The Real Impact on Your Skin When You Sleep in Your Makeup

I’ve always considered removing my make-up before bed as a non-negotiable part of my skincare routine. Whether I’m so tired that I can barely keep my eyes open or feeling under the weather, speaking to so many dermatologists and skin experts for work means that the importance of cleansing before bed has been drilled into me. However, in the interest of coming clean, when the festive season rolls around with its combination of parties, late nights and last trains home, sometimes the temptation to collapse straight into bed is simply too much to resist. And in those moments I will often find myself thinking just how bad can sleeping with make-up on really be?

The truth is, of course, that just one night of sleeping with make-up on isn’t going to have catastrophic long-term results—especially if you’re vigilant with your skincare routine usually. But the truth is that small slip-ups can start to accumulate and, over time, skipping make-up removal will start to show on its skin. So before we get into the season of glossy red lips and glittery eyeshadows, I decided to call on an expert to break down what actually happens when you sleep with your make-up on—and how to repair the damage if you do.

What actually happens to your skin when you sleep with make-up on?

Personally, I can almost immediately tell the next morning on the rare occasions that I’ve slept in my make-up as my skin instantly looks dull and everything feels a whole lot more dehydrated than it would otherwise. And if my mascara is still on? Then itchy, irritable eyes are a given.

Scientifically speaking, a lot happens with our skin overnight as it’s a time when it enters repair mode. “By sleeping in your make-up it can prevent normal skin repair and may actually irritate the skin barrier, especially if your make-up contains fragrance or occlusive pigments,” explains dermatologist Dr Ejikeme. “Make-up effectively traps oil, sweat and pollution on the skin overnight which can clog pores, increase the risk of breakouts and lead to dullness.” Eye make-up, especially mascara and eye liner, can also flake off as you sleep and into the eye area causing inflammation and irritation.

Essentially, sleeping with make-up on basically works directly against all of the good things that your skin is naturally trying to do to regenerate while you rest.

Can you reverse the effects of sleeping in make-up?

In the instance that you’ve woken up with your full face of last night’s make-up still intact (no judgement) I was keen to know if there’s anything that you can do to help it recover. My first instinct is always to drink a huge pint of water to start rehydrating from the inside, but what about what we should be doing on the outside?

“First things first, start with a gentle cleanse to remove any remaining product and debris,” she advises. A balm or oil-based cleanser will help to dissolve make-up and then a second cleanse with a rich cream or hydrating gel cleanser will help to sweep away any residue.

While it might be tempting to give your skin a real good scrub to get it squeaky clean, it is best to keep things simple. “Avoid strong exfoliants or active ingredients that might worsen irritation and focus on hydration and barrier support instead,” says Dr Ejikeme. It’s also best to avoid any acids or retinoids for the day as your skin barrier is likely already compromised.

Instead, after cleansing, look for replenishing, hydration and calming moisturisers and ingredients like hyaluronic acid, ceramides and niacinamide to replenish lost moisture levels, plump the skin and hopefully restore some glow.

Dr Ejikeme also recommends topping up moisture throughout the day with a soothing mask. She rates the Revolution Pro Miracle Lab Fix Pro-Collagen Pillow Plump Face Mask for quenching dehydration. “Apply it later in the day or evening to help rehydrate and calm the skin,” Dr Ejikeme advises.

How to avoid sleeping with make-up

Prevention is always a better route to take than repair, so if you know you have some late nights coming up or party season is packed with diary dates then keeping some fast but efficacious products on hand will help. A bottle of micellar water and cotton pads is not ideal for daily use, but better than using nothing at all, and one-step cleansers will make a full make-up removal routine feel less daunting when you just want to crawl into bed.

“Use an oil-based cleansing balm to dissolve make-up effectively or a micellar water for sensitive skin, which is particularly good for delicate areas like the eyes,” says Dr Ejikeme. “And if you’re short on time then follow with a basic moisturiser that supports barrier repair and hydration.” The key to not sleeping with your make-up on is reducing any friction. If it’s easy, fast and efficient then you’re more likely to do it (even at 2am) and your dewy skin will thank you in the morning.