When is the best time to care for your skin: morning or evening?
HLN, 26 February 2024
Is there an ideal time to care for your skin? In HLN, Dr Griet Voet adds nuance and explains what counts in the morning and the evening.
A skin expert claimed that it is best to care for your face between 9 and 11 pm, because that is when the skin supposedly loses the most moisture. HLN asked Dr Griet Voet how much truth there is in that.
According to Dr Voet, the skin is indeed more permeable in the evening and repairs itself mainly at night. The evening is therefore a good time to moisturise and use restorative products. That it must be exactly between 9 and 11 pm has not been proven, in her view, and the exact hour seems to matter little.
More important is that every skin type needs something different: skin with acne needs less hydration than skin with eczema. She recommends possibly using anti-ageing products in the evening and opting for antioxidants and a day cream with SPF during the day, which you reapply over the course of the day.
Key advice
Preferably use restorative or anti-ageing products such as retinol in the evening.
During the day, opt for antioxidants and a day cream with SPF.
Reapply sun protection at midday.
Have your routine tailored to your own skin type.
“Every skin type is different and has different needs.” — Dr Griet Voet
Want to know more? Read about UVB and PUVA therapy at Clinique Dermatologie Gent.