This Is Exactly What Happens When You Forget to Take Your Makeup Off at Night

Let's be honest here: we've all been guilty of forgetting to remove our makeup before going to bed. Although I don't make it a regular occurrence, I know a lot of people that do, and it could be doing serious harm to your skin long term. Pro tip: teach your partner to help you remove it when you've had a few too many cocktails — a makeup wipe is better than nothing at all!

If you tend to skip that important step before going to bed, there are a few things you should know about the harm it could be doing to your skin. To understand more about what happens when we're being a bit lazy, we called in the expertise of Dr Tatiana, Medical Director of the Dr Tatiana Aesthetic Clinic and dermatologist on Don't Tell the Doctor — and here's what she had to say.

Dr Tatiana begun by explaining that "makeup has a tendency to clog up pores," and that washing your makeup away at the end of the day will give them the opportunity to "clear the debris sitting within them." However, "if you wear makeup to bed, you are clogging these pores up with oily material that causes them to enlarge, become inflamed, and potentially scar." According to Dr Tatiana, this happens because "makeup can prevent the normal function of sebaceous glands. It can block glands and can cause a build up of excess sebum, which is inflammatory for the skin. It's important to understand that oil does not mean moisture or hydration for the skin. In fact, oil irritates the skin and increases the risk of other skin problems like acne, rosacea, and pigmentation. There is a misconception that oily skin ages better, which simply is not true."

But enlarged pores won't be your only concern. As Dr Tatiana explains, "makeup forms an oily later on the skin that tends to absorb pollution and bacteria. Wearing your makeup at night means that your skin is smothered in this grimy layer. Your skin cells will not shed in the normal way, and the oil glands may begin to malfunction. This means that your skin will feel greasy, unhealthy, and dull." Over a long period of time, Dr Tatiana says that "you may get more frequent breakouts and are more likely to have problems with acne, poor skin texture, and sensitivity."

If it's glowing, blemish-free skin you're after, a good skincare routine should be your priority, and now might be the time to hop on that double-cleansing bandwagon.