It's exfoliate o'clock

As if finding the right beauty products wasn’t tough enough, did you know that when you apply them makes a difference too? With the night's drawing in, it’s time to get the most out of those beauty must-haves.

7am: Eye Cream

Myth: Apply your eye cream just before bed.

Truth: Most of us suffer worst from puffiness first thing in the morning as excess fluid gathers after hours of lying down. By applying in the morning, your eye cream can get to work on de-puffing throughout the day. 

Try: Origins GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream, £20. With soothing Ginseng and Caffeine, it claims to reduce puffiness by 80%.

9pm: Exfoliator

Myth: Exfoliate dead skin cells first thing.
Truth: Yes, we want a bright, luminous complexion to face the day with but most of us experience a degree of sensitivity to exfoliation, causing redness. It's best to buff skin at night, once or twice a week, to allow it enough time to recover.

Try: Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant, £35.10 (dermalogica.com/uk). This beauty Editor fave is gentle enough to be used every day.

9.10pm: Deodorant

Myth: Apply deodorant in the morning after showering.

Truth: Since your skin is calm and unlikely to perspire too much overnight, deodorant can penetrate deeper into the sweat ducts. It will continue to block dampness throughout the following day, even after a shower.

Try: Dove Maximum Protection Cream Original, £4.99 (Boots), has been tested to ensure 48-hour protection.

9.15pm: Cellulite Cream

Myth: Apply in the morning.

Truth: If you’re still slathering on your cellulite cream after your morning shower then it’s time for a nocturnal switchover. When your body is active, i.e. during the day, it can actually inhibit the efficacy of the product. Overnight, as the skin focuses on repair the body is better able to absorb the cream's active ingredients, making it much more effective.  

Try: Nivea Goodbye Cellulite 10 Day Serum, £10.75 (nationwide). Cellulite has long been thought to be caused by a build up of toxins in ‘fatty’ areas like the thighs and buttocks. But according to the latest research from Nivea, orange peel skin is actually a kind of localised obesity. Based on these findings Nivea’s innovative new dimple-buster, uses Lotus Leaf Extract (which tests found was much more effective at ridding cellulite than regular hero ingredient, caffeine) to mobilise these fat stores and turn them into energy the body burns off. The result? Visibly smoother skin in 10 days.

10pm: Spot Treatments

Myth: Apply twice a day, morning and evening.

Truth: Salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide are two of the most common spot-fighting ingredients. But these pore-declogging, skin-buffers also increase the skin's sensitivity to the sun so it’s best to restrict them to night-time applications.

Try: Soap & Glory Dr Spot Invisible Spot Fighting Gel, £7 (Boots), which uses Salicylic acid to slough skin-clogging dead skin cells and reduce inflammation.