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What really happens when you sleep in your makeup

What really happens when you sleep in your makeup
Jo Hoare
Writer and expert2 years ago
View Jo Hoare's profile

Find yourself skipping the evening cleanse every now and then? Wake up more than once with a full face of slap imprinted on your pillow? Morning panda eyes a part of your daily routine?

Whereas the odd forgetful night shouldn’t do too much harm, the bad news is, your skin really won’t thank you for not taking the time to make sure it’s fresh and clean before bed.

Here’s why it’s a habit you should really try to kick and how to make it easy on yourself if you find the PM cleanse tricky.

It can add to premature ageing

Yep, you read that right. Sleeping in your slap can encourage signs of ageing. But how?

Makeup can trap dirt and pollution in your skin and this can mean more baddies AKA free radicals, which over time can lead to collagen degradation and premature ageing, like fine lines and wrinkles.

It might make your breakouts worse

It’s a no brainer to realise that if you suffer from acne or breakouts, then clogged pores are your nemesis. And what’s one of the fastest ways to clog your pores? Hitting the hay with a full face of makeup.

It will also trap any sweat against your skin, so if you’ve abandoned your cleanser because of alcohol and you’ve got the overnight booze sweats it’s a double combo of damage.

Your skin could feel drier

Our skin naturally sheds and exfoliates at night and heavy face makeup can interfere with this. For dry skin types, this means you may wake up even drier, while all skin types will notice increased dullness.

You could get eye infections

Our eyes are super sensitive and need to be clean and clear of any makeup or debris before bed. If you sleep in your eye makeup you’re guaranteed to wake up with sore, itchy and possibly bloodshot eyes, and your eye bags may look more prominent.

If you wear a lot of liner, false lashes or glitters, you could be setting yourself up for even more trouble, as sleeping in this type of makeup can also contribute to eye infections like styes and inflammation. Contact lens wearers need to be super careful, as old makeup can irritate them.

How do I stop sleeping in my makeup?

If you’re a regular slap sleeper, it’s time to identify the reasons behind your bad habit. We’ve broken down some of the most common and what you can do about them…

The booze snoozer: You’re really good with your skincare routine all week but then you have a few wines on a Friday night and your five step regime goes out the window faster than your mates head in the Uber when she says she’s gonna be sick.

The solution: Accept that a big night out is not going to result in your usual diligent habits and instead pop a packet of face wipes next to your bed for an emergency pillowside cleanse.

The exhaustion avoider: You’re just too knackered before bed to do anything more than brush your teeth and don’t tell anyone but sometimes you can’t even face that.

The solution: We’ve all been here. Whether it’s work, kids or just life getting in the way, it can feel difficult to find the time to look after yourself and five minutes extra sleep is always going to sound tempting. To combat this, move your evening cleanse forward.

No one says you have to do it just before bed. Move it up to when you get in from work or after dinner when you have a little more energy. If you work in a polluted city, it’s actually a great idea to wash your face as soon as you get home, so you’ll actually be doing yourself a double favour.

The doesn’t have a routine: Routine makes habit forming easier and if you don’t have a skincare regime then it’s easy to forget or skip a face cleanse in the evening.

The solution: Treat yourself to the basics of a skincare regime. You’ll soon find that simply adding a simple wash off cleanser and hydrating moisturiser in the mornings and evenings will vastly improve the look and feel of your skin and make it easier to commit.

Try: Super Facialist Vitamin C+ Gentle Daily Micro Polish Wash

For more skincare advice from our Beauty Editor and the rest of the team, click here.

Jo Hoare
Writer and expert
View Jo Hoare's profile
Jo Hoare is an editor and author with over 17 years experience. She spent a decade at heat magazine at the height of its popularity where her favourite memories are One Direction popping in the office with cakes and flying to a private tropical island with a hair brand. Post-heat she went on to freelance across titles like Grazia, Glamour and Stylist before heading up Superdrug’s content team. She is now a freelance editor and author with eight published books.
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