Wednesday, April 29, 2020
When it comes to skin care, there are some products, routines, and techniques that stand out as true fail-safes—the old (or new) reliables you can trust to work every time without having to worry about whether they'll cause irritation. And within this fail-safe category, there's a special subcategory that works especially well overnight for better tone, texture, and clarity in the morning. We asked mbg's skin care experts what they do the night before a big day or special event to get their skin glowing. Here are the products and routines they swear by:
1. Layers of serum.
"If I have a breakout, I’ll use Marie Veronique’s intensive repair serum on the spots and then top it with a concentrated dollop of the antioxidant boost mixed with True Botanicals cellular repair serum or water. I’ll often do this treatment if I’ve picked at blemishes." —Katey Denno, celebrity makeup artist
2. A light home peel and hydrating mask.
"The night before a big event, I like to do a mask containing hyaluronic acid (as long as you have tried it before, to mitigate any allergic reactions, that is the last thing you want!) will make the skin appear well-hydrated and plumped in a good way. And if there's time, about five days before, I do a light home peel—I like the M61 Daily Glow peel pads, for example." —Cybele Fishman, M.D., holistic dermatologist
3. Have a bedtime snack
Your last snack should be three hours before bedtime. Make sure you avoid cheese, wheat, and sugar which wreaks havoc on your skin. Here’s a list of great healthy snacks that are skin friendly at the same time:
- Wild salmon, anchovies, sardines and mackerel
- Yellow peppers
- Scrambled eggs
- Almonds
- Greek yogurt
4. Cleanse & hydrate your face
When you take the time to really enjoy your skincare routine it can be incredibly soothing. Self-care is how you communicate that you love yourself. So quit rushing through it or feeling guilty about taking a few minutes for yourself, or, worse, sleeping in your makeup!
5. Gua sha and facial cupping.
"I’m extra thorough with each step when I’m prepping for a big day the next day. I also try to take extra time to settle my mind, through a bath, meditation, or gua sha, since I notice that I always wake up puffy when my mind is spinning all night!" —Britta Plug, mbg Collective member, holistic esthetician, and health coach
6. Balance salt and water intake, plus a good mask.
"When I need to look good in the morning, I try to be mindful about how much salt I'm eating the day before as well as how much water I’m drinking. Keeping those in balance is important because being overhydrated or consuming too much salt shows up on my face. I also really like The Organic Pharmacy Honey Jasmin Mask—I use that and then go to sleep with it on." —Jessa Blades, mbg Collective member, herbalist, and natural beauty expert
7. Antioxidant boost.
"If it’s looking dull and spotty, I’ll mix in my palm two shakes of True Botanicals Antioxidant Booster with two shakes of their Vitamin C Booster with three pumps of their serum and a number of drops of oil. If I’m really dry, I’ll top that with a thin layer of Biossance Probiotic Gel." —Katey Denno
8. Avoid new treatments.
"Avoid any procedure you have not done before, any topical product you have not used. The last thing you want is an allergic reaction. I am a huge retinoid fan, but as there is a period of adjustment for the skin where it may flake, don't start a retinoid for the first time within two weeks of the big event." —Cybele Fishman, M.D.
Remember that even the greatest natural skincare products can’t do all the heavy lifting while you sleep. So instead of jumping straight into bed, take some time to incorporate some of these bedtime tips to help you get your best beauty sleep. Ready, get set, glow!