We’ve all been there – You arrive home exhausted, possibly plonk down on the couch and try to recuperate from the day’s efforts, wolf something down and crawl into bed. I’ll wash my face tomorrow..
If you’ve got makeup on your face, not washing it off at night before you go to sleep really is as bad for your skin as everyone says it is.
Firstly, foundation (and the natural oil that your skin produces through the day) clings to free radicals and pollutants in the air. At night, your skin produces natural oil called sebum, which it uses to repair and regulate itself as you sleep, which is when it does most of its regeneration. All these pollutants and free radicals, along with the makeup ingredients (which have now oxidized from exposure to air, sun and heat and are basically expired), dilute into that oil blend, which has the opportunity to settle into the deepest areas of your pores.
This causes the breakdown of collagen, resulting in fine lines and less plump skin. It can also cause your pores to clog and/or fill with bacteria, causing acne, and regularly clogged pores may eventually become permanently enlarged. It also impedes the skin’s natural exfoliation process, resulting in dull, flaky skin.
Sleeping with eye makeup while mascara and eyeliner marinate in your eye’s natural moisture can cause eye infections, clogged oil glands, blocked tear ducts and sties, and flakes of mascara or eyeliner also carry the risk of a scratched cornea.
Sensitive areas, especially the skin on your eyes, can also develop eczema from overexposure to ingredients. Mascara can also dry out lashes, making them brittle and causing breakage, and excess product not cleaned around lashes is a breeding ground for mites, which harvest your lashes. I’m not even kidding.
Lipstick also generally contains ingredients that dry out the lips, and should be cleaned off at night too.
If you really can’t find the strength to wash your face, at least have a bottle of micellar water and cotton pads next to your bed with a skin appropriate moisturizer, to compensate for the moisture your skin will be stripped off.
Wipes are alright, but I feel that they generally aren’t very good at getting all the product off because they’re not as wet as they could be, and can contain ingredients that aren’t very good for the skin in the long run. Skincare is the new makeup in 2020, and the more consistent you are with looking after your skin, the less makeup you’ll end up needing.
See more about public and private group and one on one makeup workshops with a pro @ www.makeupskill.co.za.
Author: Tiffany Wilson
Tiffany Wilson has been a full time makeup artist and hair stylist in media, fashion, events and bridal since 2010. Her ethos is to preserve the line between “they are so beautiful” and “their makeup is so beautiful” - beauty exists in every face, and her ideal makeup application is one that celebrates it, adding to its unique brand, no matter the makeup style. She has most recently developed this ethos into creating MakeUpSkill - a modular series of analytical makeup workshops based on skill level and needs, refining techniques without overcomplicating things for the level her attendees are at, making it fun, easy and impactful - exactly as makeup should be. See more about public and private group and one on one workshops at www.makeupskill.co.za
