2 simple steps to save your skin care routine when you're too tired/under-the-weather to face a full routine

Hi lovelies,

I've been battling jetlag after our holiday & have had a few nights now where I can tell you I was almost too tired to put one foot in front of the other and get myself into bed, let alone do my usual nighttime skin care routine. The thing is, with skin care (like so many things), consistency is important. Also I love the self care ritual & wind-down my skin care routine gives me.

However. Being too tired, or too drunk (ahem, yes this is also me sometimes) or just too under-the-weather to be able to face a full skin care routine when the bed is literally calling your name happens to the best of us.  And more often than the fabulous ten-step skin care routines post on instagram admit.

So today, let me share with you the two products I can't do without for when those nights hit. When I'm tired (or drunk) as hell, if I can bring myself to do these two, very quick skin care steps, I can save my skin from all kinds of next-morning regrets.

Here they are: (1) a great multi-purpose cleansing water/toner/exfoliator hybrid + (2) a sleeping mask.

Neither of these steps will take you more than 30 seconds to complete, but the key is to ensure you have the right products. So let's get into it!

Step 1.  Cleanse, tone & exfoliate in one single step.
We know that know matter how tired we are, we need to do our very best to get our makeup off that night. Yes? Still with me? There are lots of options to do this, but if you've only got a tiny bit of energy left I really recommend reaching for a multipurpose cleansing water/toner/exfoliator like either the Son & Park Beauty Water or the Heimish Refresh Water.

Why? Doused on a cotton pad, these are just as quick to remove makeup, grime, sweat and sunscreen as a cleansing wipe or micellar water.* But unlike straight up cleansing wipes or micellar waters, these aren't as drying (they also contain hydrating botanicals) - which is really important given we're all too tired to do a bunch of hydrating steps after our cleanse tonight.

Additionally (importantly), they contain gentle exfoliants - which will help give our second step its best chance of replacing our usual skin care routine.

[*If I am wearing heavy makeup, I really will try to push myself through a double cleanse to get it all off totally thoroughly. And it's worth it if you can. But this post isn't about the ideal, it's about improving our worst-case scenario!]

Step 2.  The magical sleeping mask.
So I've taken my makeup off, that's good enough right? Well, yes I suppose you have at least avoided the worst sin of getting into bed covered in mascara. But if you really want to give your skin its best shot at recovering, I really recommend you take 10 more seconds to slather your face in just one extra product: a sleeping mask.

Adding a sleeping mask before crashing out makes the single biggest difference to how much my skin hates me for my neglect the next day. These are miracle products in my book, and I use them very regularly as part of my full routine, but especially come into their own taking up the slack for your slackness. These products both hydrate and lock that hydration in overnight - which is what your skin really needs when you're exhausted. Our favourites also include treatment formulas that work while you sleep - helping you use your sleepytime to your skin's benefit.

What you do want to do, is pick the right sleeping mask for you. Remember, tiredness, alcohol, sickness etc all tend to make your existing skin issues worse - so picking a treatment sleeping mask that suits your skin best, will give it the best change of bouncing back.  

​
​Picking the right sleeping mask for you

We love the Urban Dollkiss Apple AC Therapy Sleeping Pack for acne-prone skin types, with its hydrating, exfoliating and clearing properties; the healing, hydrating honey goodness of the COSRX Ultimate Moisturising Honey Overnight Mask for oily/normal skin types; and the Missha Super Aqua Cell Renew Snail Sleeping Mask as a great all rounder for normal/dry/aging skin types.

For those with dry and very dry skin types, the Kicho Camellia Sleeping Mask is ideal, with its rich moisturisation and superb ability to trap moisture within the skin. Whilst if you want to maintain your anti-aging regime even when using our lazy cheat for late nights, the Dr Jart+ Good Night Firming Mask packs a overnight bomb of anti-aging ingredients. Last but not least, our luxe pick is the Sulwhasoo Overnight Vitalising Mask EX to treat dull and tired skin - its the priciest of the bunch but worth the investment for chronically lacklustre skin IMO!

​Voila! 30 seconds, two products and you'll keep your skin on track!

Now get some sleep, and get back into your routine tomorrow.

Love,
Jess x

PS. Here are two additional tips for the morning after, if you up to it!

**Double cleanse the next morning.**
Even if (like me) you usually only double cleanse in the evenings, follow up a short 'n lazy routine from the following night with a full double cleanse to ensure your pores are cleared.

Follow your oil cleanser with a low ph, non drying second cleanse - we love the COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser for oily skin types and the Hyggee All in One Care Cleansing Foam for drier skin types.

**Get a sheet mask on it**
The best way I know to recover skin is a great treatment sheet mask. I really recommend a morning sheet mask the next day if you possibly can.

I personally like to use one of my fave luxury masks after an exhausting (or late) night, as it really feels like a mini spa and helps bring me back to life (and the land of the living!). My forever-fave is the Dr Althea Squalane Ampoule Mask, and the Whamisa Organic Flowers Hydrogel Mask for their ability to deliver a luxury spa experience (and rejuvenating scent).

But any sheet mask will help bring life back to your skin, as well as serious hydration which you skin will likely need if you've been up late!