It’s something we’ve all done at least once—sometimes, more than once—with some of us doing it all the time! If we’re to believe the latest numbers, one in four women goes to bed with makeup on at least twice a week out of sheer laziness. More surprising still is that many of us consciously get dolled up before hitting the sack so we can wake up looking fresh and fab for our significant other! If you regularly wake up to lipstick on your pillow or with dried, caked-on mascara, or if you still believe there’s such a thing as night-proof eyeliner, we suggest you read on. That’s because there’s nothing glamorous about going to sleep with makeup on, and we’ve got the facts to back it up!
Beauty has a price
We spend more than 13 months of our lives applying makeup. That’s the equivalent of 474 days over the course of a lifetime and some $18,000 invested. If you buy exclusive collections from high-end brands, follow blog trends and watch YouTube makeup tutorials, chances are your average spend is even higher!
Breathe in. Breathe out.
Despite the time spent in front of the mirror and less money in our wallets, we still enjoy our makeup routines. When it comes to a smooth, matt complexion, brighter eyes, delicate pink cheekbones and camouflaged under-eye circles, there’s nothing wrong with striving for the best version of ourselves! It’s just that the financial investment is not always proportional to the amount of time we set aside to remove our daily lipstick, eyeliner and coloured glitter. And therein lies the problem.
Your skin has need
Fact: your skin needs oxygen. It’s extremely important that it be able to breathe and regenerate, especially at night. Chronobiological studies show that the process by which skin cells multiply is at its highest at one o’clock in the morning, and at its lowest at one o’clock in the afternoon. Which means, not surprisingly, that sleep and skin health go hand in hand: your skin repairs and cleanses itself by eliminating toxins and intensively renewing surface cells during the night. Nighttime is a reprieve from external aggressors and pollutants and provides your skin the time it needs to recuperate and regenerate.
Makeup, regardless of type, has an occlusive effect on skin. It creates a barrier that seals in irritations and intensifies allergic reactions. Ask yourself, how long could you go without breathing? Your skin can only go a few days before it starts to show visible signs of degradation and aging. Three years ago, a Daily Mail reporter decided to go a full month without removing her makeup. Not surprisingly, her skin was in a terrible state by the end of the experiment; dermatological tests performed before and after revealed that her skin had aged 10 years in one month!
Makeup, combined with a lack of adequate cleansing morning and night, can become a vicious circle: we apply makeup to hide redness and pimples caused by excess sebum and clogged pores, which are the result of poor hygiene, then apply foundation and misuse exfoliators in an attempt to refine skin texture. In the end, we simply strip away the layers without ever really addressing the problem…
Get cleansing!
Cleansing your face is above all a question of hygiene. In addition to makeup wear, our skin is exposed to an onslaught of dust, bacteria and dirt on a daily basis. Our hands—which it’s important to remember are not always clean—touch our face constantly, not to mention the kisses, pencils, hair, and who knows what else that come into contact with our skin throughout the day! Since none of us would wash our dishes without soap, the same holds true for our faces, so paying special attention to the products we use is a must. Here’s a five-step cleansing routine for cleaner, more radiant-looking skin.
1 | Remove makeup: begin with the eyes, and be careful in your approach. Since some makeup removers are not strong enough to remove mascara, the use of small cotton pads can help. After all, no one wants dark circles caused by mascara streaks! After applying the cleanser to the entire surface of the skin, give it a minute or two to work its magic. There’s nothing to be achieved from frantic scrubbing—let the product sit so it can act!
2 | Cleanse: an effective cleansing system like the Clarisonic brush can be life-altering! The small brush oscillates from front to back to dislodge encrusted dirt from pores. It cleans 6 times better (you heard right!) than washing by hand. It’s perfect for getting rid of the unwanted opaque film left behind by makeup, and you can use it every day with Functionalab’s Moisturizing Cleanser and Toner.
3 | Hydrate: dry skin has less elasticity which causes fine lines to become more visible. It’s also why you should never neglect hydration. Be sure to hydrate your skin: its needs often differ from one person to the next or by season, and may respond differently to the same range of products. When temperatures drop, Functionalab’s Intense Hydration Anti-Aging Cream delivers the added moisture your skin craves.
4 | Treat: why not take advantage of the regenerative power of sleep to help treat your skin? Glycolic acid—derived mainly from fruit extracts—is extremely beneficial for diminishing the appearance of dilated pores, preventing acne breakouts, and removing dead cells from the skin’s surface. To treat and repair, Functionalab’s Glycolic Acid Lotion 10% is a must-have in your beauty routine.
5 | Exfoliate: while exfoliation is something we have previously discussed in detail, we still wanted to remind you that you can exfoliate your skin once a week at home using microbeads or low-dose glycolic acid. Or, you can always stop by Dermapure for a glycolic acid peel, a microdermabrasion, and some friendly advice
One last thing. It’s normal to have a puffy face when you wake up in the morning. When lying down, the distribution of body fluids changes and gravity works differently so lymphatic drainage will also be different. Don’t be surprised to find pillow marks on your face and an appearance that can seem a little out of this world! But rest assured, makeup or not, your significant other can still cozy up to your morning look
