How to Clear Your Skin Overnight

Using the Proper Cleaning Regimen

Avoid over-washing. You might think that clearing a blemish overnight would require you to scrub the skin repeatedly the night before; however, washing too much can dry out and irritate skin. If you dry out skin too much in an attempt to clear it, you can potentially wake up the next morning with even more blemishes than you went to sleep with. Washing twice a day is a great overall way to get and keep clear skin. Even if the blemish does not disappear completely, washing the appropriate amount reduces redness around blemishes to help reduce the appearance of them. Over-washing, on the other hand, will cause the dry skin to appear redder and irritated.

Use a mild, oil-free cleanser. In addition to washing the proper amount, you should also make sure you’re washing with the correct cleanser. Grainy soaps or those with harsh chemicals can dry out skin as well. Dry skin then goes into overdrive on oil production, which can actually lead to more breakouts rather than fewer. Instead use a mild, oil-free cleanser with a dermatologist recommended ingredient such as benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid. In addition to simply “oil free,” the cleanser may also be labelled as “nonacnegenic” or “noncomedogenic.” Any of these labels are fine because they all mean that the product will not clog pores.

Use clean fingertips to scrub the skin. Washcloths, mesh sponges, or other scrubbing devices aimed at exfoliating skin can also cause irritation and redness because they’re too abrasive for many types of acne-prone skin. Avoid scouring your skin with these implements and simply use thoroughly cleaned fingertips to scrub the skin gently in a circular motion. You should also pat the skin dry with a clean towel rather than rubbing the skin, which can also irritate blemish areas. In addition to their abrasiveness, many of these exfoliating scrubbers left damp and hanging from shower racks can actually become breeding grounds for bacteria. Using these scrubbers can often spread around the pore-clogging germs you’re trying to eliminate.

Spot-treat the area(s) with an acne cream. Even though you need to avoid treating your entire face too intensely, you can spot-treat the specific area you want to clear. Find a benzoyl peroxide acne cream specifically aimed at spot treating areas and apply as directed in the product’s instructions. Apply directly after cleaning the skin and apply either with thoroughly cleaned fingers or a cotton swab.

Use a moisturizing lotion. If the rest of your skin feels excessively dry after cleaning it, then apply a moisturizing lotion to the other areas while leaving the area with the benzoyl peroxide alone. You should look for a lotion that says “noncomedogenic” on the label to ensure that it won’t clog pores and lead to more blemishes. Acne-fighting lotions are also available in many stores.

Keeping Your Skin Clear and Rested

Do not pop blemishes. While you can occasionally reduce a blemish in quick time, one thing you cannot do is heal a wound on your face overnight. Popping or squeezing a pimple not only spreads around the bacteria inside, but it also creates an abrasion on your face, which takes much more time to heal than simply allowing the blemish to go away on its own.

Stay away from heavy cosmetics as far in advance as possible. If you know today that you would really like to have clearer skin tomorrow, then avoid the cosmetics. You may feel naked by avoiding the concealer you typically put on a blemish, but keeping the skin both clean and clear as far in advance as possible gives the area more chance to heal and clear. A general guideline to follow with regard to cosmetics is that creamy foundations and blushes usually clog pores whereas light and powdery mineral-based or water based products are less likely to do so. As with cleanser, you can look for cosmetics labeled “oil free,” “nonacnegenic,” or “noncomedogenic.” However, leaving out the cosmetics altogether is still the best option when looking for immediate results. If you absolutely cannot avoid using cosmetics the day before, thoroughly clean the skin to remove every trace as early into the evening as possible. No matter how tired you are, make sure you clean your face before sleeping because wearing makeup overnight is a good way to ensure you'll wake up with more blemishes instead of fewer. As with facial scrubbing pads, makeup applicators are usually very germy. Ditch the applicator and use cotton balls or swabs to apply makeup whenever possible. If you do need to use an applicator, keep it washed regularly and replace it often.

Avoid using other greasy products. Other greasy products, especially hair products, that can end up on your face can make a problem area worse or lead to new blemishes overnight. Avoid using any greasy hair products as far in advance as possible and shield your face when applying sprays or gels to your hair.

Keep your hair out of your face. Even clean hair without product in it has natural oils that can clog pores. While it might be tempting to hide behind your hair for the day—and even more so if you go sans makeup to try to clear the skin quickly—your best bet to have the blemish clear up overnight is to keep your hair away from your face as well.

Avoid touching your face. It’s always tempting to poke at blemishes throughout the day, but oily, dirty fingers are the last thing that will clear a blemish in quick time, so do your best to keep your hands away from your face. This tip applies to your phone as well. Many people don’t consider it, but we touch our phones with dirty fingers all day and store them in dirty pockets and purses that are also breeding grounds for germs. By holding your phone to your face, you transfer those germs over.If you want to clear a blemish quickly and avoid any others popping up, then stick to your speaker feature or texting for the day.

Do not try a tanning bed. It’s a myth that UV rays dry out blemishes and can be overnight miracle cures, so skip laying out in the sun or making an emergency trip to a tanning bed. If anything, the added sweat from being in the sun or the clogging effect of tanning oils can exacerbate the very problem you want to clear. If you already see a dermatologist for your skin and have been placed on medication—especially those including retinoids—then your skin will be even more sensitive to UV rays than normal, making this an even more ill-advised option.

Avoid the toothpaste. Many people have heard the myth that toothpaste is a great overnight miracle cure for a pimple, but the myth simply isn’t true. While toothpaste does contain ingredients such as baking soda and hydrogen peroxide that can help reduce a pimple, they’re not formulated in a way that will be more effective than standard cleansers and benzoyl peroxide specifically meant for the purpose. Additionally, the pH of toothpaste and the other ingredients are more likely to irritate skin, causing redness around the area you’re trying to treat and possibly making the blemish even more visible in the process.

Get a full eight hours of sleep. Sleep is a naturally restorative time for the body. Studies have shown that cell turnover is eight times faster while sleeping, so giving your skin a full eight hours of sleep is a great way to help clear it.

Continue with a standard cleaning regimen. Even if you wake up the next day and the blemish is still there, do not panic. You notice it exponentially more than anyone else does, and a blemish is never the end of the world. Continue with the cleaning regimen outlined here, and if your skin doesn’t clear completely within three months, then consider seeing a dermatologist for prescription-strength acne treatments.