Quick and Easy Nighttime Skincare Routine for Mature Skin (2025)

The older we get, the less time we want to spend on an elaborate, over-the-top skincare routine before bed. We want to brush our teeth, slather on some cream and call it a night. On the other hand, the older we get, the more skin woes we have to deal with (age spots, dryness, fine lines, oh my!) that require a few more minutes to tackle. The good news? Dermatologists say we can easily do a nighttime skincare routine that tackles aging skin concerns in four easy steps—and in no time, you’ll be hitting the bed and snoozing while getting your beauty sleep.

What’s the importance of a nighttime skincare routine?

For starters, know that whatever your skin type—oily, dry or combination—as well as age, it’s essential to have some sort of nighttime skincare routine. But, a skincare regimen does not mean it has to be complicated. “Simplicity is key with any skincare routine, especially at bedtime when you’re exhausted and ready for bed,” assures dermatologist Pooja Rambhia, MD.

So, why do we specifically need a nighttime skincare routine? “They’re important because they help to remove dirt and oil that have accumulated on the skin throughout the day and prep the skin for maximal absorption of active ingredients like retinol, peptides and antioxidants,” explains Dr. Rambhia.

Further, our body, including our skin, works hard while we sleep! It undergoes repair and regeneration, including skin cell turnover, at night, says Dr. Rambhia. These processes are even more effective when we are using the right products and ingredients in our nighttime skincare routine.

Why is a nighttime skincare routine important for mature skin?

As we age, we lose a key protein that is responsible for healthy, radiant skin: collagen. A loss of collagen leads to a loss of skin elasticity, moisture and plumpness. Thankfully, you can help to restore that lost collagen with an effective nighttime skincare routine that caters to mature skin and ingredients that help boost your collagen production.

Then, of course, there are hormonal fluctuations that occur during perimenopause and menopause, as well as stress to contend with, both of which can throw even the most beautiful skin off balance at times. Keeping up with a consistent yet simple nighttime skincare routine can help prevent your skin from reacting when these hormone fluctuations arise.

The best nighttime skincare routine

It seems like we’re constantly being thrown new, often conflicting advice when it comes to our skin, which can make creating a skincare routine extra difficult. We want in on the latest super-ingredients—be they hyaluronic acid or retinol—but do we really need to use them all? And how do we know which ingredients and products are right for our skin?

If you’re wondering what the building blocks are to a functional nighttime skincare routine, as well as which order each of your skincare products should go in, Dr. Rambhia explains in the easy-to-follow, step-by-step guide below.

Nighttime skincare routine step 1: Cleanser

The first step of a nighttime skincare routine is to cleanse away any dirt, oil and grime your face accumulated throughout the day, whether from environmental factors (like pollution), makeup or sweat. However, it’s important that your cleanser is not too stripping, advises Dr. Rambhia, and is nice and gentle—especially for mature skin, since these skin types tend to be drier. She suggests looking for ingredients such as ceramides and hyaluronic acid, both super moisturizing ingredients that will help to counteract the drying effects of soap on the skin.

The good news: There are dozens of great, affordable cleansers on the market. And, since “cleansers spend the least amount of time on the skin, you don’t need to spend tons of money buying fancy ones!” agrees Dr. Rambhia. Here are a few great options:

For oily skin: Opt for a foaming consistency, “as they are better at eliminating excess oil or sebum,” says Dr. Rambhia. Try: CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser, which is made with three essential ceramides, hyaluronic acid and niacinamide.

For dry skin: Hydrating ingredients are key when it comes to cleansers for dry skin. Dr. Rambhia says to look for ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin and ceramides, all of which will “reinforce the skin barrier.” Try: La Roche-Posay Hydrating Gentle Cleanser, made with each of those hydrating ingredients Dr. Rambhia recommended.

Nighttime skincare routine step 2: Toner

The best part of this step? It’s optional! While toner is helpful with removing any excess grime, makeup or dirt you may have missed while cleansing, it is not an essential step of a nighttime skincare routine, assures Dr. Rambhia. Toners can be great for dry skin, as some toners contain hydrating ingredients like glycerin, for example, but for sensitive skin (or if you just want a simpler regimen), Dr. Rambhia advises skipping this step, as “some toners can contain fragrances like botanical extract that can irritate the skin.”

If you do want to add a toner to your routine, a great gentle one to try is the Indie Lee CoQ-10 Toner. Its key ingredients tackle many aging woes, especially dryness thanks to its soothing and hydrating cucumber, aloe and hyaluronic acid. Plus, it protects against environmental aggressors due to antioxidant-rich CoQ-10.

Nighttime skincare routine step 3: Serums/retinol

Serums are great for addressing the specific skin concerns you may have, such as fine lines and wrinkles or discoloration. You should also incorporate a retinol, which Dr. Rambhia says she recommends for all of her patients, especially those with mature skin as it does wonders for fine lines. “Retinols are vitamin A derivatives that help to stimulate collagen production and repair damage from UV rays—they are my number one anti-aging product!” she exclaims.

Kate Kerr, clinical facialist and director of Kate Kerr London Clinic, is also a fan of retinol for mature skin for a nighttime skincare routine. “At night while you sleep, your skin goes into healing mode, so it’s the best time to give it a boost with a variety of active ingredients that help with cell renewal and damage repair,” she says. “The most popular of the ‘active correctives’ is retinol, due not only to its high efficacy but also to the wide variety of products and formulations designed for various skin types. Most corrective products contain high levels of active ingredients so it’s best to start using them just in the evening.”

A word of precaution when it comes to serums: “It’s important to never overdo it with numerous serums that contain many different active ingredients, as this has the potential to irritate the skin,” advises Dr. Rambhia.

For dry skin: To add extra hydration back into your skin, opt for a hyaluronic acid and retinol serum, as the hyaluronic acid “attracts and retains moisture in the skin, thus helping to plump the skin and reduce the appearance of subtle fine lines,” says Dr. Rambhia. One of her favorites is the CeraVe Skin Renewing Retinol Serum.

For oily skin: This isn’t a serum, but it is an amazing retinoid (which is one step up from retinol, meaning it’s slightly stronger) that is especially great for oily skin prone to acne: La Roche-Posay Effaclar Adapalene 0.1%. An excess of sebum production often leads to breakouts and blemishes, and the adapalene in this retinoid treats acne. (Note: This treatment should be applied after moisturizer.)

For discoloration: A few reliable ingredients to look for in a serum for discoloration are glycolic acid, azaleic acid, tranexamic acid and niacinamide, all of which help even skin tone, fade dark spots and brighten complexion, says Dr. Rambhia. Try: Naturium Multi-Bright Tranexamic Acid Treatment 5%, which contains tranexamic acid, encapsulated kojic acid, alpha arbutin and acetyl glucosamine to brighten the complexion and fade dark spots. We also are fans of La Roche-Posay Mela B3 Serum, made with dark spot-fighting Melasyl and a whopping 10% niacinamide.

Nighttime skincare routine step 4: Moisturizer

Regardless of your skin type, it is crucial to use a moisturizer—especially for mature skin! “As we age, our skin’s ability to retain water and moisture diminishes because there is a decline in the production of hyaluronic acid,” explains Dr. Rambhia. Finishing your nighttime skincare routine with a moisturizer will help replenish that lost moisture from aging.

Best nighttime moisturizers for oily skin:

There is a common misconception that moisturizer makes oily skin more oily, which is not always true. If you feel your moisturizer is leaving your skin feeling greasy, you may just be using the wrong product.

“Oily skin can still experience dehydration given a lack of water content in the skin, so it’s important to still use a lighter moisturizer to help balance the skin’s moisture levels, thus minimizing compensatory excess oil production,” says Dr. Rambhia.

Opt for a gel-based moisturizer if you have oily skin, as they are typically more lightweight and absorb quicker. One we love is IT Cosmetics Confidence in a Gel Cream Oil-Free Moisturizer because it’s full of skin-loving ingredients like niacinamide, squalane, vitamin E and peptides, and it’s oil-free! For a more affordable, drugstore option, Dr. Rambhia backs Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Cream. If you don’t love a gel texture but still want an oil-free option, try Kate Somerville Oil-Free Moisturizer (I personally use this and have been loving it).

Best nighttime moisturizers for dry skin:

As for dry skin, you really want to look for humectants like glycerin and hyaluronic acid that “help to retain water in our skin,” as well as “fatty acids to help seal in moisture and ceramides to strengthen the skin barrier,” suggests Dr. Rambhia. It’s also good to look for a texture and formula that is a bit thicker.

Dr. Rambhia’s recommendations are Vanicream Moisturizing Creamand CeraVe Moisturizing Cream.

Have extra time to spare? Add these steps to your routine

If you’re looking to step up your skincare routine and take it a notch further, our experts recommend these few steps below.

Exfoliate skin

If there’s one thing that skincare experts can agree on, it’s the importance of exfoliation. “This is a key step that often gets forgotten or overlooked,” says skincare expert Elsie Rutterford, co-founder of BYBI Skincare. “Exfoliating can actually prep skin for the other steps in your beauty routine, removing the layer of dead skin cells and ensuring your skin is primed to absorb nutrients.”

Formulations have also come a long way in the past few years. Exfoliation is no longer limited to so-called “physical” scrubs that slough off skin with grainy ingredients. Chemical exfoliants formulated with AHAs and BHAs remove dead cell build-up, leaving the skin looking more radiant. “How often you should do this depends on your skin type and tolerance to certain products,” says Rutterford. “Those with sensitive skin may find an acid exfoliant too harsh to use on a daily basis, so perhaps limit use to once or twice a week.”

In other words, this is not an essential step to do every day, but is beneficial to incorporate a couple of times a week. Try: The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Exfoliating Peeling Solution.

It’s important to note that when you start using such treatments, the skin can feel a little irritated, but this shouldn’t cause too much alarm. Kerr says, “With products containing AHAs, BHAs and retinol, minor irritation, redness and peeling is completely normal as your skin adjusts to the high level of activity on your skin. The best course of action is to pull back for a day or two until these effects dissipate. Then, reintroduce your active product every second or third day, slowly building up to daily use.”

You’ll also need to up your SPF protection during the day, as acid-based skincare can make your complexion more sensitive to the sun’s rays.

Swipe on a hydrating lip balm

Your lips need just as much moisture as your skin! Before bed, apply a dab of Aquaphor or Vaseline to lips (and eyelashes!).

Apply an eye cream

“Eye creams are a nice bonus step, but not necessary,” says Dr. Rambhia. “Eye creams are specifically formulated to be gentler around the eyes given the skin is thinner and more sensitive.” She says to look for peptides, retinol, antioxidants and moisturizing ingredients when choosing an eye cream. Her favorite? RoC Retinol Line Smoothing Anti Wrinkle for Dark Circles Eye Cream.