Washing your face is the most important step in your skincare routine. At a bare minimum, you should wash your face at night even if you don’t use makeup to remove any dirt and pollution that have accumulated on your skin throughout the day.  No matter how tired you are, make it a point to wash your face at night to avoid clogged pores and premature aging. Watch my night time skincare routine.

I wash my face only at night and by doing so I found that my skin normalized. In some Asian cultures, women only wash their face at night. You can experiment and decide what is right for your skin.

Just as important as when to wash your face is how to wash it. Avoid harsh scrubbing that can harm your skin. Use lukewarm water, and avoid water that is too warm. Some people can use mechanical brushes, but a washcloth and fingers can work well, too. Beware of tugging skin, especially around the eye area which has very delicate skin.

Find the right cleanser formulated for your skin type. Skin types fall into the following categories: oily, dry, normal or combination. Also be mindful if your skin is sensitive, acne-prone or if you have other skin conditions like rosacea and eczema. Dry to normal skin can tolerate more creamy cleansers. If you have acne, consider using a beta hydroxy acid (BHA) like Salicylic Acid which can go deep into the pores and remove sebum and bacteria.

If you wear heavy makeup or sunscreen, you may want to consider a double cleanse to ensure that you are removing these nightly. Balms and oil cleansers are a great way to melt away thick sunscreen and foundation. Follow up with a second cleanser for deeper cleaning.

Avoid fragrance which can irritate skin. Companies unnecessarily add fragrances to their products to make them more appealing. Gin Amber Beauty makes all products fragrance-free with natural and organic ingredients. Our natural AHA and BHA Exfoliating Cleanser is fragrance free and is gentle enough for all skin types, and it cleanses and exfoliates at the same time—saving you an extra step.

Use a moisturizer. Most moisturizers are humectants that draw water to your skin. Hydrated skin looks healthy and smooth. Moisturizers also contain occlusive ingredients, to, which help seal the hydration in the skin. Be aware of environmental factors like cold or hot weather, and indoor heat that can deplete your skin of much-needed moisture. For a little extra hydration, use an eye cream. Some eye creams do double duty like my Retinol Eye Cream, which hydrates, brightens and helps smooth fine lines and wrinkles.

Do not over-wash your face. Washing twice a day and after sweating is sufficient. Washing more than that can irritate skin and worsen skin conditions like acne.

Ready for more advanced tips? Check out my Instagram for advanced skincare basics.