Why Your Skin Regenerates Best at Night—And What You Can Do to Help!

The skin is our largest organ, home to ultra-complex processes. It has different functions during the day than at night. When we are awake, it protects the body from damaging environmental influences such as UV radiation, wind, or air pollution. When we sleep, the skin starts regenerating to cleanse and repair itself. With your evening skincare routine and a few behavioral tips, you can optimally support these vital processes. Find out how below.

The rate of cell division increases when you sleep. Your body releases a growth hormone responsible for skin regeneration. As a result, skin cells renew three times faster during sleep than during the day. However, this not only requires sufficient sleep, but bedtime also plays a role: If you really want to get a good night's sleep, try going to bed before 11 p.m.—skin activity usually peaks at around one o'clock in the morning.

If your sleep drops or is disturbed at the wrong time, your skin processes are also interrupted–-and either take place incompletely or, in the worst case, not at all. Possible consequences are thinning skin or more pronounced wrinkles. Toxins can also accumulate, causing substances such as the steroid cortisol to rise. Cortisol is also known as the "stress hormone" and can impact both your relaxation and health. For example, increased cortisol levels can inflame the skin and trigger related conditions such as acne and rosacea.

Your skin goes through two important phases at night

Your skin's metabolic functions ramp up at night, supplying it with more blood and oxygen. This allows the nourishing active ingredients in your skin care cream to assimilate better.

When you sleep at night, your skin essentially goes through two phases:

1. The first phase takes place roughly between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. This is when your skin is best able to absorb nourishing substances, making it the ideal time to apply a rich cream or serum.

2. The second phase is between around 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. This is when your skin regenerates and replaces old, dead cells with new ones.

The right care: How to help your skin regenerate

At night, your skin is particularly receptive to active ingredients that you can use to counteract skin ageing. We recommend the following care routine to help your skin optimally regenerate:

Step 1: Remove make-up and cleanse your face thoroughly

To ensure that your skin is able to absorb the nourishing active ingredients at night, you should remove any make-up residue, sweat and dead skin cells and cleanse thoroughly before going to bed. Otherwise, your pores are clogged and you risk skin redness, itching, and pimples. Deeply cleansed skin is also better able to absorb the ingredients of night care products. 

For this step in your skincare routine, we recommend the reveel by MedSkin Solutions Cleansing Foam and Balancing Facial Toner. Our soft and skin-friendly Cleansing Foam frees your skin from dirt and dead cells. Next, use the Balancing Facial Toner´, it lowers your skin's pH value, moisturizing and perfectly preparing it for the skin care routine that follows. Then apply AHA Fluid 1-2 times per week. This is an effective leave-on exfoliant with 10% fruit acids (AHA), for a brighter, more homogeneous, and radiant complexion. Dermatological evaluations show that AHA Fluid has different positive effects, such as a 100% increase of desquamation of glycolic acid–the shedding of dead skin cells–after 8 weeks.¹

 

Step 2: The right skin care product with a regenerating effect

To give your skin the best possible support for its regeneration, choose a skincare product that suits you and your individual skin needs:

1. Resveratrol Concentrate as anti-ageing treatment for inflamed or dry skin. It's ideal for:

• Irritated skin: It protects collagen production and neutralizes free radicals, preventing irritation.
• Mature skin: It firms the skin and reduces wrinkles.
• Reddened skin: It has an anti-inflammatory effect and can reduce redness.

Resveratrol can safeguard collagen production, neutralize free radicals, and inhibit pro-irritating enzymes. The anti-aging matrikines can also stimulate collagen production. The results? Firmed skin contours, reduced redness, and smoothed fine lines and wrinkles. And your skin is protected from premature ageing. Resveratrol Concentrate is suitable for sensitive and damaged skin. A clinical study² confirms a 46% increase in skin firmness and fine lines were smoothed by 42 %. Please note: Don’t use Resveratrol Concentrate on the days when you have previously applied an AHA fluid before, as it could irritate your skin.

2. Vitamin C Concentrate as an ideal solution for boosting nighttime collagen production and thus promoting the skin's regeneration process. It can also help with hyperpigmentation, such as dark spots. Use this reveel by MedSkin Solutions product for:

• Uneven skin tone: It can reduce hyperpigmentation and produce a more even skin tone.
• Mature skin: As the Vitamin C Concentrate promotes collagen production, it can contribute to firmer and smoother skin.
• Premature skin aging: Vitamin C Concentrate is ideal for reducing existing signs of ageing.

Vitamin C balances the enzymes involved in collagen and melanin  synthesis, neutralizing free radicals. This strengthens your skin's anti-oxidative defense system: Skin contours are firmed, dark spots brightened, and your skin's complexion appears more even. After just 8 weeks, a clinical study³ confirms that skin roughness drops by 33% and wrinkle depth by 27%, while skin elasticity improves by 31%.

If you're considering using both skincare products for your nighttime skincare, please note: Resveratrol Concentrate and Vitamin C Concentrate both contain high concentrations of active ingredients. Never use both products at the same time, as this can over-irritate your skin. You can, however, alternate between the two in the evening.

Alternatively, you can apply Vitamin C Concentrate in the morning and Resveratrol Concentrate in the evening. This gives your skin enough time to regenerate, and the active ingredients will work optimally.

What else can support your skin regeneration overnight?

A good skincare routine is not the only weapon in your arsenal. You can do even more to help your skin regenerate overnight.
Here are some additional tips:

1. A clean pillow: Change your pillowcase regularly, preferably once a week, as sweat as well as sebum and cream residue accumulate there when you sleep. A fresh pillowcase prevents these old particles from touching and irritating your skin.
2. The right pillowcase: If possible, use satin or silk pillowcases. These are particularly gentle on the skin. The rough surface of cotton covers can draw moisture away from your skin, making it crease more easily.
3. The right resting position as your anti-ageing tool: Experts have found that the risk of wrinkling is lowest when sleeping on your back, as this puts the least pressure on your tissues.
4. Take care of your neck and décolleté: Include your neck and décolleté in your nightly skincare routine. Apply the appropriate care products to these areas too.
5. Good sleep hygiene: In addition to the right bedtime and sleep duration, also pay attention to good sleep hygiene. Make sure your bedroom is sufficiently ventilated and the room temperature is moderate. Avoid using smartphones and watching TV in bed and directly before. You should also avoid alcohol, caffeinated drinks, and nicotine—especially just before bedtime. If you have problems falling or staying asleep, try out different relaxation techniques until you find the one right for you.

 

Sources:

¹ Peric et al. (2011), Glycolic acid peeling in the treatment of mild to moderate inflammatory facial acne vulgaris. Sci Res Essays 6(32): 6671–6680. Dermatological evaluation, n = 30, treatment with glycolic acid once every second week over a period of 16 weeks, evaluation of desquamation effect by experts.

² Dermatological Evaluation University of Hamburg, 2017, n = 18.

³ Dermatological Evaluation, Dermatest GmbH Münster, 2012, n = 22.