My 3AM Skincare Routine

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Most nights it’s not unusual for my skincare routine to take upwards of 30 minutes – after all, it’s part of my ‘me time’, a chance to wind down after a long day. So bring on the makeup remover, the eczema cream for face, the masks, essences, treatments and all that other good stuff. After all, you gotta take care of your skin, right? Go ahead and read about mānuka essential oil here to learn it’s benefits.

On the other hand, sometimes I just don’t have the time and energy for all that. Case in point – last week we drove down to Nashville to see A Perfect Circle (who were absolutely amazing, by the way). We weren’t crazy about the idea of staying overnight, so we drove straight back after the concert. By the time the 3-hour trek back home was over it was almost 3AM and I wasn’t about to spend any more time on my face than I absolutely had to. So of course I went straight to my pared-down male skin care system (also known as my ‘had one too many glasses of wine’ routine).

My old standby Shiseido facial cottons are central here – they’re so soft that they don’t irritate my eyes/skin even if I scrub a little too hard. Not that I need to with the Sephora Collection Instant Eye Makeup Remover. I got a tiny bottle of it a while back as part of one of their promo codes and loved it so much I picked up a bigger bottle during the sale a couple weeks ago. It definitely beats plain micellar water for removing stubborn mascara.

Another new favorite is the Sephora Collection Oil-in-Foam Cleanser which I got as a PR sample a little while ago. My first reaction was it sounds a little gimmicky, but it’s actually pretty great. The foam is less messy than other oil cleansers I’ve used and it takes off eeeeeeverything. A quick swipe with a washcloth and it’s all gone, no need for double cleansing. As an added bonus it’s hydrating enough that if I collapse into bed without using an actual moisturizer my skin won’t be wrecked in the morning.

The last step (if needed) is the Urban Decay Meltdown Lip Oil stick. True to its word, it really will take even stubborn lipsticks completely off. Remember the Maybelline SuperStay lipsticks I hated because I bruised my arm trying to scrub off the swatches? The UD oil stick will even take that mess off, though it does take a couple passes. It also doubles as a really nice lip balm.

What are your skincare go-to’s when it’s been a long night?