In the morning, you might cleanse, tone and moisturize. But your nighttime skin care routine requires more than just a quick swipe with a washcloth. In fact, your skin needs additional TLC before bedtime.

During the day, environmental factors are battling against our skin and breaking down the structural components which keep our skin tight and firm. Elastin, which is one of these components, is primarily composed of cross-linked fibers to form a durable, resilient web. In facial skin, this elastin web helps to keep skin flexible but tight, providing a bounce-back reaction to its normal shape as it stretches to accommodate normal activities like talking.

As skin ages, the natural cross-linking of elastin fibers is reduced. At night, while you sleep, the skin works to repair and restore its structural components, and actually "opens up" to allow creams and serums to absorb more readily. You can get the most bang for your buck, then, by applying products with powerful anti-aging ingredients before bed.

"It's important to establish a nighttime skincare regimen to restore skin's defenses and replenish essential moisture," explains nutritionist Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD. She adds that the skin can lose moisture during sleep, making hydrating ingredients especially important.

To help skin restore itself at night, women should adopt a nighttime skin care routine that includes an exfoliating cleanser, a serum and a moisturizing cream created for evening use. Sass

recommends applying a nighttime serum containing beneficial and robust ingredients such as DDF Restoring Night Serum (www.ddfskincare.com). This nighttime serum contains an exclusive turmeric complex that strengthens the moisture barrier and drenches the skin with essential hydration to allow the natural cross linking of elastin, helping to repair the look of deep wrinkles for visible results in just two weeks. Women who used DDF Restoring Night Serum saw noticeable improvements. After four weeks of use, the skin's surface structure doubled in strength, significantly minimizing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

"The secret to radiant, firm and more youthful-looking skin is a skincare diet rich in robust ingredients," says Sass.