The Secrets of Sleeping Beauty

Article by BR Tabatha

It’s called ‘beauty sleep’ for a reason. A good night’s sleep encourages your skin to go into repair and rebuild mode, with new cells growing to replace the old, but there comes a point where sometimes Mother Nature isn’t cutting the mustard and you need a helping hand. That’s where a good product, tailored to your skin’s needs and developed to work best when used overnight, can be a godsend. 

If pimples are your problem some swear by dabbing a touch of toothpaste onto the offending spot before hitting the hay. You could try a little tea tree oil, or you could pop on a soothing and healing gel like Living Nature’s Manuka Honey Gel. 

If your skin is as dry as the Sahara, it’s time to bring out the big guns. First of all find a nourishing serum, like Antipodes Joyous Protein-Rich Night Replenish Serum, then for an extra burst of hydration apply an overnight mask, like Clinique’s Moisture Surge Overnight Mask Skincare. You’ll wake up with plumper, glowing, and more refreshed looking skin.

If it’s wrinkles you’re trying to keep at bay, you’ll want to take the hydrating route as well, however you can also add in products that contain retinol. Retinol, aka another form of Vitamin A, can be like magic for the skin, helping cells to turn over more quickly, while slowing down the breakdown of collagen, making it ideal for those who’re wanting to slow the march of ageing. Products that include retinol for night use include Neutrogena’s Rapid Wrinkle Repair moisturiser, which also has a serum, and Ren Bio Retinoid Anti-Ageing Concentrate. 

Good old retinol can also grace your bedside table if hormones or the sun have seen your skin tone become uneven, but you could also reach for a bottle of rosehip oil. There’s plenty on the market, with price points to suit all sorts of budgets. Dermalogica’s Pure Night Nourishing Overnight Treatment Cream is another product that says it will reduce the appearance of uneven skin tone and brown spots while you sleep thanks to its active blend of skin-brightening agents.

Red, irritated skin benefits from…well…a soothing product. Funny that. One that’s easily accessible to us is Oasis Beauty’s On The Rocks Soothing Serum. Made especially for sensitive skin it’s packed with goodies to heal and repair, while treating dryness. Egyptian Magic All Purpose Skin Cream is also known for being kind to sensitive skin, and can be used as a night cream.

Of course, it’s not only your face you can treat overnight.  Show your hands and feet some love by slathering them in a thick moisturiser, then pop cotton socks and soft cotton gloves on to give them a deeply hydrating experience. Your hair needn’t miss out either, and your kitchen holds a handful of ingredients that create gorgeous masks. Try avocado and olive oil, coconut oil and lavender oil, or even mix even amounts of water with extra virgin olive oil together, then smooth through your hair, tie up, and pop a shower cap on before you head off to dreamland.  

One thing to remember though is that your quality of sleep is every bit, if not more important, than the products you use. So, if you can, try for seven to eight hours sleep, as that’s an optimal amount of sleep for most of us. Sleep on your back, as sleeping on your face causes little creases and wrinkles, which increase over time. You can also try to sleep slightly elevated to help stop fluid from pooling in the eye area, which helps create puffy eyes. 

Do you have your Sleeping Beauty routine down? Any further recommendations? Are you inspired to start a beauty routine that works while you don’t have to?Chat away…