Even guys need their beauty rest: How taking care of my skin helps me sleep
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Sleep was always something I left to the last second, while beauty was a concept I simply ignored. Years spent as an insomniac led to other bad habits, which led to being 38 and relatively ignorant on all things self-care. Yet, somehow, I found my way to better sleep through a skin care routine. I know, the two may not sound instantly connected, but I’ve personally found that my evening rituals help my brain wind down.
How did I go from greasy, chronically snacking night owl to a skin care-focused version of me? The thing about being 38 is that you know you’re a step away from being 39, which is basically a rounding error away from being 40. So, being a guy who had started to take a little more care for my body and how I live, I was prime for a nudge. “So, Henry,” Caitlin McGarry (my friend and former colleague, who also tests products for a living) asked as she smiled, “What are you doing about skin care?” My answer was essentially “thoughts and prayers,” and riding out always being told I looked young for my age. Then, I heard one of my favorite podcasters (who’s a bit older than I am) saying he wished he had started his new skin care routine earlier.
So, I started on my path to skin care smarts — better sleep has been a happy accident — by seeking advice from Caitlin and other friends who seemed to know their stuff about all the different products. I soon learned that I’d need both morning and nighttime routines, and that meant carving out time at the end and start of my days. I wasn’t happy to surrender that time, but I quickly realized its knock-on effect was making me think less about what I was doing and more about getting ready for sleep (and the day to come, in the morning).
My regimen has served me well so far, but I reached out to a couple of dermatologists to get their expertise — and help confirm that my friends steered me in the right direction. The good news is that I’m right on time, at least according to board-certified dermatologist Dr. David Kim of Idriss Dermatology in New York City, who says, “As you approach 40, you want to have a solid skin care routine. Having a good cleanser, serum, moisturizer, sunscreen and retinol are essential.”
With these steps as my countdown to bedtime and getting ready for the morning, I’ve found myself operating with more intent on both sides of my day. Let’s dive into my routines.
This face cleanser signals bedtime
CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser
Every evening, after I splash my face with a little lukewarm water (as the instructions say), I work CeraVe’s cleanser into a lather on my face. The time waiting for my face to dry helps me slow down, probably my biggest obstacle to getting a night’s sleep.
According to Kim, “Guys don’t think about using a good cleanser. Cleansers are affordable and the easiest way to reset your skin.” Thankfully, before CeraVe leaned into Michael Cera’s awkwardness, I quickly picked up the habit of using its cleanser every night before bed. Okay, maybe I’ve skipped it three times in the last year, but I’m only human and sometimes I was already too tired and didn’t need any habit to get me to a good night’s slumber.
This moisturizer is the last thing I put on at night
Etude House Soonjung Hydro Barrier Cream
Used in both my morning and evening rituals, this moisturizer has become such a mainstay I might actually set up a “subscribe and save.”
Why do morning and evening routines differ? Dr. Margarita Lolis, board-certified dermatologist at Schweiger Dermatology Group in Hackensack, NJ, explains that the morning routine should “prepare and protect the skin for the day ahead,” as “UV rays, pollution and other environmental stressors” are practically unavoidable. The items you use at night, she continues, are all about “removing impurities and providing the skin with ingredients that aid in recovery and hydration overnight. Evening products tend to have richer textures and more potent active ingredients compared to morning products.”
It can be a bit too easy to accidentally put too much of this moisturizer on my fingertips, so I always take a moment to make sure I’m picking up less than I need. Again, I love how this routine forces my brain to slow down.
Retinols and lactic acid aren’t for every night
Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Retinoid Night Oil
On alternating nights, I follow the face cleanser with the Luna retinol, which fights signs of aging such as large pores and wrinkles.
Sunday Riley Good Genes All-in-One AHA Lactic Acid Treatment
This serum, which is another one for every other night, exfoliates and clears your skin with alpha hydroxy acids.
The biggest “your mileage may vary” proviso is attached to retinols and lactic acids, so my first advice is to make sure you consult with someone who knows their stuff before diving in. According to Lolis, exfoliants and retinoids are best used at night to avoid sun sensitivity. Secondly, don’t apply this stuff often at first, waiting a few days between treatments early on, since your skin needs time to process all the strong active ingredients it’s never encountered before. Both retinols and lactic acids carry the potential to irritate your skin, and mixing them with other skincare products carries even more risk. I’ve been fortunate enough to not have any bad reactions to retinol or lactic acid, but the risks include dryness and peeling.
Kim also suggests shaking up my evening routine by not using my Luna retinol and Good Genes lactic acid back to back on the same night. Specifically, he notes, “It’s best to alternate between retinol and lactic acid so it’s not too irritating to the skin.” He also suggests switching out the Luna for Shani Darden’s Retinol Reform, for a pure retinol, not an oil-based one.
This toner provides a pleasant wake-up moment
Fellow Barber Everyday Tonic
This is the item on this list with the most immediate impact. I use this astringent to feel a little more awake in the morning.
What good is healthy sleep without a calming wake-up in the morning? Sure, I like feeling more rested when I get out of bed, but my morning skin care routine continues the virtuous cycle of intent-driven behavior. This way, I keep my good habits going, and I’m ready to continue the process at night.
One mistake I was making, according to both doctors, is not doing a simple cleanse of my face with water in the morning. I’ve only been starting my day with Fellow Barber’s Everyday Tonic, and Kim advises that toners such as that are “ingredient dependent,” and those with fragrances may not be good for those with sensitive skin.
Interestingly, both Kim and Lolis recommend that I add a serum to my morning routine. Kim suggests the Even Tone Correcting Serum from Skinbetter Science, but at $155 for 1.7 ounces, it’s a bit too rich for my skin. According to Lolis, she sees a lot of men forgetting to use eye creams and neck creams and recommends these, along with a peptide or growth factor serum, which I’ll start researching soon. The latter, she says, is meant to “further boost collagen and elastin production.” For now, I’ve yet to add these to my routine.
This sunscreen is the last part of my morning routine
CeraVe Ultra-Light Moisturizing Lotion With SPF 30
After my morning workout, I apply this moisturizing sunscreen ASAP, because your skin’s daily war with the sun is not one you want to face without armor. I've tried heavier options — this lightweight lotion is far superior.
Lastly, before I feel like I’m ready for work, I apply moisturizing sunscreen. Even though I always thought of sunscreen as something that was just for the beach, I now apply a thin coat of this (after I layer on the Soonjung Hydro Barrier Cream) every morning. Both of these products fall into the “a little goes a long way” bucket, so I have to be careful as I extract them from their containers. Just like the eye-dropper of the retinol I use at night, this daily methodical process requires me to focus in the moment — and provides a few minutes of zen.
Bottom line
My whole evening routine, I quickly realized, became a way to mentally unwind and get myself thinking of sleep. And because my hands get covered in moisturizer and my glasses are off, I’m not looking at screens during that process, which in theory enables an easier time going to bed.
If all this sounds like a lot of work, you’re not exactly wrong. When I asked Kim about habit stacking, he explained, “For men, what works is finding products they love and having a simple routine. No more than three to four steps. Nothing good comes that easily. If you want good soft, clear skin, you have to put time into finding the right products, and create a routine that is reasonable and realistic.”
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