MY NIGHTLY BEAUTY RITUAL

My mom is definitely one of my biggest beauty icons. In fact, almost everything I know about beauty, I've learned from her. How to make a simple at-home face mask to help calm down my sensitive skin, what to do if my nails became dry and brittle, how to brush my hair so that it would grow longer faster, she just always knew what to do and was a constant source of some of the best beauty tips and tricks I now use on daily basis! Though she's given me quite a few wonderful tips over the years, the one beauty advice I adhere to religiously is the nightly ritual. Every evening, before I go to bed, I take care of my hair, skin and body.

But why is nightly ritual so important? Well, aside from the fact that new skin cells tend to grow faster when you sleep, during the night, our skin goes to work to repair damage and to restore our complexion, so a great night-time skin care routine is an absolute must. I've shared my morning routine with you in the past, but I haven't really talked about what it is that I do at night, so I'd like to take this opportunity to discuss my evening ritual a bit. 

Normally, I start with my hair. I have to admit, that I haven't always been so diligent about brushing my hair at night. But about a year ago, I decided to give it a try and brushed my hair every night for seven days straight, and I can't tell you what a difference simple brushing made! Soft and shiny, my hair hasn't looked this good in years! Naturally, I was hooked, so now, I brush my hair every night for about 10-15 minutes using a paddle brush with natural boar bristles.

Next is the face. I've talked to you at length about my skin care routine in the past, so you probably know that at this point in time my main goal is to prevent and to correct. Living in California, I spend quite a bit of time in the sun, so if I'm not careful, I tend to get those pesky little dark spots around my cheeks and nose. Recently, I started using RoC RETINOL CORRECTION Sensitive Night Cream to firstly, even out discolorations, prevent fine lines and wrinkles, and to smooth the skin. I've heard a lot of really great things about retinol, like the fact that it's recommended by dermatologists as one of the best age-fighting ingredients, but also that retinol boosts collagen and speeds cell turnover, so I was really eager to try it for myself. After speaking to Dr. Dhanal G. Bhanusali, MD, a leading New York-based dermatologist, who gave me a bit more background information about why retinols are such incredible products because they stimulate cell turnover ( almost like a superficial peel ) and remove the excess debris that clog pores, I am definitely happy I did! What I like about RoC RETINOL CORRECTION Sensitive Night Cream in particular is the fact that it doesn't irritate my sensitive skin, and I can see and feel the difference in my skin. It's much softer but also the discolorations around my cheeks and nose started to fade to the point that they are barely noticeable. Dr. Dhanal G. Bhanusali, MD also suggested using retinol products, like the RoC RETINOL CORRECTION Sensitive Night Cream at night because exposed pores and increased cell turnover leave you a bit more vulnerable to UV rays. So now, every evening I apply about about a dime size of RoC RETINOL CORRECTION Sensitive Night Cream followed by RoC RETINOL CORRECTION Eye Cream to even out dark circles, and to prevent lines and wrinkles. I also use sunscreen during the day to protect my skin from burns.

Last but certainly not least is nail and body care. I've always been able to grown my nails long due to the fact that I never go to bed without moisturizing my hands. Currently, I use coconut oil, which is honestly one of the best moisturizers I've ever tried. I start by massaging coconut oil into my hands, paying special attention to cuticles, next I apply coconut oil to my legs, feet, elbows and knees, which tend to be particularly dry areas for me. The whole process takes no time at all but next morning you wake up with baby soft skin!