I’m always reminding my mother to wash her face at night and to apply her eye cream and moisturizer before getting into bed. After all, she has a daughter old enough to be using an anti-aging skin regimen herself. Why does it matter so much that we take good care of our skin at night?

The top layer of your skin—the epidermis—is constantly shedding dead skin cells throughout the day while being pummeled with the sun, wind, pollution, and free radicals. When you sleep, the metabolic rate of the skin accelerates, ramping up the production of proteins while slowing their destruction. These proteins are the building blocks of new skin cell growth. Additionally, your skin experiences increased circulation throughout the night, bringing essential nutrients to the skin while clearing away metabolic waste. Why not take advantage of all this repair and re-growth?

We all know that cleansing and moisturizing are important, but what role do serums play in your nighttime routine? Serums are formulated with smaller molecules, making them better able to penetrate the skin to deliver high concentrations of important anti-aging ingredients. For example, our Vitamin C Serum is packed with Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C for neutralizing free radical damage and brightening the skin) as well as Collagen (to retain moisture levels and preserve the skin’s elasticity) and Hyaluronic Acid (to plump up the skin).

On a personal note, I use Mario Badescu’s Cellufirm Drops, a serum that also includes Hyaluronic Acid and Collagen as well as Hydrolyzed Elastin, Retinyl Palmitate, and a host of other plumping, free-radical fighting, and elasticity-preserving ingredients.

Which serum are you currently using? How do serums figure into your nighttime skin care regimen?