particular weather is the first step. In winter months, it’s especially important to look for one that retains moisture in the skin. Fortunately, there is no shortage of those with all sorts of intelligent systems designed to pump moisture into the skin.

There are some, for instance, that will use special technology to create a “biosphere,” or perfectly controlled microenvironment on the skin, thus locking in moisture. There are others that contain a “double,” of the water contained in the skin. They have special delivery system traps that diffuse this water into the skin where it’s needed. It ensures that there is no dehydration cycle by building up the skin’s natural barrier repair. It also acts well at night when your skin is working on replenishing its energy levels.

14. Steaming

Getting a nice sleep goes a long way in ensuring that you wake up feeling rejuvenated. There is nothing better than knowing that you have done your best to take care of your body’s needs. The body needs to be cleaned to remove all the wastes that may be sticking to your skin. It opens the pores to enable it to have appropriate respiration.

Steaming can remove acne and helps improve the circulation of blood. This gives the skin a healthy glow in the morning. It relieves tension by soothing your nerve endings and relaxes the muscles. The stress is significantly reduced by the heat that causes the body to release the chemicals that reduce the feeling of stress in the body. After steaming you will feel revitalized in the morning.

Steaming is an excellent way to open your pores and can also be targeted to your face. It is proper to do it once a week especially when you don’t have time to do facial treatment in four to six weeks.

Before you wash your face, you can simply step into the shower that has steamy hot water for a minute to two. Avoid putting your skin directly into contact with water immediately after stepping in. This can scald your skin and may cause some injuries. You just need to expose your face to the steam for some time to make sure that your pores are open.

If you can give yourself a mini-facial treatment, that can be better. You can soak a hand towel with water and put it in the microwave for 20 to 30 minutes. Remove the towel and gently pat your face with the towel. This will open the pores by loosening and/or removing oil, dirt, sweat and harmful microorganisms.

15. Sleeping posture

Sleeping posture is something that is taken for granted most of the time. However, the way you sleep will determine how your body will feel and look in the morning. There can be physical implications on your body that will last for some time.

Having nice pillows and sheets is not a guarantee that you will get a nice sleep that will result in you having a well-deserved rest. There are some sleeping postures that will make you feel tired when you wake up in the morning. It is important to let the body have a good rest by relaxing the muscles when you are sleeping.

If you sleep on your stomach or sideways, the same pillows and sheets can leave some indentations on your cheeks in the morning. Your face will not look nice. Studies have also indicated that when you sleep for some time and there is pressure on your face, can cause wrinkles. This happens for example when you sleep on your right side, then the right side of your face can possibly develop some wrinkles.

It has shown in the studies that sleeping on your back and using a silk pillowcase will prevent your face from developing wrinkles. Even better, it lifts your head up and prevents the fluids from flowing under your eyes that can create not so good to see bags.

Sleeping on your back helps the mattress support your spine. The ideal sleeping posture should be done without a pillow. This is because it leaves the neck in a proper position. Pillows can make breathing cumbersome. You can ensure that you wake up in the morning with clear eyes and avoid under-eye puffiness by applying some creams. Caffeine-laced eye cream helps to prevent swellings when applied around your eyes before taking your sleep.

Incorporating all of the above into one nightly beauty routine may seem like a hard task to accomplish, but when you weigh up the benefits with the amount of time dedicated to each step, it’s really a no-brainer. So cleanse, tone, moisturize, put your hair up, turn on that humidifier and rest your head on silk, ready for a good night’s sleep.