Fall asleep in your makeup? Here's what to do next.

Oh, makeup. You're wonderful. You can even out skin tones, camouflage blemishes, and sculpt cheekbones like it's nobody's business. But you're really pretty awful at the same time. 

Sleeping in your makeup is one of the worst things you can do to your skin. It can wreak all sorts of havoc on your skin, from clogged pores to blemishes, but we've all done it at one point or another. The next time you fall asleep in your makeup, here are the next steps to take to do some damage control.

Drink a big glass of water as soon as you wake up.

Not only is it a good idea to rehydrate after a long night, but drinking water also helps to flush the body of toxins. Good news: this can correct the havoc that happened to your skin. More good news: it'll boost your metabolism as well. Even more: being well-hydrated causes skin to look and feel better.

Bust out that makeup remover.

Unfortunately, you don't get to skip this step just because you slept through it last night. Whether your weapon of choice is a wipe or a cleansing oil, whip out that elbow grease and get that stuff off your face! Don't forget that stubborn mascara.

Cleanse, cleanse, cleanse.

Skip the gentle cleanser you'd normally use after removing your makeup at night. Since we're trying to prevent any potential breakouts, go for a product that's a little stronger instead of being too weak: go for something more like The Body Shop's Tea Tree face wash as opposed to Cetaphil's Gentle Skin cleanser.

Apply a detoxifying clay mask.

Thinking of skipping this step? Don't. This is your opportunity to literally extract the toxins that settled overnight in your skin. (Short on time? When applied in a thin layer, the mask can easily dry in 2-3 minutes while you're brushing your teeth.)

Bonus: Freeman's makes a great clay mask that's available at the drugstore that's around $2.99.

Brew a cup of green tea.

This also may not seem very conducive to our objective, but hear us out. Steep a bag of green tea in some hot water for 3-5 minutes, pull out the bag and let it cool for a bit, then sweep it over your face like you would a cotton pad with toner. Green tea is filled with good-for-you antioxidants and contain polyphenols which can prevent inflammation and swelling. It also contains a small amount of caffeine, which will also reduce inflammation and perk up your skin. (When you're done, drink the tea! It has a great number of health benefits.)

Moisturize and apply sunscreen.

Lock down all that goodness you applied to the skin with your moisturizer and SPF of choice. Sun protection isn't just for the hot summer months! Your skin is especially vulnerable right now, so be kind to it.

Go easy on the makeup.

If you can, let your skin breathe for the day. Going makeup-free for the day will discourage breakouts and give your skin the rest it needed last night. If that just isn't feasible, go as light on your application as possible and take it off as soon as possible. (You could also check out my five-minute, lazy-girl approved makeup look here!)

Don't forget to change your pillow case!

We often forget that pillow cases can be a breeding ground for skin nasties. Since night time is the best time to load on your skin care, you don't want to undermine your lotions and potions by sleeping on old makeup.

By following these steps, you can easily undo (or minimize) the damage of sleeping in your makeup. Just don't forget to take it all off again tonight!

PS: Are you doing more harm than good with your skincare routine? Find out if you're making these three common skincare mistakes.

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