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It is so important to practice self-care at the end of your day, whether you completed a full set of exams or just spent it working hard in bed watching Netflix. Nightly routines vary a lot from person to person – like for me, it’s all about skincare and masking, but for my friends it’s about slipping into a nice long bath with a glass of wine.
Lucky for you, Her Conference is here, so I’ve been on the hunt for inspo to see how everyone plans to wind down after a full day of networking and Instagramming. Obv, I turned to the other Her Campus editors, my faves for recommending products and all the ways to fit more wellness into my routine. Keep scrolling to see how a bunch of HC editors get un-ready and practice some nighttime TLC during their busiest days.
Rachel Lewis, Senior Editor
“When I travel for work, I have one goal as soon as the event wraps: Take off my damn makeup. I’m known to rush, immediately, to the bathroom the second the last important person leaves the room to wash everything off of my face. This means I tend to ruin post-even group photos, whoops, but it also means I get to be my truest self, which is a makeup-free human (with the exception of my giant, fake eyebrows, thanks Boy Brow).
My routine: double cleanse, and then hydrate TF outta my skin. I’ve been using the Palmer’s + Milky Jelly combo for like a year now, and it’s changing the game for me because it means absolutely every single sprinkle of highlighter, concealer, foundation, and contour is dead and gone. I wrap things up by pressing (ya gotta press, not rub, you guys) a face oil into my skin, and follow up with a nice and thick sleeping mask. Pro tip that lavender helps de-stress, so rub it allll over.”
Palmer’s, target.com, $11; shop now
Glossier, glossier.com, $9+; shop now
The Ordinary, theordinary.com, $10; shop now
Leaders Cosmetics, leaderscosmeticsusa.com, $30; shop now
Felicity Warner, Assistant Editor
“After a long and productive day like #HerConference, my skin is def in need of some major TLC. I first turn to my trusted micellar water, which is *way* gentler on my skin than a classic makeup wipe. I wipe off all the dirt, makeup, and whatever else ended up on my skin at the end of the day. I then use some of my acne-controlling face wash that really helps with my random breakouts to completely clear out any excess gunk. If I’m really feeling like I need a heavy cleanup, I’ll grab my Cup of Coffee mask from Lush and leave it on for a good 10 minutes, before scrubbing it in and washing it away. With a clean, baby face left to work with, I apply either a serum or my moisturizer with SPF just to give my skin some love and moisture before I pass out.
At this step in my skincare routine, I’m ready to sleeeep and can’t take any more steps, but hey, it works for me!”
Garnier, target.com, $7; shop now
Neutrogena, target.com, $7; shop now
Lush Cosmetics, lushusa.com, $12; shop now
Estée Lauder, esteelauder.com, $34; shop now
Related: 8 Products I Always Use When I Know I’m Going to Be Posting A Lot on Instagram That Day
Gina Escandon, Beauty Editor
“While I’m definitely more in the skincare club, I do wear quite a bit of face makeup during the day, especially when I’m doing beauty-related things and networking. So when I get un-ready for beddy bye, my main concerns are 1) cleaning all the gunk of my face, and 2) moisturizing my skin until I look like a glowy little baby. I’ve found that the cleanser and toner combo is super effective for clearing out my pores and washing all the debris from my face without too much pulling and tugging. Then I come in with my fave serum and mask to heal my complexion, even out my skin, and basically renew my whole face overnight.”
Neutrogena, ulta.com, $8; shop now
Bliss, ulta.com, $12; shop now
Drunk Elephant, sephora.com, $90; shop now
Summer Fridays, sephora.com, $48; shop now
Holly Rhue, Branded Content Editor
“Since I’ll be wearing a full face of makeup to Her Conference (I work from home so this is my one time to shine in front of my coworkers), my first step in my skincare routine will be to melt away my mascara, eyeshadow, and bronzer with Sephora’s Cleansing Oil-In-Balm. I’ve tried pricier cleansing balms and they all work the same, so I like this $12 option, thank you very much.
Next I cleanse my now makeup-free skin with literally any gel cleanser that I have on hand and my Clarisonic Sensitive Skin brush for a full minute. Right now, I’m using Aveeno’s Positively Radiant Micellar Gel Cleanser, but like balms, I believe all gel cleansers are created equal. (Unless you have a serious skincare concern like cystic acne, the cheap stuff will do the job). I don’t have acne-prone skin, but I *do* get a nice little beard of hormonal acne when my period starts, so my third step is to swipe one of Neutrogena’s Rapid Clear Treatment Pads in circular motions all over my face. The pads are infused with 2% Salicylic Acid to treat breakouts, which is the maximum strength available over the counter (clears breakouts, but it’s hella drying).
Following the rule of applying skincare from thinnest to thickest, my fourth step is Drunk Elephant’s T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Night Serum. This is what we in the biz call a chemical exfoliator (rather than a physical, abrasive scrub)–the formula uses a number of acids (sounds harsh, but it’s not!) to slough away dead skin cells and pore-clogging gunk. Since this is a pricier serum ($80) and packed with a ton of skin-loving ingredients, I let my skin soak that in for a full two minutes before moving on to my next step. To kill time, I’ll brush my teeth. Once that serum is fully absorbed, I use Drunk Elephant’s LaLa Retro Whipped Cream Moisturizer. This is another pricier moisturizer, but it’s ultra-hydrating (which I need after all of those acids) and free of fragrances or dyes, so my sensitive skin drinks it right up! I think eye cream is the biggest scam there ever was, so I tap DE’s LaLa Retro under my eyes too.
And finally, if you’re still with me, I break out Peace Out Skin Care’s Acne Healing Dots and stick those on to any pimples I might see emerging. I leave those on overnight and voila! In the morning you’ll see the hydrocolloid dots have sucked all of the oil and grime from your zit, killing it in half the time.”
Sephora Collection, sephora.com, $18; shop now
Drunk Elephant, sephora.com, $90; shop now
Drunk Elephant, sephora.com, $60; shop now
Neutrogena, target.com, $8; shop now
Edel Rimando, Assistant Social Video Editor
“After a long day, especially of long events, everything about me needs TLC. So when I get un-ready, I go all out full-body reset. I am a nighttime showerer (if I shower in the morning I will never get ready to go to work) so when it’s about time to head to bed, I put my white robe on and get my night routine going.
Before I head into the shower I put the Amika Scalp Clensing Pre-Wash all over my scalp and let it sit for 10 minutes. While waiting for the pre-wash to settle in, I take off all my makeup off with Micellar Water. TBH, I have no clue why it took me so long to use this because it’s the best at getting my makeup off without making me feel super oily after. Once my makeup is off and the pre-wash has settled into my scalp, I hop in the shower rinse the pre-wash and go through my normal shower routine. Once I’ve rinsed shampoo out of my hair I step out of the shower and start the hair mask + face mask combo.
First I apply the hair mask on my damp hair then apply a fresh face mask. At minimum the hair mask should be in my hair for 10 minutes. The face mask should stay on as long as instructed. This is the best time for me to catch up on my Twitter feed, YouTube videos, edit photos, and whatever makes me happy and relaxed. Then I hop into the shower and rinse everything off! After this whole routine I feel refreshed and reset for the next day. It’s a little more effort for a night routine, but if done once a week or after a long event, my skin and hair thank me!”
Garnier, target.com, $7; shop now
Amika, sephora.com, $38; shop now
Amika, sephora.com, $25; shop now
Lush Cosmetics, lushusa.com, $14; shop now
And that’s all our suggestions for an amazing p.m. routine, sure to make you look and feel great. The only struggle? Finding a way to fit all these products in my carry-on bag when I fly to LA and New York.
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