I never go to bed wearing eye makeup. No matter how tired I am, I always use an eye makeup remover. The reason is that this specialized product is made to dissolve color pigments in the shadows and loosen mascara. Using a facial cleanser to rub off eye makeup can cause irritation and, even worse, you can run the risk of getting ingredients like glycolic acid in your eyes. Of course, the next step is cleansing and moisturizing, but here is my second trade secret: serums.
The key is choosing the right serum at the right time. Serums containing glycolic, retinol and lightening agents should be used at night because they are sun-sensitive.
These highly-concentrated, water-based products need a cream to help them penetrate into the skin. Choose a night cream with essential fatty acids, such as borage seed oil, wheat germ oil or linoleic acid because they cannot be synthesized by the body.
Save your serums containing antioxidants, hyaluronic acid or copper peptides for the morning, under your day cream. They moisturize, protect against free radical damage, and stimulate collagen. And most importantly, I never leave the house without wearing UVA/UVB broad spectrum sunscreen.
As long as you keep your skin hydrated and plump, you will reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. After all, I want to make sure that I always look like my 2009 cover shot for DERMASCOPE Magazine.