By KAREN KWAN 

We know better, but sometimes that pillow is just calling our name and we skip washing off our makeup and hop right into bed. The reassuring news? We are normal.

“I’d say it’s very common [to skip washing off makeup before going to bed]—I mean, I do,” says Dr. Sandy Skotnicki of The Bay Dermatology Center. “Kids, life—things get in the way.”

(Psst, we hear even supermodel Coco Rocha admits not washing off makeup before snoozing, too).

Besides knowing you’re not alone in this bad habit, here’s even better news: as long as you only skip cleansing your face periodically (say, once a week or so), you shouldn’t run into any serious skin problems, says the Toronto-based dermatologist.

But if you make it a regular habit, “there’s a higher chance of your heavier makeup, such as your foundations and concealers, clogging your pores along with the sebum your skin produces and the dirt that collects on your face throughout the day.” The unwelcome result? Comodones (aka blackheads) or milia (a tiny white keratin cyst trapped beneath the skin that commonly forms near the eyes).

Speaking of the eye area, this is a part of your face you’ll especially will want to have freshly cleansed before hitting the sheets. “The skin here is so delicate and with mascara and eyeshadows, the skin can easily get irritated and even develop mild eczema,” says Dr. Skotnicki.

And don’t think that if you wear no makeup, you get to enjoy sweet dreams faster by not washing your face. You do still need to wash your face every night (“You need to wash off the daily build-up of sebum and pollution,” she says).

How to cleanse your face so it’s fresh and clean every night? Dr. Skotnicki recommends using lukewarm water (anything too cold and your product may not lather much, and too hot may cause redness) and a non-foaming cleanser without any harsh sodium lauryl sulphates. Using this type of gentle cleanser is especially key if you’re using any acne or anti-aging prescriptions, such as retionol or glycolic acid. “These can be drying and anything that foams will strip the skin and will be irritating to it,” she says.