Give 5 Minutes to Your Skin Before Bed

Night is soft on the senses and soothing to the soul, but can be harsh on the skin. All that tossing and turning, rubbing your cheeks against the pillow—especially if you sleep on your side… alas, the creases on your cheeks and chin keep increasing, night after night. Those ‘pillow lines’ are not attractive, and can make you look older than your years.

So how can you protect your skin?

The answer is simple: you invest a few minutes of your time in a skin-care routine.

First things first, remove your makeup. This is extremely important, so that your skin feels clean and gets to breathe during the night.
Next, wash your face, pat it dry, and apply a good quality night cream. Now you could buy a branded night cream with a three-digit price tag, or you could stir up your own.

I have, for years, preferred to make my own cream using almonds, which play a starring role in skin care. Here’s the amazingly simple recipe:

Ready-in-1-Minute Almond Cream

2 tablespoons half-and-half
A few drops of almond oil
A few drops of lemon juice

Mix everything together. Then, tie your hair back with a soft cloth headband, and gently apply this cream neck upward, in a light, circular motion. This mini-massage not only helps keep away wrinkles, but also boosts circulation and begins that much-coveted ‘glow’ everyone craves. So, let your skin completely soak in the cream. If it feels greasy, pat it very gently with a soft cloth. The lemon juice will provide clarifying assistance.

If your skin is particularly tired on a certain day, treat yourself to a luscious exfoliating mask before you apply the cream. Here’s how to make it:

Ready-in-2-Minutes Almond Scrub

1 tbsp. cold milk (or more, as required)
1/2 tsp. honey
1 tsp. finely ground almonds (soak them in hot water, take off the skin, and then grind them)
1 tsp. orange peel powder

Mix together and apply all over face and neck. Leave on for a few minutes, and wash off with warm water, followed by a cold splash.

Goodnight!

Read more: Aging, Beauty, Make-Up, Skin Care, DIY, DIY beauty products, night, Skin Care, sleep

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Victoria U.

2:47AM PST on Dec 16, 2012

Yes, will try this! Thank you!

December 16
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Danielle I.

4:47AM PDT on Oct 18, 2012

Thanks

October 18
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Vineet T.

4:14AM PDT on Oct 18, 2012

Thanx for a great review.These tips is very important for beauty and health care...I also Read like these articles in beautyindia magazine..

Cyrille D.

3:23PM PDT on Sep 30, 2012

Having acne-prone skin, I never go to bed with my make-up on, no matter how tired I am. And I always make sure to clean it and moisturize it before I go to sleep. Thank you for these DIY recipes ! I might try them ! :)

September 30
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Angel C.

1:12PM PDT on Jul 21, 2012

Love this thread. Great advice and natural :) I put almond oil on my skin a lot and it's the best thing I've found for smooth and soft skin.

July 21
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Mac C.

2:22PM PDT on Jul 10, 2012

Thank you so much, love natural ways to care for skin. You are so right about pillow lines.

July 10
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Winn A.

12:01PM PDT on Jul 10, 2012

Sheri P.

3:54PM PDT on Jul 7, 2012

nice recipes, thanks!

July 7
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g d c.

2:27PM PDT on Jul 7, 2012

Cynthia U.

1:34PM PDT on Jul 7, 2012

Thank you for the "natural" version of caring for my skin! But I would appreciate if someone could tell me where to purchase orange peel powder. I had previously read an article in a magazine---don't know if I am allowed to name it---and it discussed how those of us who strive to lead healthy lives by eating organic and healthy food as well as getting plenty of exercise, do not consider what we are putting on our skin. Homemade versus man-made items full of chemicals,dyes etc., simply defeat the purpose or at least obstruct it by being un-healthy for us.Our skin does absorb things. So again, thank you very much for this healthy home made version! :)