How to Build a Custom Nighttime Skincare Routine With The Ordinary.
A nighttime skincare routine is like hitting the “reset” button for your skin. As you rest, your skin does some of its best work—repairing, rebalancing, and renewing itself.
By providing your skin with targeted support during its peak repair phase, you can wake up with visibly improved results tailored to your skin concerns—whether that’s uneven texture, fine lines, blemishes, loss of elasticity, or decreased hydration.
If you’re just starting out, our guide to skincare routines offers a strong foundation for creating a skincare regimen that is formulated to meet your skin concerns, with clear steps for an AM routine and a PM routine. Let’s explore how to create yours.
Why a Nighttime Skincare Routine Matters.
Using The Ordinary’s 3-stage approach to skincare (Prep, Treat, and Seal), you can create an effective routine that aligns with your skin’s unique needs.
Step 1: Prep
This involves cleansing the skin and preparing it for treatment.
Step 2: Treat
This stage addresses specific skin concerns with targeted formulations.
Step 3: Seal
This involves locking in the formulations and supporting the skin barrier to protect against damage.
Your evening skincare routine begins with the Prep stage, which sets the foundation for all of the benefits to follow. Start with a gentle cleanser to effectively remove:
- Makeup
- Sunscreen
- Moisturizers
- Dirt
- Environmental pollutants
Think of this step as a way to clear your skin from the day’s exposure to impurities. Studies show that pollution particles can contribute to skin aging and inflammation, highlighting the importance of this cleansing step in supporting healthy-looking skin.
Start with a Cleanser
Our Squalane Cleanser is perfect for a gentle nighttime face routine that supports your skin’s natural moisture barrier.
a plant-derived hydrating agent, dissolves impurities without stripping the skin. This cleanser is non-comedogenic, soap-free, and leaves skin feeling soft, smooth, and hydrated.Why Cleansing Matters in the Evening
Cleansing during your nighttime skincare routine provides an important refresh, allowing the skin to recover from the buildup of makeup, sunscreen, and exposure to environmental stressors throughout the day. Think of it as the first step in ensuring your evening routine delivers maximum results.
Exfoliate with a Toner
Follow cleansing with The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner to gently smooth skin texture, even tone, and enhance luminosity.
Skincare toners help remove lingering impurities and support natural cell turnover, creating a smooth base for the treatments that follow. This water-based toner reduces the appearance of fine lines and is formulated with Tasmanian Pepperberry to minimize exfoliation-related irritation, making it ideal for frequent use.
Why Toners Belong in Your PM Routine
Similar to cleansers, toners help remove surface impurities and prepare the skin for treatments, ensuring your nighttime routine is more effective. Exfoliating formulas, like our Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner, are best applied in the evening as they can increase skin sensitivity to sunlight.
The Treat stage is the core of your nighttime skincare routine, where you apply formulations that address specific concerns. These can range from dry skin caused by poor hydration, oil control, or signs of aging. The skin naturally absorbs nutrients more effectively during sleep, making nighttime ideal for this step.
Popular Nighttime Treatments for Common Skin Concerns
For Dry Skin
Use Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 (with Ceramides), a lightweight serum that helps skin retain moisture, re-plump dehydrated areas, and improve skin suppleness. Hyaluronic acid can hold up to 1,000 times its weight in water, making it a hydration powerhouse for your skincare routine at night.
For Oil Control and Congested Pores
Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% helps reduce excess oil production and minimizes the appearance of pores, supporting an effective nighttime face routine. Niacinamide, a form of Vitamin B3, improves the appearance of uneven skin tone, while zinc helps regulate sebum.
For Visible Signs of Aging
Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion smooths fine lines and supports skin renewal, making it ideal for a night skincare routine targeting signs of aging.
Retinoids can increase your skin’s sensitivity to UV radiation. For best results, we recommend using this formulation at night. If applying during the day, be sure to use adequate sun protection.
Additional Treatments to Consider in Your Routine
We recommend tailoring your skincare routine’s Treat stage to your skin’s specific concerns. If you have dark spot skin concerns, try adding our Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA to your routine. For blemishes, target them using our multi-functional Salicylic Acid 2% Solution to help clear up pores, and improve the appearance of visible redness and comedones.
And remember, not all treatments need to be used every night. Some, like exfoliating acids, are best applied 2-3 times per week.
The Seal stage is the final step of your nighttime face routine. It locks in moisture and supports the benefits of the Prep and Treat steps. A moisturizer helps prevent moisture loss and fortifies the skin barrier over time.
Add a Boost of Hydration
For drier skin types, apply our 100% Plant-Derived Squalane to enhance surface-level hydration.
Squalane mimics the skin’s natural oils, adding hydration without clogging pores. Add this step in your nighttime skincare routine if you regularly struggle with moisture loss.
Lock in Moisture
Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA combines hyaluronic acid, amino acids, and fatty acids, providing immediate and lasting hydration in your nighttime skincare routine.
Non-greasy, and formulated to mimic your skin’s natural hydration system, it’s the perfect finishing layer before going to bed. Apply it to seal in your serums and treatments.
For a thicker, richer formulation, try Natural Natural Moisturizing Factors + PhytoCeramides, our most nourishing moisturizer. Featuring nearly 4 times more moisturizing emollients and 2 times more humectants than Natural Moisturising Factors + HA, it boosts skin hydration by 68%*.
*Clinical testing on 30 people after single application.Why Sealing in Moisture is Important
Sealing in moisture maximizes the potency of active ingredients in your formulations. Moisturizers lock in hydration while you sleep and protect your skin from moisture loss. By morning, your skin will appear plump, smooth, and more radiant.
The Ordinary’s Prep, Treat, and Seal approach allows you to create a nighttime skin routine that meets your unique needs. Our Lab’s formulations are designed to address specific concerns, allowing you to tailor each step to your needs.
- Adjust Products Based on Skin Concerns: If you need support in identifying your skin concerns, our Regimen Builder can help you understand the most common skin issues, from moisture loss to signs of congestion, dullness and signs of aging.
- Layer Based on Texture: When layering multiple formulations in your nighttime skin routine, apply from thinnest to thickest texture. This ensures each product is absorbed effectively.
- Monitor Skin Sensitivity: Track how your skin reacts to active ingredients, especially retinoids. When in doubt, perform a patch test to check for negative reactions.
- Stay Consistent: Stick to your nightly routine to effectively address your concerns. At the same time, don’t be afraid to adjust your formulations as needed—your nighttime skin routine can adapt to your changing skin concerns.
Build your PM skincare routine with help from this blog and The Ordinary’s Regimen Builder. For more skincare tips, product updates, and tutorials, sign up for our newsletter.
