Overnight your skin switches into repair mode. Cell turnover accelerates, collagen production peaks, and the barrier becomes more permeable to active ingredients. Your nighttime routine should take full advantage of this biological window, delivering targeted actives that can transform your skin while you sleep.
Here's your step-by-step guide to building an evening routine that works. Adapt it to your skin's needs, skip what doesn't serve you, and remember: consistency beats complexity every time.
1. Double cleanse
Cleansing is the foundation of every skincare routine. And most people get it wrong.
A proper double cleanse removes makeup, SPF, pollution and the day's accumulated dirt without stripping your skin's protective lipid layer. This matters because clean skin absorbs serums and moisturisers more effectively. Blocked pores can't benefit from even the most expensive actives.
Start with an oil cleanser like Light Work™. Our CO2-extracted rosehip cleansing oil dissolves everything (yes, even waterproof mascara) in 30 seconds flat. No surfactants, no residue, just clean skin. Follow with Middlemist Seven™, our cult cream cleanser that conditions while it cleanses. The camellia oil actually nourishes your barrier instead of disrupting it.
2. Exfoliate (once or twice weekly)
Dead skin cells accumulate naturally. Left unchecked, they create a barrier that prevents your serums and oils from penetrating properly. But over-exfoliation triggers inflammation, sensitivity, and breakouts. The sweet spot? Once or twice a week, with something gentle.
Virtuous Circle™ uses spherical jojoba beads that roll across skin rather than scratching it. No plastic microbeads poisoning the ocean. No sharp edges causing micro-tears. Just smooth, radiant skin ready to absorb whatever comes next.
3. Mask (weekly treat)
Think of masks as targeted treatments for specific concerns. Dehydrated? Reach for Resurrection Girl™. This blue gel mask contains resurrection plant extract that can revive even the most parched complexion in 10 minutes. The plant survives complete desiccation in nature. Your skin benefits from that same survival chemistry.
Need clarifying? Dinner Out™ combines copaiba balsam with fruit acids to decongest without stripping. You can even multi-mask: hydration on your cheeks, clarifying on your T-zone. Your face has different needs in different areas.
4. Mist
A hardworking mist does more than refresh. Century Flower™ Barrier Defense Mist contains deep sea minerals that reach your dermal microvasculature in 23 minutes. Clinically proven to reduce flare-ups by strengthening barrier function.
Spritz between every step to boost absorption and lock in layers of hydration. The lotus root water calms inflammation while prebiotic inulin feeds your skin's beneficial bacteria. This is biotech in a bottle, not just fancy water.
5. Target with serums and boosters
This is where you address specific concerns with concentrated actives. Our single-ingredient boosters let you customise your routine without committing to a full-size serum.
For radiance, our 20% Vitamin C Booster uses stabilised ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate that stays active 40-80x longer in skin cells than standard vitamin C. No stinging, no oxidation turning brown in the bottle.
For firming, try our Peptide Booster. Natural biopeptides stimulate collagen and elastin production while you sleep. Mix 1-2 drops into your moisturiser or apply directly to areas of concern.
If hydration is your priority, Back To Life™ delivers multi-weight hyaluronic acid that hydrates from surface to dermis. For compromised barriers, Instant Kalmer™ contains three types of skin-identical ceramides plus anti-inflammatory botanicals to rebuild and soothe simultaneously.
6. Eye cream
The skin around your eyes is up to 10 times thinner than the rest of your face. It needs its own formula. Feather Canyon™ Smoothing Eye Cream contains echium seed oil, clinically proven to reduce wrinkle depth by 30% in 28 days.
The echium stimulates production of fibrillin-1, pro-collagen-1, and decorin. These are the structural proteins that keep eye area skin firm and smooth. Apply with your ring finger (lightest pressure) in gentle tapping motions.
7. Moisturise and seal
Your moisturiser seals in everything you've applied while delivering its own benefits. For targeted overnight renewal, Bonne Nuit™ combines natural biopeptides with gardenia extract that filters blue light and delivers a melatonin-like molecule to support your skin's circadian repair cycle.
Prefer something lighter? Choose based on your skin type. Love and Haight™ provides lipid-rich hydration for dry skin. The Pioneer™ balances combination skin (and happens to be our founder Sarah's favourite).
For sensitive types, The Anthemis™ contains CO2-extracted chamomile that's clinically proven to match hydrocortisone for anti-inflammatory efficacy. Want everyday radiance? C-2 Believe™ delivers stabilised vitamin C in a brightening moisturiser.
8. Face oil (the final seal)
Face oils should always be your last step. They lock in everything beneath while delivering their own concentrated benefits. And results happen fast. Usually by morning.
For breakout-prone skin, Carbon Star™ combines black cumin seed oil (antibacterial) with vegetable charcoal (sebum-absorbing) and Amazonian botanicals. Clinically tested non-comedogenic. It actually prevents breakouts instead of causing them.
For irritated or compromised skin, The Light Fantastic™ delivers ceramides in a fragrance-free oil that strengthens the barrier overnight. Viper's Gloss™ targets mature skin with our most nourishing botanical blend.
But for an all-rounder that tackles everything? Rosehip Bioregenerate™ remains our bestseller for good reason. CO2-extracted from seed and fruit, it contains 700% more polyphenols than cold-pressed alternatives. Dullness, dryness, fine lines, uneven tone, scars. One oil, multiple solutions.
Build your perfect routine with our regimen builder or book a free online consultation with our skin experts
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is double cleansing so important in an evening skincare routine?
Double cleansing removes the layers of makeup, SPF, dirt and pollution that build up during the day, which a single cleanse often leaves behind. More importantly, it ensures your serums, oils and moisturisers can actually penetrate the skin rather than sitting on top of residue. Start with an oil cleanser like Light Work to dissolve oil-based impurities, then follow with a cream cleanser like Middlemist Seven to leave skin soft, balanced and ready for treatment.
What order should I apply my nighttime skincare products?
Work from thinnest to thickest consistency: cleanse first (double cleanse), then exfoliate (once or twice a week), mist, apply targeted serums or boosters, eye cream, moisturiser, and finish with a face oil. Oils go last because they seal in everything underneath and are too occlusive to layer other products over. You can spritz a mist like Century Flower between steps to boost hydration and help each layer absorb.
How do I choose the right targeted serum for my nighttime routine?
Match the serum to your primary skin concern. For dullness and uneven tone, a Vitamin C booster delivers potent brightening antioxidant benefits. If firmness and fine lines are your focus, peptides stimulate collagen and elastin production. For dehydration, look for a hyaluronic acid serum like Back To Life, or if your barrier is compromised and skin feels reactive, Instant Kalmer delivers ceramides to soothe irritation and rebuild resilience.
Why should face oil be the last step in my evening routine?
Face oils are occlusive, meaning they create a seal over the skin that locks in all the hydrating serums and moisturisers applied before them. If you applied oil earlier, it would block water-based products from penetrating. Applied last, oils also deliver their own concentrated actives overnight. Rosehip Bioregenerate works as an all-rounder for regeneration and radiance, while Carbon Star targets breakouts with antibacterial Black Cumin Seed Oil and sebum-absorbing Vegetable Charcoal.
Do I need a separate eye cream at night, or can I just use my regular moisturiser?
The skin around your eyes is up to ten times thinner than the rest of your face and lacks the oil glands that keep other areas naturally moisturised, so it needs a dedicated formula. A regular moisturiser can be too heavy and may migrate into the eyes, causing puffiness or irritation. Feather Canyon is specifically designed for this area, using Echium seed oil to support structural proteins like collagen and multi-weight hyaluronic acid to hydrate without overloading delicate skin.
