Morning vs night skincare routine……..You ever stand in front of your bathroom mirror at 6:30 a.m. — eyes barely open, hair doing its best impression of an abandoned bird’s nest — and think, “Wait… am I supposed to be doing something special with my face right now?” That’s me. Almost every morning.
And every night, too. I’m in this endless tug-of-war between my morning vs night skincare routine. Like, which one’s actually more important? Is it the fancy vitamin C in the morning or the retinol at night? Or is it all just expensive witchcraft wrapped in cute packaging?
I’ve tried both. Hard. And failed spectacularly more than once. (Back in 8th grade, I “moisturized” with body lotion and wondered why my face broke out. Not my finest hour.)
Let me spill.
Morning Skincare: The “Please Wake Up” Routine
Mornings in Queens aren’t quiet. Garbage trucks, car horns, the occasional guy blasting reggaeton at 7 a.m. It’s… chaotic. My morning skincare routine? Same energy.
Here’s what it usually looks like for me:
- Splash of cold water (because my brain refuses to function otherwise)
- Cleanser if my skin feels oily
- Vitamin C serum (aka: the orange stuff that makes me feel productive)
- Moisturizer, because winter in NYC is basically a face dehydration trap
- SPF. Always SPF. (Except those mornings I forget and then feel guilty all day. Anyone else?)
It’s quick, like three to five minutes max. The goal? Look less like I was up scrolling TikTok until 1 a.m. and more like a functioning human.
Night Skincare: The “Exhausted but Trying” Routine
Now nights… nights are a whole different vibe. The city slows down (well, a little). My brain slows down too. This is when I pull out the “serious” stuff:
- Makeup remover or cleansing balm (even if I didn’t wear makeup — because subway air is basically makeup’s evil cousin)
- Actual cleanser — sometimes foaming, sometimes cream, depending on my mood
- Toner (when I remember. Half the time I don’t.)
- Retinol or exfoliating serum (my “please fix my face while I sleep” step)
- Thick moisturizer or oil (like a night security blanket)
And you know what? It feels like a ritual. Like, I’m literally wiping the day off my face. Not just grime and sunscreen, but the whole mental mess of meetings, group chats, and trying to resist that second slice of pizza.
Which One Actually Matters More? (The Big Question)
So here’s the tea: I used to think morning skincare was the MVP. SPF, vitamin C, fresh start, all that. But after a year of actually being consistent (and yes, blowing way too much money at Target), I noticed something.
The night routine is where the magic happens. Your skin literally regenerates when you sleep. Like, little construction workers coming out to fix the potholes from the day. If you skip night care, you’re basically leaving the job site abandoned.
Morning routine is crucial, sure — especially SPF, because the sun does not play nice — but it’s more about protection. Night routine? That’s repair mode. That’s when your serums and creams can go deep because they’re not battling sunlight, pollution, or whatever’s floating around on the Q train.
My Accidental Experiment
Last winter I totally botched my night skincare for like three weeks. (Holiday stress, family drama, too many bagels.) I still did my morning routine, religiously. Guess what? My skin looked dull. Weird breakouts. Even my undereye circles were like, “Hello, we’re moving in permanently.”
Then I went back to doing my full night routine — double cleansing, retinol, heavy moisturizer — and within two weeks my face was like, “Oh, hey, remember me? I’m alive.”
So if you’re only going to pick one to be really good at? Night wins.
But Morning Still Deserves Love
Don’t get me wrong. Skip SPF and you’re basically asking for sun spots, fine lines, and that weird driver’s-side-of-the-face thing (you know how truck drivers sometimes have one side more aged from the window sun? Terrifying).
And that vitamin C serum? It’s not just hype. It can help with brightening and protecting your skin from free radicals (which sounds like a band name but is actually bad).
So, I’m not saying don’t do morning skincare. I’m saying, if you’re too tired, make the night routine non-negotiable first.
Real Talk: You Don’t Need 20 Steps
Instagram makes it look like you need a 37-step skincare routine with products that cost more than your rent. Nah. A good morning vs night skincare routine can be super simple:
Morning:
- Cleanse if needed
- Antioxidant serum (vitamin C or whatever)
- Moisturizer
- SPF
Night:
- Remove makeup/sunscreen
- Cleanse
- Treatment (retinol, exfoliant, whatever your skin likes)
- Moisturizer
Done. Four steps each. Your skin will be fine.
Pop Culture Skincare Sins
I still laugh about this — I once saw a girl on the 7 train using a jade roller at 8 a.m. Like, full-on rolling her face between stops. Respect, honestly. That’s commitment.
Or how in Mean Girls, Regina George’s mom is slathering something on her face while holding a martini? That’s the vibe we all secretly want: skincare but make it glamorous.
Reality? I’m half-asleep, smearing cream on my cheeks like a toddler finger-painting.
Where to Go Next
If you’re nerdy about ingredients, I like The Ordinary’s blog for no-BS breakdowns. And there’s this hilarious skincare post I found once about “doing your routine drunk” (Google it — you won’t regret it).
My Messy But Honest Conclusion about morning vs night skincare routine
Morning skincare = protection. Night skincare = repair. Both matter. But if you’re like me and sometimes have to pick one because life happens? Night wins the crown.
Because nothing feels better than going to bed knowing your face is tucked in too.
And if you ever catch me at 7 a.m. with mismatched shoes again, just know — my SPF game is strong, even if my shoe game isn’t.
