Mama, sometimes you fall asleep before removing your makeup. No shame here, all of us have done that before! After all, life is busy when your chasing little ones all day long or perfecting the art of being a chauffeur. When you finally sit down on the couch, it’s natural to crash. Or maybe you drag yourself to bed without the energy to wash your face.
5 reasons not to wear your makeup to bed
But wearing your makeup all day long and then also sleeping in it isn’t good for your skin.
Reason #1: Sleep is a time for your body to heal and restore itself. How is your skin supposed to rejuvenate if it’s coated in makeup?
Reason #2: Sleeping in mascara or eyeliner can actually give you an eye infection or irritation. And that’s uncomfortable, to say the least.
Reason #3: Clumps of makeup can get stuck in your pores, causing clogged and enlarged pores plus acne. There’s no need to sleep with makeup on and allow your pores to win the battle or to foster a breeding ground for zits.
Reason #4: Your skin will get dried out. That leftover makeup will suck the moisture out of your skin, leaving your with dry patches and flakiness (both flaky skin and extra makeup).
Reason #5: Everywhere you went today just got transmitted to your pillow. Your co-workers germs from coughing, pollution from car exhaust and pollen from the trees at the park. You don’t wear your clothes to bed, and you shouldn’t wear your makeup to bed either.
What to do when you fall asleep with makeup on
Good morning! Do your eyes feel a little crusty? Does your face feel a bit cakey? Oops, you forgot to wash your face before bed! Ugh, now what? Follow these 6 steps to refresh your skin after a day and night of wearing makeup.
Step 1: Wash.
Use warm water on a washcloth to gently loosen and remove your makeup. Using hot water will dry out your skin, so make sure it’s only warm. If needed, allow the warmth to slowly “melt” your eye makeup. If needed, use a makeup wipe to remove waterproof mascara or eyeliner. Hint: microfiber washcloths harness extra-fine fibers to remove makeup from hard to reach pores and between eyelashes!
Step 2: Cleanse.
Water was a great first step, but now it’s time to grab your gentle cleanser. Wash off the remaining residue, makeup, oil or dirt. Rub in circular motions using your fingertips or a soft washcloth. Rinse with warm (not hot) water and pat dry with a towel. Make sure you’re washing your face the right way.
Step 3: Exfoliate.
Yes, you just washed your face and now you’re also going to exfoliate. Remember how sleeping in your makeup dehydrates your skin and suffocates it? That, unfortunately, leads to the death of skin cells. This step will ensure that all of your makeup and dead skin cells are removed from your pores. Be sure to intentionally rub over your cheeks and nose, where pores tend to be the largest.
Step 4: Mask.
By this point, you should feel confident that all of your makeup, pollution, dirt, oil and dead skin cells are gone. (Take a moment of victory!) Apply a mask of your choice to condition your skin and to minimize the appearance of pores. Wearing it for 10 minutes should be adequate.
Step 5: Tone.
Next, apply a toner. This will remove any possible unwanted particles from your skin (although I bet there aren’t many left after steps 1-4), and restores the pH balance of your skin. Swipe evenly across all areas of your face and allow to dry before going on to the next step. We can’t get enough of our DIY apple cider vinegar toner!
Step 6: Moisturize.
Soothe, condition, and replenish your skin with a high-quality moisturizer. Your skin will be so grateful and glowing!
Step 7: Makeup.
Although it’s best to allow your skin to be free and breathe, you can apply another day’s worth of makeup as step 7. Plus, you look beautiful without makeup! Hopefully, you can wash away your makeup at the end of the day to avoid another comprehensive round of steps 1-6!
Avoid the extra work
Although it’s easier to zonk out before washing your face, it’s worth taking the minute to cleanse your skin before bed. Otherwise, you’ll add an extra 15 minutes to your morning routine to restore your face.
Is it okay to fall asleep in your makeup every once in a while? Of course. Every week? Probably not. Avoid unnecessary aging, acne, and time by washing your face.
Pro tip: A microfiber washcloth can remove most makeup and debris from your skin using only water! It’s perfect for those lazy nights when you’ve just got to crawl into bed.