Sun & Moon Skincare - The Difference Between a Morning & Evening Skincare Ritual

Rebecca Miller
Jan 18
4 min read

Just like we need different things in the morning than we do at night, so does our skin. Something I'm often asked about is morning and nighttime skincare rituals. What type of products should I be using? Do I need a whole different product list for each? Do I cleanse the same morning and night? It can feel a little complicated.

The good news is, it’s relatively simple (and easy!). In this blog, I’ll dive into what our skin needs in the morning vs what it needs at night, I’ll share my cleansing tips and tricks, product layer suggestions, and show you where you can repeat steps in each ritual without needing additional products. Let’s break it down:

What our skin needs morning and night

Sun Skincare: You wake up after a good night’s rest, and you’re ready to start the day. First up, your morning skincare ritual. Where is your skin at? Usually, our skin is at a pretty good baseline first thing in the morning. We should see fresh, glowing skin from the previous night’s oils and moisturisers, but nothing too crazy. Our first step is to cleanse. You want something light, non-stripping, and non-drying. My go-to is, of course, my Moonkissed Cleanser. There’s a lot of conversation online about the morning cleanse and whether or not warm water and a flannel are enough. Personally, I think this would have been more suitable around 400 years ago, before we had so much pollution sticking to our clothes, hair, and skin. All likely to touch our faces and skin throughout the night, not to mention what might transfer onto our pillows! So for me, a morning cleanser with a cleanser, is essential. After your cleanse, it's the perfect time to apply any serums you want to use. Next up, we want hydration, think a light, daytime moisturiser. Not too sticky, not too thick, but SUPER moisturising. Layer up with a facial oil to seal in the moisture and leave you with the glass skin of your dreams (my go to’s are Triple Moon Elixir & High Priestess Serum). Lastly, SPF. A non-negotiable, of course. And that’s a wrap on our morning skin needs (it really can be this easy!).

Moon Skincare: Now the day has ended, and you’re ready to unwind. It’s time for your evening skincare ritual. Here’s where we kick things up a notch! In the evening, we’re going to indulge in a double cleanse. For our first cleanse, we want a balm, oil, or creamy cleanser that will help us melt the day away from our skin. I use Tierra Balm for literally EVERYTHING, so it’s no surprise it’s my go-to for removing makeup, grime, and oils from the day. I really like to work this in and then remove with a warm flannel for cleanse number one. Cleanse number two is where we get in deep and really cleanse the day away. You can use the same cleanser you used in the morning, and really work it in. Next, we’re going to add in any actives you’re using, such as retinol, AHA’s & BHA’s, niacinamide, etc. Be mindful of mixing actives, and ensure that there are any actives in your later skincare steps too. After this, we’re looking for hydration again, as much as we can get. Opt for a nighttime moisturiser that’s a bit thicker and richer, bonus points if you can get some ceramides on your skin for some overnight barrier repair (in the natural skincare world, this is ingredients like jojoba oil, shea butter, argan oil, and hemp seed oil). Again, it’s a good idea to seal this in with a face oil to really lock in that moisture and let each layer do its thing as you drift off to sleep (usually the opposite of what I used that morning).

Quickfire Cleansing Tips

Cleansing wipes and micellar water - they will semi-remove makeup and SPF from your skin, but they’ll spend more time just moving the remnants of makeup, SPF, oils, dirt, and grime for the day around your face. Always, always, always opt for a cleansing balm, oil, or creamy cleanser for your first cleanse.
The 1-minute cleanse - you want to really take your time on cleanse number two, working your cleanser into your skin and letting it get to work. I like to do the “one minute cleanse” - it’s exactly what it sounds like, and I like to squeeze in some affirmations or visualising whilst I do this part (bonus tip!).
Gently does it - so often I see videos online of skincare routines, and I see people going nuts with the cleansers, pulling and tugging at their skin, especially their eye areas and eyelashes. For the love of your skin, stick to gentle hands! Take your time and be gentle, and the work is done for you; all that pulling and tugging is working against all of the effort of your skincare ritual. This is crucial for your eye area, where the skin is much more sensitive and thinner. And take care of your eyelashes, easy does it.
Pick one exfoliant - although exfoliating is technically a step in its own right, I’d argue it contributes to cleansing, so I’m throwing this skincare tip in too. Pick. One. Exfoliator. Don’t use an AHA or BHA product on a Tuesday night, then a face scrub on Thursday morning. We don’t want to be overworking our skin with exfoliation, slow and steady wins the race, and all that.