Explore why applying sunscreen at night can be a game-changer for your skincare routine. Find out how this practice can help maintain skin health, combat environmental damage, and enhance your overall glow.
Hey guys, I’m going to be sharing with you what I think about my PM routine and going to bed with sunscreen.
Evening Rituals and Preferences
My nighttime routine begins at night, and I have washed my face. I want to share with you my nighttime routine, which has slightly changed recently. I’ve been doing this for several days now, and I want to share what I’m doing and why I’m doing it. I also want to point out that I’ve had no negative reactions from this, but it is my choice. Many people say you do not need to do this, but I want to.
Morning Habits
When I wake up in the morning, I’m not one of those people who jump in the shower. I do not like to shower in the morning. When I wake up, I have a coffee, sit at my computer, and wake up. I can be there for an hour or two before I do anything else. I prefer to shower in the evening, so I go to bed nice and clean and then wake up and clean anyway. I hate showering in the morning. It’s the last thing I want to do; I just want to sit down and have a coffee. Yeah, I’m the same way as you guys know.
UVA Exposure Indoors
I was worried about UVA exposure because I only wear sunscreen throughout the day. However, I’m thinking, “Well, I’m having my coffee outside of my computer, and there’s a window right in front of me. I’m getting sun exposure for an hour or two a day, easy, before I wash my face and put on sunscreen, from both the computer and the window.” In case you’re unaware, when we’re indoors, the sun’s UV rays may affect us. The photons that can pass through window glass are known as UVA rays.
The UVA you’re exposed to while you’re outside can actually come in through the window glass and contribute to not only skin aging and the destruction of collagen but also can damage the DNA within your skin cells and is thought to play a role in melanoma. It’s estimated that while you’re indoors, you have about the UVA exposure that you would if you were just outside, which is quite a bit of UVA exposure.
Variations in UVA Exposure
Of course, there’s going to be variation depending on how far away from the window you are. A lot of people have curtains drawn, and in that situation, it’s going to be more negligible. But generally speaking, while you’re indoors, you get about the UVA exposure that you get while you’re outdoors, which is quite a bit. You also have UV exposure if you have fluorescent or halogen light bulbs. They can emit both UVB (the burning rays) and UVA.
My Routine: Applying Sunscreen at Night
So, I thought, what about if I apply sunscreen at night? Let me go through my routine with you.
1.Dramatica Application
I use two pumps of Dramatica. I just dot this on my face. I like to apply this first. Obviously, I put a bit on the nose and stay away from here. Everywhere else is fair game.
2.Research on Dramatica
I looked up Dramatica. It sounds like it’s a direct-to-consumer service where they have their own dispensing of prescription topicals like tretinoin, hydroquinone, and topical ivermectin. I’m not sure what’s in this formula, but if it is tretinoin, he mentioned not putting it around the nose, which I think is a good idea. Tretinoin can settle in the creases around the nose and cause irritation. I’m assuming his formula has tretinoin, but it may have something else in it.
3.Tretinoin Application
The reason to put tretinoin on at night is that it degrades on exposure to UVA rays, which you are exposed to throughout the day. Depending on the formulation, tretinoin in microspheres, like in Retin-A Micro, is more stable than traditional tretinoin. Studies show that after hours of exposure to UVA, a significant portion of the tretinoin will degrade. That’s why we tell people to put it on at night. UVA rays that come through window glass degrade tretinoin, specifically at certain nanometers.
The Necessity of Sunscreen at Night
So, do you need to wear sunscreen when you go to bed after you put tretinoin on to protect it? No, that’s not necessary. We don’t tell patients to do that. We tell patients to put it on at nighttime and wear sunscreen during the day. When they were working on tretinoin in the early days, they got great results in acne patients. Then they went to repeat the experiments and found the tretinoin had degraded because it was left out on the lab bench exposed to UVA rays. That’s a little historical tidbit for you.
Moisturizer Application
Next, I apply a tiny touch of moisturizer. I’m still using the Aurelia Cell Revitalize Day Moisturizer. I apply just a small amount because I like the benefits and I’m a big fan of Aurelia. They are a lovely brand, and I just wanted to show you what I do.
Sunscreen Application
Then, I apply quite a lot of sunscreen. I pretty much know how much to apply, but I tend to err on the side of excess. I apply this all over and blend it in. It goes all over my beard, which looks stunning as you can see, but we blend it in and eventually it will become part of the skin. I go over my eyelids with them shut and blend it down onto my neck. Then, I clean the beard area with a towel. The benefits I’m having from doing this are that I’m not experiencing any negative breakouts.
Benefits of Sunscreen at Night
I’m using a mineral sunscreen this time. I use chemical sunscreens sometimes, but some irritate my skin, so I’m picky. By the time I wake up in the morning, some of the sunscreen would have dissipated, and I won’t be getting the exact amount of protection, but I will be getting some protection.
Putting sunscreen on at night, like I’m doing here, means that some will still be on and protecting me in the morning, which is great. When I apply it in the morning after my coffee, I already have some sunscreen on my skin. This is important because it’s hard to apply enough sunscreen to get adequate coverage. People skip areas, and it’s uncomfortable to apply the recommended amount. This is one of the main reasons we tell people to reapply sunscreen. Reapplying ensures better protection, as shown in studies.
Your skin is textured, like a wall. If you paint a textured wall with one coat, you’ll see areas that are still exposed. The same holds true for your skin. By going to bed with one layer of sunscreen on, and then applying another layer in the morning, I’m ahead of the curve.
Conclusion
While putting on sunscreen at night is not something I would tell patients to do, I think if you choose to do it, it’s not wrong either. I don’t see anything wrong with it. He also mentioned that he was using a chemical sunscreen. If you choose to do this, a mineral sunscreen is better than a chemical one because you don’t want those chemical sunscreens sitting on the skin overnight for longer than needed.
So, that’s my routine. I’m doing it and loving it. If it works for you, give it a try, but don’t say that I told you to do it. I’m just sharing what I’m doing. Love you guys, see you all soon. Bye-bye! Read more interesting articles
