When it comes to glowing skin, your nighttime skincare routine may be even more important than your morning one. While many people invest in pricey serums and moisturizers, experts say one common bedtime mistake can sabotage your complexion before those products even have a chance to work.
According to Dr. Manjiri Puranik, one of the biggest skincare mistakes she sees is surprisingly simple: going to bed without removing your makeup.
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Why Sleeping In Makeup Is So Harmful
Throughout the day, your skin accumulates oil, sweat, dirt, and environmental pollutants. Add makeup on top of that, and your pores are left coated in layers of debris.
"Sleeping with makeup on is one of the commonest mistakes I see," Dr. Puranik says.
She explains that when makeup isn't removed before bed, everything collected on your skin throughout the day remains trapped for hours.
"When you don't remove it, all this stays trapped on your skin, clogging pores, triggering acne, and increasing inflammation," she says.
Your Skin Repairs Itself At Night
Nighttime is when your skin naturally shifts into repair mode, working to regenerate cells and recover from the day's stressors.
Dr. Puranik says leaving makeup on can interfere with that process.
"At night, your skin naturally repairs and regenerates. It needs to breathe, but when makeup is left on, this process gets blocked," she explains.
Over time, consistently sleeping in makeup can contribute to:
- Dull-looking skin
- Uneven texture
- Dryness
- Breakouts
- Premature signs of aging
Expensive Skincare Won't Make Up For Dirty Skin
Many people rely on active ingredients like retinol, peptides, or vitamin C to improve their complexion, but Dr. Puranik says even the best products can't perform well if they're applied to skin that hasn't been properly cleansed.
"The truth is, no serum or expensive skincare can work on unclean skin," she says. Instead, she recommends making cleansing the first—and most important—step of your nighttime routine. "Start with clean skin, and then you'll see the results," she adds.
How To Build A Better Night Routine
Dermatologists recommend removing makeup every evening using a gentle cleanser or makeup remover before applying your skincare products.
Double cleansing can be especially helpful if you wear long-lasting foundation or waterproof makeup. Once your skin is clean, your moisturizers, serums, and treatment products are better able to absorb and support your skin's overnight repair process.
The Bottom Line
If you're looking for brighter, healthier-looking skin, you may not need another expensive product—you may simply need to stop sleeping in your makeup. Cleansing your face before bed gives your skin the chance to repair itself overnight, helping reduce dullness, clogged pores, and premature aging over time.
