Here’s What Happens To Your Skin When You Sleep In Makeup

Picture this: you’ve finally made it home from a night out with your friends, and like a siren’s song, your bed summons you. It would be so easy to just kick off your shoes, get under the covers, and pass out for the night in your smokey eye and contouring makeup.

Of course, you’ve heard it before: sleeping in makeup is a bad idea. But would one night really hurt?
In a word, no.

But is it really worth it to wake up to dry, itchy eyes and cakey skin? This is just one issue you’re going to have to deal with when you choose to sleep in your makeup. And when you make a habit of sleeping in your makeup, you’re looking at a plethora of problems long-term.

Today, we’re discussing what happens to your skin when you sleep in makeup, and how you can develop a go-to skincare routine for that you ‘just woke up that way’, beautiful, fresh skin!

With a new year around the corner, it could be a newer or better version of your skincare routine, especially if you’re a nightly serial makeup wearer. Whether you’re into making resolutions or not, a new year is still a great excuse to try and initiate better behaviors and improve or maintain healthy skin.

If you don’t nix the habit of sleeping with makeup on off your resolution list, here are a few sad skin problems that will break your beauty experience and goals.

Acne Flare-Ups
At some point, you may have woken up from a night of sleeping in makeup, only to discover a breakout or two. This is because sleeping in makeup can settle into the pores, leading to clogging and acne.

Dark Circles
If you find yourself waking up with dark circles and puffy eyes, makeup may actually be the underlying cause. Mascara, eyeliner, and eyeshadow can lead to irritation in the delicate eye area, which naturally leads to inflammation and puffiness.

Dry Skin
When we sleep in makeup often over long periods of time, this can have a negative effect on our skin’s natural shedding process. And when dead skin cells can’t properly slough away, this can lead to a dull, dry complexion.

Premature Aging
When we don’t wash our faces, we run the risk of not only clogged pores, but even premature aging, as well. This is because makeup tends to hold onto the free radicals and environmental pollution it’s exposed to throughout the day. And when that makeup isn’t properly removed, your skin is left to fend for itself as those pollutants start to break down collagen, which leads to fine lines and wrinkles over time.

Itching, Irritated Skin
If there was one reason why you should wash your face every night, it would be to reduce the spread of harmful microbes in the skin that occur from sleeping in makeup, which can cause inflammation.

When the skin is inflamed, it often becomes itchy, red, and irritated, which can be extremely irritating for the individual. On top of that, a proper cleansing routine will include a moisturizer, which helps nourish the skin and replenish hydration while you snooze.

When the skin is inflamed, it often becomes itchy, red, and irritated, which can be extremely irritating for the individual. On top of that, a proper cleansing routine will include a moisturizer, which helps nourish the skin and replenish hydration while you snooze.

As we can see, there are plenty of reasons to remove your makeup at night. However, we don’t mean swiping a makeup wipe across your face and hitting the sack. We mean adopting a skincare routine–one which consists of, at the very least, a cleanser and moisturizer.

An evening skincare routine is important because it happens during our resting period, which is a critical time for our skin. When we sleep, healing hormones in the body spike, which results in an increased rate of tissue repair. But when we snooze in makeup, this can hinder that regenerative process, which can have serious implications for the way our skin ages.

By gently cleansing the face and applying the proper skincare, you can maximize the benefits of your skin’s nightly repair process, which helps secure a lifetime of beautiful, glowing skin.

With all the pollution it’s exposed to daily, it’s no wonder the face is one of the dirtiest parts of the body, not to mention the number of times we touch it throughout the day. It’s also no surprise that when we don’t wash our faces, the pores are more likely to become clogged, resulting in breakouts.

However, when we say, “wash your face,” we don’t mean “rinse your face with a splash of water.” When you cleanse, it’s important to do so in a way that effectively (and gently) removes all dirt, makeup, sunscreen, and excess sebum.

This is where we recommend a double cleanse. This two-step cleansing routine - hence double cleanse - consists of an oil based cleanser, followed by a water-based cleanser. The idea behind this method is that the oil cleanser draws out oil-based impurities such as makeup and sebum, while the water-based cleanser removes the debris leftover.

For an oil cleanser, we recommend something extra nourishing that will melt makeup away, like our Blood Orange Cleansing Balm. This balm is a moisturizing oil-based cleanser made with degreasing blood orange to remove excess oil, deeply cleanse skin, and balance your complexion.

This moisturizing balm features coconut and olive oils to sweep away even the most stubborn makeup, debris, and impurities. This creamy dream is also perfect for acne-prone skin due to its antibacterial essential oils and oil molecules that bond to and remove excess oil.

Follow up your first cleanse with a hydrating, non-stripping water cleanser, like our Rose Water Gel Cleanser. This gentle, skin-softening cleanser is made with fragrant Damask rose and calming calendula flower to soothe and balance skin. Rose hydrosol lightly moisturizes, reduces redness, and balances pH to calm even the most sensitive skin for a soft, replenished complexion

You have probably seen this nifty, clear liquid adorning store shelves in the beauty aisle, usually a lightweight formula that’s often formulated with witch hazel, willow bark, or rose water. That’s a toner, and as its name suggests, it tones uneven skin and, also, does a great balancing act with skin’s pH.

But what exactly is a toner, and why does it belong in your skincare routine?

Essentially, a toner is a water-based liquid that’s meant to help gradually restore moisture levels in the skin, as well as help maintain pH balance. Even better: because toners are water-based, they’re easy to infuse with many different botanical ingredients. For instance, our Restorative Sea Culture Hydrating Toner is a concentrated mix of plant-based, water-rich ingredients.

Refreshing chia seed water packs skin with firming proteins, while hyaluronic acid provides absorbent properties for deeply penetrating, long-lasting hydration. We love the skin-plumping properties of seaweed to hydrate, plump, and soften skin. You don’t want to miss out on this essential prep step that will elevate your entire skincare game!

If you’re looking to target a specific skincare issue with potent ingredients, serums are your go-to product.

Serums are highly-concentrated products that are meant to focus on specific concerns in the skin, whether it’s reducing redness, fading fine lines and lessening wrinkles, or brightening skin.

Serums are highly-concentrated formulas, which are meant to deeply penetrate the skin at a rapid rate. Serums are especially useful for targeting specific concerns in the skin, such as reducing redness, fading fine lines, and lessening wrinkles, as well as brightening the skin. Due to their lightweight, viscous texture, face serums quickly absorb into the skin to provide benefits on a cellular level.

Some serums are meant to brighten, like our Brightening Serum, which with its vegan, all-natural formulation, doesn't strip the skin of essential moisture or harm your complexion with toxic ingredients. Speaking of formula goodness, ingredients like sake, which naturally exfoliates, and vitamin C, providing antioxidant protection, are great for most skin types. Moreover, lemon juice, a natural skin brightener, will help boost skin’s glow without drying out the skin.

If you’re looking for extra brightening and hydration powers, our Watermelon Cucumber Water Locking Serum helps trap in moisture and nourish the skin. This long-lasting serum hydrates, plumps, rejuvenates, and smooths skin with watermelon and cucumber waters, hyaluronic acid (from sweet potatoes), and polyglutamic acids (from natto beans). This cruelty-free serum also helps to promote cell regeneration and reduce signs of aging.

No matter your skin type, a moisturizer is one of those universally helpful products in any evening (and daytime) skincare routine.

As we age, our skin’s natural moisturizing factors begin to go down over time, which can lead to dry, cracked, and crepey skin.

Moisturizers help keep the skin hydrated, which does wonders long-term. The right moisturizer for you will depend on your skin type; if you have dry skin, we recommend a deeply nourishing moisturizer like our Hydra Drench Cream. This lightweight formula sinks into the skin without a trace, offering a hydration boost from omega fatty acid-rich gel water extracted from chia seeds. For those with drier skin, consider layering it with an oil-based moisturizer for that extra dose of hydration.

Meanwhile, those with oilier skin types will benefit more from a lightweight formula with blemish control, like our Tea Tree Balancing Moisturizer. This formula is great for soothing the skin and provides it with tea tree extracts that absorb the extra oil. The antibacterial properties of tea tree oil are known worldwide, which is why it is great for keeping the skin clean and infection-free. Tea tree oil face moisturizer is great at minimizing acne marks. In addition to tea tree, it also has soothing agents like peppermint oil.

While makeup itself won’t directly harm your skin, excess buildup in the pores can lead to not only clogging, but also the collecting of dust, pollution and sweat.

The bottom line: when we take the time to care for our skin in the evening hours–even to simply cleanse and moisturize–we’re saving ourselves from a wealth of problems.

What Immediate Effects Does Sleeping in Makeup Have on Your Skin?

When you sleep, your internal temperature rises and most of us begin to sweat (some more than others, TBH). If you know anything about makeup, you’ll know that sweating + makeup is a formula for pore-clogging and breakouts. Besides, sleeping in your eye makeup is also a habit that’s not worth the risk, since products can be rubbed into our delicate eyes while we sleep. Leaving mascaras on for too long can also make lashes brittle, leading to fall-out and impeded growth. So, if you sleep in your makeup and constantly find yourself breaking out, or suffering from itchy eyes and shedding lashes… you’ll know it’s take to make an immediate change to your skincare routine.

How Does Sleeping in Makeup Lead to Acne and Breakouts?

Makeup physically gets into and blocks the pores, preventing oil from leaving the skin and leading to breakouts and acne. Sleeping with your makeup on also traps free radicals and environmental pollutants into the skin, and this type of skin stress can result inflammation, redness, and irritation, as well as clogged pores and breakouts.

Can Sleeping in Makeup Cause Premature Aging?

During the cell turnover process, new skin cells push to the surface while your skin sheds old cells. Sleeping with your makeup on traps these dead skin cells, leaving a dull complexion while causing your skin to appear aged.

What Are the Risks of Sleeping in Eye Makeup Specifically?

Sleeping in your eye makeup is definitely not a habit that’s worth the risk, since products can be rubbed into our delicate eyes while we sleep. Leaving mascaras on for too long can also make lashes brittle, leading to fall-out and impeded growth. Plus, you’re more prone to eye infections.

How Does Overnight Makeup Wear Affect Skin Hydration Levels?

It interferes with the natural shedding of dead skin cells and the natural exfoliation process of the skin, which keeps your complexion healthy and vibrant.