According to the latest figures from the Sleep Council, 74% of British people sleep for less than seven hours a night and the lack of good-quality rest takes its toll on your skin.
Most of us don’t realise that the hours we spend asleep are actually among our most productive: when it comes to your skin care routine, sleep is a crucial component for the skin’s recovery from the assaults of the day.
Just a few nights of missed sleep can lead to dull skin and fine lines, and chronic sleep deprivation leads to dark circles and early ageing.
Our ‘always on’ lifestyles means it’s unlikely we’ll be getting more sleep any time soon, so why not enlist some help to ensure you get your best beauty sleep with these night-time wonders…
The Overnight Mask
Noella Gabriel, Elemis Co-Founder says: “The prolonged release of stress hormones in the skin causes a decrease of Hyaluronic Acid production, contributing to the breakdown of collagen and overall cellular ageing. Loss of collagen, loss of elastin and depleted Hyaluronic Acid share a common side effect: an increase in fine lines and wrinkles.”
Elemis’s new Pro-Collagen Overnight Matrix has a smooth gel-cream texture that glazes over the face, creating a protective matrix that mimics the skin to seal in hydration, helping to prevent trans-epidermal water loss. You drift off to sleep and its potent cocktail of algae and botanicals target stressed out skin with hydration and anti-ageing actives.
You might not wake up less stressed, but your skin will look and feel smoother and suppler.
Pro-Collagen Overnight Matrix, £145/50ml.
The Eye De-puffer
Advanced Night Repair Concentrated Recovery Eye Mask, £10 for one mask, Estee Lauder. Available on Net-a-Porter.
The Oil
Essential oils of Geranium and Lemon Balm (whose efficacy has been proven to rival that of retinol and Vitamin C) smooth and re-plump the complexion with just a few drops, while Sweet Orange, Chamomile, Marjoram and Neroli oils lull you to sweet-smelling sleep.
£36, available exclusively at feelunique.com
The All Rounder
‘Phytoplankton Extract’ derived from microalgae further works to boost the body’s ATP production – a vital component in skin regeneration.
Ibuki Sleeping Mask, £36 Shiseido, avilable at lookfantastic.com
The Body Boost
Just try lathering yourself in lavender and chamomile oil-loaded Sleep Plus + Dream Body cream from This Works and experience the calming effects on your skin and your mind and come back to me.
Sleep Plus Dream Body Cream, This Works, £25
A hug for your hair
Overnight Hair Repair, £35, Sachajuan. Available on Net-a-Porter
The Ovaltine replacement
Sleep Drops, £30, The Nue Co. available on Net-a-Porter
The worth-it splurge
For the first time ever, the four functions essential to the skin’s complete regeneration process are addressed in a single formula: nutrition, respiration, detoxication and immunity.
The skin’s natural detoxifying process is therefore enhanced, cellular respiration is improved, skin is infused with life-giving nutrients and its self-defence capacities are boosted. Plus the bottle is a very pretty addition to any bedside table.
Platinum Rare Cellular Night Elixir, £759.90, La Prairie. Available at John Lewis
Sleep soft
Pair with their uber-luxe silk eye mask to ensure a night of uninterrupted beauty sleep.
Slip silk pillow (£79) and Slip silk eye mask (£45), available on Net-a-Porter.