Hi guys – happy Monday! Today I want to share with you guys what my nighttime skincare routine looks like lately. It is an ever evolving process as I tend to bring in new products that I am trying and phase out old ones that just aren’t doing the trick anymore. I’ve been using the products in this post for at least the last four weeks or more and I am super happy with my results so far so I wanted to be sure to get this post up asap for you guys!

I know for some of us a nighttime skincare routine is a MUST and for others you might just feel like you can’t be bothered. I used to be the latter but I started incorporating one step at a time until I got used to doing this routine every night.

1. Cleanse

First things first, you gotta cleanse your skin. If I’m not going out on the weekends I like to try to let my skin ‘breathe’  by not wearing a lot of makeup. Of course that doesn’t always happen but if I am going out to run errands I’ll usually use a tinted moisturizer like this one or a CC cream like this one (this one is non-comedogenic which is great for those of us who break out easily).

The cleanser I use is the CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser – I love this stuff because you can buy it at any drugstore (they even sell it at my grocery store!), it doesn’t clog your pores, it’s affordable, and cleanses really well. I’ve used so many expensive cleansers only to come back to this one because it just works for my skin type. I usually just use my fingers to cleanse my skin, or if I have a lot of makeup on I’ll use a soft washcloth. If I am using a washcloth I like to run it under really hot water, wring it out, and lay it over my face to create a little steam and open up my pores. I do this every morning in the shower too.

2. Micellar Water or Toner

After I cleanse my face, I like to run a cotton swab with Micellar Water over my face to make sure I’ve gotten all of the make up off. If you use a toner after you wash your face this essentially does the same thing. By making sure you’ve gotten all the make up and dirt off of your skin you are allowing your products to actually penetrate to your skin better. I use this one Bioderma but so many brands sell micellar water and you can pick it up at any drugstore.

3. Peel Pads

I’ve been using the Peter Thomas Roth ‘Un-Wrinkle’ peel pads after cleansing since around Christmas (yes, they were on my Christmas list lol) and my husband and I are both obsessed. Yes, ladies – my hubby sometimes uses my skincare products LOL! I can’t blame him though. These are meant to gently exfoliate your skin every day and you don’t actual peel. I’ve used the Dr. Dennis Gross peel pads before and LOVED them but to be honest I didn’t feel like spending $85 again and found these were about half the price and had amazing reviews. I feel like when I use the peel pads on a regular basis my skin has much more of a glow – which of course is what we are all after, right?

4. Eye Cream

Now that my skin has been ‘prepped’ I can go in with my skincare products. On my eyes I have been using the Advanced Night Repair Eye Concentrate Matrix by Esteé Lauder since about mid-February. And ladies – I am in love with this stuff. This product is extremely moisturizing and nourishing. I love the way it just soaks into my under eye area and makes my skin appear so much more hydrated. The bottle this comes in is a little different than your typical eye cream – there is little wand that pulls out (they call it a ‘massaging applicator’) and you are supposed to roll the wand on your under eye area area and then massage in 360 ° Circles under the eye and on top of the eye lid. Once the product is applied with the wand you are supposed to use your ring finger to dab the product into the under eye area until it’s been absorbed. FYI – I just looked up the instructions on this as I usually just pull the wand out and roll it under my eyes to apply the product and then dab it in with my finger. I haven’t done the massaging technique but now that I know that is what you are supposed to do I am going to give it a try! Massage helps with inflammation so I would imagine this would help if you wake up with puffy eyes.

A little tip on applying eye cream – you should use your ring finger to apply because it is supposed to be the weakest finger so you don’t end up applying to much pressure or pulling on the delicate under eye area. Also you want to dab it in – not rub! Rubbing can cause pulling which causes wrinkles.

5. Eye Lash Serum

I’ve also been using the Grande Lash MD lash enhancing serum for a few weeks and I am really excited about this one. I read the reviews before starting this one (although I had already been hearing so many good things about this product) and the reviews really sold me! I always like to take a peek at product reviews just to gauge how other people are feeling about a particular product. It doesn’t always mean that if everyone LOVES it I will too but it is usually a pretty good indicator for me – I especially like to read reviews first if the product is expensive. Anyhow this product has actually made my lashes appear longer and they even seem stronger. Because my lashes are light in color, I notice the length the most when I actually apply mascara. You apply this product like you would liquid eyeliner – just to the base of your lashes. I try to keep my eyes open for the first few seconds after applying so it doesn’t get in my eye.

6. Facial Serum

Next I use a serum. For a while I was using a Hyaluronic Acid Serum but to be honest that almost seemed like it was drying my skin out more. This is because hyaluronic acid serum can actually  pull the moisture out of your skin if not applied properly. For the record – if you are using this you want to apply it while your skin is damp and then seal it in with a good moisturizer. Now – onto the one I have been using and loving for the past month which is the Esteé Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex II. I am not 100% sure this is considered a serum but texture wise it definitely feels like it. It is a VERY moisturizing serum – sometimes I even forget to apply my moisturizer afterwards because my skin just feels that good. I read the reviews on this stuff and to be honest, yes – it is very expensive, but I knew that many people couldn’t be wrong. Sometimes I even use it on my skin in the morning, it just gives you a fresh feeling and is made to make the skin appear more youthful which – hi, hello – can’t go wrong there.

7. Moisturizer

The last step in my nighttime skincare routine is to use a moisturizer to seal everything in. I rotate between the CeraVe facial moisturizing lotion (its $14.99 and non-comedogenic so moisturizes without clogging your pores) and the Tula Multi-Spectrum Overnight Skin Rescue Treatment. I use the Tula about 3 times a week when I want a little more oomph in my skincare. It does have retinol in it so it may not be for everyone but I just love how your skin really looks ‘renewed’ when you wake up in the morning.

I also like to moisturize my lips with chap stick or a lip moisturizer. I used to use this one by Hanalei which I LOVED but of course I lost it so I need to re-order. Now I just use on my husband brought home one day – I will have to find the name and let you guys know. I am pretty sure it’s from the health food store but super simple.

And that’s it ladies! LOL – I say that like I didn’t just write a book on my nighttime skincare routine. However, although I went into detail on each step this process literally only takes me 10 minutes. I’ve found I really enjoy taking care of my skin now that I am on a routine. Also, if you haven’t read my Nighttime Ant-Wrinkle Secrets I disclose a few other beauty tips for nighttime. You can check that article out here – trust me these will change your life!

If you guys have any tips or product recommendations please drop them below!

**Some of the products listed in this post were gifted to me. This post is not sponsored by any particular brand/product. All opinions and thoughts are my own** Additionally not all of the products I use or recommend will work for everyone, these are only recommends based on my experience**