Skincare for People Who Work at Night

When I discuss when to use different skincare products, and I say use sunscreen in the morning, or apply exfoliants and antioxidants at bedtime, there’s an implicit assumption that you are awak during the day and that you sleep at night. But what about the large and very important part of the population that works at night and sleeps during the day?

This important subject was brought to my attention by a viewer who wrote:

“I've recently changed from working during the day to working at nighttime. Because of this, I spend most of the daylight time inside my apartment sleeping. So I was wondering, is it really necessary for me to apply sunscreen before I go to bed in the morning?”

What an interesting situation.

The answer to the question is, "no," even though it’s daytime, and today I’ll discuss when to use the three essential daily skincare products - sunscreen, exfoliants and antioxidants - for our friends who work at night.

First and most important, if you work at night, you need to apply your sunscreen at the end of your work shift for your daylight trip home, and even more importantly, for any daytime activities done before you go home to go to sleep.

Then, when you get home, but before you go to sleep, even though it’s daytime and there’s day light, that’s the time for you to apply exfoliants and antioxidants. Assuming that the shades are closed while you’re sleeping, your antioxidants can be applied even though it’s daytime because there won’t be any meaningful exposure to antioxidant neutralizing UV rays while sleeping.

Assuming it’s dark when you leave the house to go to work, you don’t need to apply sunscreen when arising to go to work but you can reapply your antioxidant for a second dose since there aren’t any UV rays at night. Day or night, moisturizers are applied last but of course before any face make up.

The bottom line is, regardless of when you work or play, sunscreen is necessary whenever there is daylight, antioxidants should be used when there’s no daylight hitting your skin since the UV rays destroy antioxidants, and exfoliants are best used before you go to sleep when you aren’t wearing sunscreen so they can be the first layer applied.