What to do if you slept in makeup

Yep – sleeping in your make-up is bad for your skin. It clogs your pores, leads to bacteria build-up and breakouts, and leaves you with a sad, dull-looking complexion.

Truth is, it happens to the best of us. Even the most conscious of beauties will wake up with their pillow covered in lipstick every once in a while. So instead of scolding you for your ever-so-naughty beauty sin, here’s what to do if you slept in your make-up last night.

#1 Double cleanse

As soon as you open your mascara-smeared eyes, head straight to the sink. Start by massaging an oil cleanser into your skin to dissolve any leftover make-up. We like L’OCCITANE Immortelle Oil Make-Up Remover as it removes even the most stubborn of mascara, and is gentle on sensitive skin and eyes. 

Follow with your regular cleanser of choice. If you have oily or acne-prone skin, go for a gentle foaming cleanser like KORA Organics Foaming Cleanser. If you’re more on the dry side, we recommend a rich, cream cleanser like Sukin Cream Cleanser. Then, gently pat your skin dry with a towel. 

#2 Take a good look

Once you’ve removed last night’s make-up residue, take a good look at the damage. Your best bet is to do this under a bright light in your bathroom or outside in natural light. Chances are you’ll have a new blemish (or two, or three), a couple of dry patches, your pores will be enlarged, and your skin will have a grey-tinge and look rather lifeless. 

#3 Treat accordingly

Don’t take a ‘one size fits all’ approach to your skin – especially after breaking the number one beauty rule and sleeping in a full face of make-up. If you wake up with enlarged pores, dry patches and blemishes, you need to treat each problem area accordingly. 

Start with scrubbing Sanctuary Spa Pore Refining Exfoliator into congested areas of the face, or areas where your pores are on the larger side.

If your skin is dry, treat yourself to Bellamer Renewing Face and Neck Mask. The formula combines calendula oil, camellia oil, jojoba oil and shea butter for exceptional, collagen-enhancing hydration.

For brand-spanking new blemishes, you can’t go past a spot treatment. The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil can be applied directly on blemishes to quickly and effectively get rid of them.

#4 Avoid next time

There’s always a lesson in our mistakes, right? If you’ve got a feeling you’re going to repeat this beauty blunder or if you know you’re a regular offender, make sure you use water-based primers and foundations as opposed to oil-based, as there’s less risk of waking up with clogged pores from these formulas. bh loves Maybelline New York Dream Liquid Mousse Foundation and INIKA Certified Organic Pure Primer with Hyaluronic Acid. 

Make-up removers we’re loving...

BIODERMA Sensibio H2O, Planet Eve Organics Facial Cleansing Oil, Dermalogica PreCleanse Wipes, Nivea Visage 3 in 1 Waterproof Make-Up Remover, asap Gentle Eye Make-Up Remover

How often do you sleep in your make-up? What do you use on your skin to recover from the damage?