• What happens to your skin if sleep with makeup on

    What happens to your skin if sleep with makeup on

    This is a situation that occurs far more often than it should. You've just finished a particularly draining day, collapsed in your comfy bed, and still find that you have to wash your face. But sleep has already begun to sink in, the bed is beckoning, and washing your face is the last thing you want to do. Sound familiar?

    You don't need a degree in dermatology to guess that sleeping with your makeup on is a bad idea. You already know it's not good for your sheets (as evidenced by the stains and glitter spots on the foundation of your entire pillow), but how big of a skin care sin is it?

    As a daily foundation wearer, I'm also guilty of being a zombie with a face full of makeup, so I tapped Joshua Zeichner, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City, and board-certified Loretta Ciraldo MD, FAAD. A dermatologist in Miami, Florida tells 4-1-1 what makeup-filled sleep is actually doing to our faces.

    Don't say anything, it's some scary stuff. Here are the obvious ones When all the makeup is on your face, your pores can't breathe and get clogged. You've probably woken up to a breakout (or several) after fainting, and that's no accident. "Makeup physically blocks the pores, preventing oil from leaving the skin and leading to a breakout," Dr. Zeichner says.

    And that's not all. Make-up traps pollutants in the skin. This type of environmental stress causes an increase in free radicals, which can lead to skin irritation, redness, and inflammation. Chronic inflammation can contribute to premature aging, including increased pigment production and collagen breakdown, Dr. Zeichner said.

    This can be an even bigger problem if you regularly apply large amounts of product to your sheets or if you have sensitive skin. Most cosmetics have artificial colors and fragrances, and leaving them on overnight can cause allergic reactions and irritant contact dermatitis in sensitive skin, Dr. Ciraldo says.

    But one night? Will it still wreak havoc?

    The good news is that unless your skin is genetically sensitive, both experts agree that one night won't spur skin armageddon. Once in a while, say once a month, is not going to do much harm. And don't stress even if this happens occasionally, says Dr. Ciraldo, because stress can confuse your skin with breakouts and sensitivity. In other words, slipping once or twice isn't a reason to worry.

    However, Dr. Ciraldo does suggest at least removing eye makeup (even wipes) if you're really tired. Removing mascara and other eye makeup should be a priority because the skin of our eyes is thinner than tissue paper and represents the thinnest skin on our face. This skin is prone to infection and inflammation and is most likely to be damaged by sleeping with makeup (even overnight).

    Dr. Zeichner adds that sleeping with eye makeup may increase the risk of developing ovariectasias (clogged sebaceous glands on the eyelids). There is also a risk of developing eyelid dermatitis, or irritation caused by mascara rubbing against the eyelids during sleep. In the worst case scenario, makeup can get into the eye itself, leading to conjunctivitis.

    So what can you do to put yourself in the sink every night? The easiest way to become a faithful facial cleanser is to get serious about your nighttime skincare routine. This doesn't mean that you need to spend more than 30 minutes a night on a multi-product system, but cleansing your face and a solid moisturizer can go a long way in promoting the faster rate of cell regeneration that occurs during sleep. If you know you're running late, Dr. Ciraldo also recommends not waiting until before bedtime to wash off your makeup. Instead, try doing it right after dinner, before you get too tired.

    The key takeaways, according to Dr. Zeichner's wise words, are as follows Just because a makeup has a longwear label doesn't mean it needs to stick to your skin for a long time. Don't accept the marketing claims that it literally maintains its power 24/7.