There are two main reasons why neglecting to remove your makeup before bed each night can be detrimental to the skin.

Firstly, the skin is very active while you sleep. During the night, the skin enters what’s known as the ‘recovery phase’. This phase involves intense regenerative activity such as skin cell renewal, synthesis of collagen and elastin, and repair of free radical damage sustained during the day. Additionally, several physiological changes mean that active ingredients penetrate your skin better during the night. Burdening your skin with leftover makeup and impurities during this time is a significant lost opportunity, rather than waking up with the benefits of a properly rested and recovered complexion.

Secondly, by keeping your makeup on (or even failing to remove it thoroughly), you are effectively leaving a layer of makeup, sweat, oil, dirt and environmental pollutants on your skin overnight. Allowing even a small amount of makeup to remain overnight will inevitably lead to a build up of oil and impurities. In turn, the presence of these impurities means you’re much more likely to develop blocked pores leading to congestion, acne-prone skin and dullness.

At Kiehl’s, we believe that every healthy skincare routine starts with clean skin. Why go to the trouble of curating an effective skincare routine enriched with natural active ingredients, only to hinder their effectiveness? Investing a small amount of time and effort to implement an effective makeup removal routine will not only help to avoid congestion, blemishes and dullness, it will also allow you to feel the full benefits of the skincare products you use.

Now that you’re educated on why thoroughly removing your makeup every single night is essential, let us teach you how to take off makeup in the most effective yet gentle way.

It’s recommended to wash your face twice a day. The only time you should ever exceed this rule is if you’ve engaged in strenuous exercise. Washing your face too often can be irritating or drying and can potentially lead to blemishes.

We also recommend following a double cleansing process, especially if you wear a long wearing foundation, heavy makeup or waterproof mascara. Here’s our proposed makeup removal routine to help you remove all traces of makeup and impurities without irritating your skin.

Begin your makeup removal routine by choosing a product that best suits your lifestyle and preferences. If you tend to wear relatively heavy makeup or waterproof eye makeup, using an oil for makeup removal is advisable. However, if you tend to wear only light makeup or you’re seeking a very gentle solution we recommend micellar water for makeup removal.

Our Midnight Recovery Botanical Cleansing Oil is a lightweight oil cleanser which removes makeup, dirt, oil and other impurities from the skins surface without over-drying. This powerful formula is enriched with pure botanical oils to gently dissolve even hard to remove makeup, leaving skin clean and replenished. Disperse 3-4 pumps into your hands and gently massage into the face, including around the eye area. Add a little water and massage the skin again to emulsify the formula, before rinsing and patting (never rubbing) the skin dry with a soft towel.

Harsh soaps and cleansers can irritate your skin and trigger increased oil production, so we recommend looking for formulas infused with natural ingredients. Our Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash is enriched with Calendula, a flower native to the Mediterranean that’s renowned for its calming properties. Refresh your complexion with this highly effective cleanser for smoother, softer skin. Work a 1-2 pumps of the foaming formula into a lather in your hands, before massaging into the skin in gentle, circular motions. Rinse with warm water and pat dry to complete your highly effective nightly makeup removal routine.

Moisturising your skin after makeup removal should be an essential part of your makeup removal routine. Applying a quality moisturiser at the end of your routine finalises the process and locks in hydration overnight. Try our best selling Ultra Facial Cream, a lightweight, non-greasy 24-hour intense facial moisturiser. Before you head to bed, smooth on this plumping formula to wake up with hydrated and refreshed skin – the perfect blank canvas for all the active ingredients in your morning skincare routine.

Vitamin E is a suitable addition your skincare routine for most skin types. Kiehl’s recommends exercising caution if you have very sensitive skin, as it’s possible (although rare) to have an allergy to this ingredient. We recommend trying a vitamin E cream or moisturiser first and combining with vitamin C to enhance efficacy. Here are some Kiehl’s products enriched with naturally derived plant-based vitamin E, with recommendations for use.