How to Use Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair

Used the right way, Advanced Night Repair gives quick hydration now and a smoother, bouncier look over time. Below is a simple routine, when to use it, how much to apply, and what it plays well with. For texture notes, value, and who should skip or buy, see our Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Review.
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What you need

• Cleanser that suits your skin
• Optional toner or essence
• Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair (ANR)
• Moisturizer
• Daytime only: sunscreen SPF 30+

When To Use It

• PM: The sweet spot. ANR layers comfortably under most night creams and helps buffer strong actives.
• AM: Optional hydration and plump. If you use vitamin C, apply ANR after your vitamin C serum once it absorbs.

How Much To Apply

• Face: 2 to 3 drops to start
• Neck and chest: add 1 drop if you like
• Hands leftover trick: tap any remainder across the backs of hands

Step-By-Step

1. Cleanse and gently pat skin dry. Slightly damp is ideal for slip.
2. Tone or mist if you use one. Wait 10–20 seconds.
3. Apply ANR. Warm a few drops between palms and press over face, then smooth. Do not rub hard.
4. Wait 30–60 seconds so the serum can settle.
5. Moisturize with a cream that matches your skin type.
6. AM only: finish with broad-spectrum SPF 30+.

Skin-Type Playbooks

Dry or Dehydrated

• Layer a hydrating toner or essence first, then ANR, then a richer cream.
• Seal very dry patches with 2–3 drops of squalane or a ceramide balm.

Combination

• Apply ANR all over. Use gel moisturizer through the T-zone and a cream on cheeks.
• Powder only the center to keep glow balanced.

Oily

• Keep layers thin. ANR is light, so it works under oil-free gel moisturizers.
• If shine peeks through by noon, swap to a mattifying SPF and blot instead of stacking more product.

Sensitive or Easily Red

• Patch test on the jawline for 24 hours.
• Start every other night for one week, then move to nightly if calm.
• Keep exfoliation low while you ramp up.

Mature

• Use ANR twice daily for four weeks, then maintain nightly.
• Add a peptide or ceramide cream over it to help with elasticity and comfort.

Pairing With Actives

• Retinol: On retinol nights, order is thin to thick. If your retinol is a serum, apply retinol first, then ANR, then moisturizer. If your retinol is a cream, apply ANR first.
• Vitamin C (AM): Vitamin C goes first on clean, dry skin. Once it absorbs, apply ANR, then SPF.
• Exfoliating acids: Limit to 2–3 nights per week. Apply acids, wait 5–10 minutes, then ANR to re-hydrate.
• Peptides and ceramides: Stack happily. ANR, then peptide or ceramide moisturizer.
• Niacinamide: Plays nicely either before or after ANR depending on texture.

Routine Builder: AM and PM

Morning (speedy glow)

1. Cleanser
2. Vitamin C serum
3. ANR
4. Moisturizer for your skin type
5. SPF 30+
6. Optional: hydrating primer before makeup

Night (repair-focused)

1. Cleanser
2. Optional gentle acid 2–3x weekly
3. Retinol on alternating nights
4. ANR
5. Moisturizer or sleeping mask

Pro Techniques

• Sandwich method for actives: Moisturizer → retinol → ANR → moisturizer. Great for retinol beginners.
• Sheet-mask booster: Apply ANR, then a hydrating sheet mask for 10 minutes. You will need less cream after.
• Post-flight reset: 2–3 drops on damp skin right after landing, then a simple cream.

Pilling Prevention

• Use small amounts and give each layer 30–60 seconds.
• Keep rich eye creams away from the upper cheek before makeup.
• If makeup pills, move ANR to night only and keep AM layers lighter.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Over-layering six hydrating steps under makeup. ANR plus one moisturizer is enough for most.
• Skipping SPF because the skin looks dewy. Hydration is not sun protection.
• Rubbing hard. Press and smooth to reduce friction and redness.

Troubleshooting

• Still dry by afternoon: increase moisturizer weight at night and add 1–2 drops of oil on cheekbones only.
• Midday shine: swap AM moisturizer to a gel and use a matte SPF. Keep ANR to night.
• Surprise tingles: pause acids for a week and use ANR nightly with a bland ceramide cream.
• Makeup separating: extend wait time after ANR to the full 60 seconds, then use a gripping primer only in the T-zone.

Travel and Hygiene

• Decant into a mini bottle with a secure cap.
• Apply 2 drops after flights to calm dehydration.
• Keep the dropper tip clean and avoid touching skin directly.

FAQ

See also

Want the glow for less Try our Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Dupes (2025) guide. If you are on the fence about price, texture, and who should buy, read the full Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Review.

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