In addition to regular sunscreen usage, one of the easiest and best ways to care for your skin is keeping it clean. A regularly practiced, hygienic skin care regime is important for your overall health, along with proper moisturizing and hydration. As your skin is your first defense, the outer barrier that protects the body, its overall health definitely impacts how your body functions. The condition of your skin may also be an indicator of an undetected illness lurking within. Cleanliness is the first step for prevention and maintenance.

Every day your skin is aging. And the very simple process of washing your face before bed is an excellent way to mitigate the external factors associated with aging and to stimulate the internal processes that fight aging.

Research has shown that certain physiological changes in the skin do occur overnight. Like many of our organs, our skin can tell night from day.  Throughout the day the skin on your face is continually covered with bacteria, pollutants, viruses, dirt, and old (dead) skin cells. Daily facial washing removes these impurities to give the skin a fresh look. Without washing, your skin would be covered with a thick layer of dirt and grime which make it difficult for other products to penetrate the skin properly. Overnight, the skin needs oxygen to repair itself. And sleeping with your makeup on deprives it of this vital nutrient. “When makeup is left on, it blocks the natural exfoliating process, which can leave your skin looking dull”, says Dr. Robins Ashinoff, Director of Cosmetic Dermatology at Hackensack Medical Center in New Jersey.

Other benefits to your complexion derived from nighttime cleansing include minimizing pore size and preventing skin dehydration.