You know that sleeping in your makeup is bad, but how harmful is it really for your skin? Maybe you get home late one night and think “It’ll be fine – I’ll just wash my face in the morning.” While this can be an easy path to take, keeping your “face on” does more damage to your skin than you might think. Going to bed without cleansing your face can have harmful effects not only on your skin but your bedding as well — not so great if you’ve invested in some nice pillowcases, but hey, it’s also your face we’re talking about. Here are some quick reasons why you might want to ditch sleeping in your makeup, and start waking up feeling like you’re fully rested and revived.
Sudden Breakouts
Your skin is covered in pores that allow us to sweat and secrete sebum which acts as a natural means of moisturizing and removing dead skin cells. When you don’t remove your makeup at night, you’re leaving behind dirt, oil, and dead skin cells all night long. These tiny cells and bits of dirt can eventually clog your pores which can lead to chronic inflammation. After a while, inflammation can appear on your face in the form of pimples, blackheads, and serious red spots.
Dull Complexion
If you want to achieve smooth skin and a glowing complexion, sleeping in your makeup can end up giving you the opposite effect. Instead of a bright morning, you can wake up with dull and parched skin the next morning. That’s why it’s important to regularly cleanse and exfoliate the skin’s surface to remove not only oil buildup but also dead skin cells to reveal a brighter complexion overall. Even if you wear the barest of makeup, you still need to cleanse twice a day to treat your skin right! Once you establish a good skincare routine that includes removing makeup every night, your skin can naturally appear brighter and glowing on its own. Watch and read about Hope’s 5-Step Morning Skincare Routine.
Premature Skin Aging
Dirt, dullness, and inflammation all work together to age the skin at a quicker pace. When dirt and dead skin cells are left on your face, they start to break down the skin’s protective barrier which can induce premature aging. They can also lead to a collagen breakdown in your skin which can bring additional wrinkles and fine lines to your face. When collagen isn’t being produced regularly, then your skin can dry out quicker and that in turn can create even deeper wrinkles in your skin.
Increased Infection Risk
While deciding to sleep in your makeup may not directly cause an infection, if you have any open wounds or skin abrasions, an infection could occur. Simple wounds like a cut on your skin or an inflamed pimple can be triggered and could lead to an infection if germs from a day’s worth of activity get inside. When your skin barrier is compromised and inflamed, it can make you more susceptible to getting an infection because your body is already fighting on one front. That’s why it’s important to cleanse, and even double cleanse at the end of the day.
Dried Out Skin
Even if you have intentions of washing your face the next morning, sleeping in your makeup can cause you to wake up with flakiness and dryness across your skin’s barrier. The makeup left on your skin can completely suck the hydration from your skin and leave you with uneven and parched skin the next morning. Cleansing your face at night is important to get rid of dirt and provide the proper nourishment and moisture to your skin before falling asleep. And that’s what we call a real peaceful rest.
Once you begin forming the habit of cleansing your face every night before you sleep, you can start to see better skin results. Hope loves using the MUTHA™ Face Oil to lock in hydration and repair the skin’s barrier. Learn more about some of Hope’s favorite skincare tips by subscribing to her YouTube channel.