My Nighttime Routine (PS: Tech Neck is Real!)

It’s officially hit me that I’m getting older. About a year or two ago I started looking more tired, and what the what… starting noticing more lines. They typically don’t phase me, but all of a sudden the lines were becoming just a bit more pronounced, and my skin a little less “perky” and bright.

I’ve candidly always been a slacker when it came to skincare. I had always been told I looked so young, so I guess that subconsciously I guess it made me think my lackluster skin care routine worked. Well, things are catching up with me, and starting noticing wrinkles on my… gasp, neck.

“Tech neck” is a thing, people. You know how we’re all constantly walking and sitting with our heads down in a fog of email, news and social media? Well, you’re creasing your neck big time, at least earlier than we would have. I’ve become a little crazy with holding my head up more while on my phone (I’m sure I look super normal), and I’m putting on the good stuff now when it comes to my evening routine.

So, here it is. MY EVENING ROUTINE!

1. Get immediately into something comfy (i.e. anything with elastic!). If I don’t have evening plans, I’m seriously in my pjs or comfy home clothes, along with my slippers, by 6 pm. They make me so insanely happy. And, I know I sound about 86 years old. I’m down with that.
2. Spend time with the kiddos & eat dinner. Evan goes to bed around 7:30 pm and Sarah about 8:30 pm, so it’s dinner, QT, bath, books and bed. Of course it’s not as calm as it sounds — there’s food on the floor, some arguments and a bit of mass chaos — but there are also so many giggles, hugs & memorable moments.
3. Finish work & get a little downtime. I typically do anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours of work at night, for my PR company or The Modern Savvy. There’s so much that needs to happen with a blog behind-the-scenes that it helps to tackle it at night when the emails slow down.
4. Ah, skin care routine! After I take out my contacts, I’ve stopped washing my face in a fury. Take this time for you — enjoy the solitude and the process — and to calm yourself before bed. It can be a relaxing, serene experience. After I clean my face, I gently pat on a face serum and then lather on Neutrogena’s brand-new retinol product, Wrinkle Repair Regenerating Cream. I’ve been wanting to try a product with retinol but heard they can be really harsh on skin… the last thing I need; my skin is ultra sensitive. This has such a nice, creamy texture that is also moisturizing yet dries quickly.  It hasn’t irritated my skin in the two weeks since I started testing and I’m continuing use with the intent to diminish and dull fine lines. Excited to see even more results with continued use. It has a bit of a tingling sensation at first for some, so I started with once a day application and now use about a pearl size amount morning (before my makeup), and night.
5. SLEEP.  Every woman I talk to is tired. Sometimes exhausted or only awake thanks to big gulp’s worth of caffeine. You NEED sleep. It’s insanely healthy for you, helps your brain function, and we all know we want to be more active and eat healthier when we feel awake and less groggy. I know I’m always craving junk food when I’m groggy and tired. I am someone who requires a lot of sleep so I need a minimum of 8 hours, and I’ve been trying to push up my bedtime even earlier to get in another 30-45 minutes.

This post has been brought to you by Neutrogena, in partnership with Collectively. While I was compensated for this post, all opinions are 100 percent my own. Thank you for supporting brands that support The Modern Savvy!