Waking up after a long night or partying, you may notice dark, fuzzy circles under your eyes, uneven skin color, and maybe a little smudged lipstick. It is very common to sleep with makeup, but we know that it is not the best for the skin.
Falling asleep from time to time without washing your face will not ruin your complexion. However, it is possible to notice the effects if it becomes a regular habit.
Main risks
It is clear that sleeping with makeup on your face or eyes is not the best thing for your skin. Not removing make-up can have serious consequences.
Premature aging
Being lazy about makeup removal can lead to premature aging and collagen breakdown. Sleeping with makeup is not a good idea. Makeup can trap dirt and environmental pollutants within the skin, and this type of environmental stress can lead to an increase in free radicals that can cause DNA mutations, collagen degradation and, over time, can lead to aging premature.
Additionally, it clogs pores causing breakouts, dries out skin causing redness and sensitivity, and speeds up the aging process that leads to premature wrinkles.
Not removing makeup before going to bed means it sticks to the face. As wonderful as makeup is, if it’s not removed properly before bed, it can lead to collagen breakdown. If collagen cannot be produced properly, it means that the skin is aging faster than it is supposed to; as it dries, more wrinkles are created.
acne breakouts
We’ve probably woken up with a breakout or two (or several) after sleeping with a face full of makeup, and it’s no coincidence. Prolonged use of makeup during sleep can also clog pores and lead to acne.
Our skin never stops working. The skin is made up of water, proteins, lipids, and different minerals and chemicals. It is also lined with pores, allowing us to sweat and secrete sebum, a natural lubricant that moisturizes the skin and removes dead skin cells and other irritants from our pores. When we apply makeup, we block the pores from releasing sebum, which can lead to visibly larger pores and acne over time.
Also, the pressure of your face on a pillow can grind makeup into your hair follicles, causing your pores to become clogged with acne.
dry complexion
Long-term sleeping in makeup can also interfere with the natural process of skin shedding or exfoliation. This can result in a duller, drier and rougher complexion.
Moist, glowing, soft and smooth skin is often a desired trait. Our skin is the largest organ in our body and performs vital functions for our body, such as secreting sweat, excreting lipids, healing wounds, and regulating heat.
Therefore, it is imperative that we cleanse and exfoliate it regularly and not fall asleep in our makeup! Clogged pores and blackheads, also known as comedones, form when dead skin cells, oil, and makeup get trapped in the pores and suffocate the skin. These clogged pores are the precursor to acne-like breakouts and make skin look dull and lifeless.
Inflamed eyes and irritated skin
Gently cleansing the skin has been a key factor in reducing the spread of harmful bacteria, viruses and fungi. Eye makeup, especially mascara, can harbor harmful pathogens that can lead to inflammation and infection both in and around the eyes. A daily cleansing routine can also help reduce contamination from your own makeup.
Eye makeup can clog the oil glands in your eyelashes, causing them to swell. Puffy and irritated eyes can also be the result of sleeping in makeup. Eye makeup, such as eye shadows, kohl liners, and mascara, should be washed off every night before bed. Otherwise, the eye area will respond puffy and red.
Broken eyelashes and styes
Another negative result of sleeping on eye makeup, such as mascara and eyeliner, is that the product can rub against your lashes and cause them to break. That’s why it’s important to take it all off. If we do not remove our eye makeup correctly, the eyelashes break. We will use a gentle make-up remover. The lashes will thank you.
Sleeping with mascara on can not only make beautiful lashes brittle and break, it can also clog the lash follicles and create styes.
What to do if you fall asleep with makeup
If we go to bed without washing our face, we should make it a priority to remove our makeup as soon as we can the next morning. Helps get rid of any build-up, oil, or residue from the day before. Also, starting the day with a clean face and fresh makeup feels better.
It is recommended to follow the following steps to get rid of all the dirt and control any eye irritation:
- Remove the lenses. If we also sleep with the contact lenses, we will take them out before starting to remove the makeup. We’ll make sure to wash your hands first, to prevent bacteria from your fingers from coming into contact with your eyes.
- Remove make-up with cleansing balm or micellar water. A specific make-up remover will help gently break down oil-based cosmetics, making it easier to wash off completely without further irritating the skin. It is important to be gentle and avoid harsh peels or vigorous rubbing as this can cause irritation and disrupt the skin barrier. Makeup remover wipes are fine to use from time to time if we have no other options, but we will try not to use them regularly.
- Wash the face. After a first pass with the make-up remover, we will wash the face with a mild water-based cleanser to remove any remaining residue. After rinsing, we will pat, without rubbing, with a clean towel. A used towel can return residue to the face.
- Soothe eyes . Sleeping in makeup can leave your eyes red, pink, or irritated. If that is our case, we will rinse the persistent residue in the eye with an eye drop of sterile saline solution. Using artificial tears throughout the day should help relieve redness. If the eyes are swollen or itchy, we will apply a cold compress to help reduce inflammation.
- Wash the pillowcase. There’s a good chance that oil and makeup residue from your face transferred to your pillowcases while we slept. To prevent dirt from returning to the skin, we will change the pillowcases.
