7 Steps To The Best Beauty Sleep Ever
Sleep is fundamental to our health and wellbeing. When we’re sleeping well, our eyes shine bright, clear, radiant skin is the norm, and feel energised and motivated. The big problem is that we don’t prioritise sleep. Social media, Netflix, the all-important to-do list and working late into the evening all interfere with getting enough good quality sleep.
In the longer term, lack of sleep can affect us in detrimental ways, contributing to loss of memory, trouble concentrating, a poor immune system, weight gain and it even increases the risk of certain diseases including diabetes and heart disease. It’s clear that there are some very good reasons why we need good quality sleep. And when you achieve at least 8 hours of sleep, you’ll be amazed at how the best beauty sleep can transform your complexion too.
7 Steps to the Beat Beauty Sleep Ever
1. Silk Pillowcase
Believe it or not, a silk pillowcase can prevent wrinkles! It’s a big claim but due to its properties, silk doesn’t suck moisture out of the skin like other materials do, including cotton. Not to mention it’s smooth texture which creates less friction. Over time this has the added benefit of reducing the number of lines and wrinkles that ordinarily are caused by material aggravating and pulling at our skin whilst we sleep.
2. Overnight Face Mask
A sure-fire way to achieve a radiant morning glow is with an overnight face mask. Our go-to is SkinCeuticals Phyto Corrective Masque, an intensive facial mask, specially formulated with botanical extracts to soothe and replenish temporary skin reactivity.
You’ll find that it delivers intense cooling and calming comfort to irritated or sensitive skin. It’s down to calming Dipeptide and ultra-hydrating ingredient, Hyaluronic Acid which leave the complexion supple and healthy. Incredibly versatile, you can use this mask daily (post-workout or at times of sun exposure), to tackle seasonal sensitivity due to weather, post-travel, post-procedure as well as your regular overnight mask.
3. Create a Bedtime Routine
Hands up, how many of us simply switch the tv off and climb straight into bed? Thought so. It’s no wonder that our monkey minds find it so difficult to adjust.
By creating a regular bedtime routine, we can program our mind to recognise certain cues and it’ll begin to unwind and prepare for sleep much more quickly.
Everyone’s bedtime routine is unique, but it should be about calming the body and mind, so taking a bath, reading, aromatherapy, writing a journal or whatever helps you relax is key, as well as doing it consistently every evening.
4. Aromatherapy
Incorporating aromatherapy into your bedtime routine is a great way to promote a deeper, more restful sleep. If you’re thinking what a load of hocus pocus, you might be surprised to hear that aromatherapy has a sound scientific basis and it’s all because scent travels via our olfactory nerve directly to the brain’s limbic system.
Why is this important? Well, the limbic system plays a part in emotions, memories and habit formation as well as also affecting the key indicators of stress like breathing and heart rate. So, using an aromatherapy scent that encourages us to slow down our breathing and relaxes the muscles and mind helps with the transition from daytime chaos to bedtime calm.
5. Moisturise
If you want to wake up looking like you’ve had the best beauty sleep ever, you’d better get yourself a top-notch overnight moisturiser.
We love the luxuriously rich Obagi Hydrate Luxe®, containing cutting edge ingredient Hydromanil™. This is the one for supremely hydrated skin. Going way beyond the call of duty, this forms a clever matrix on the skin’s surface which enables the moisture-retaining molecules to remain on the cells for longer and prevent water loss. Throughout the night, Obagi Hydrate Luxe® gradually delivers nourishment from active ingredients as well as gently exfoliating the skin for a nourished, radiant, youthful complexion.
6. Exercise Regularly
Exercise is a great stress buster, lifts mood and increases the amount of time that you spend in the deep, restorative stages of sleep. That equates to feeling less sleepy in the day, sleeping better at night, and waking up refreshed.
It’s important to time your exercise right though because if you leave vigorous exercise too late, it can interfere with cortisol levels, making it more difficult to sleep. Instead, stick to low impact, stretching exercises like yoga and pilates in the evening.
7. Manage Stress
One of the biggest disruptors of sleep is stress. That said, we’ve all been there, worrying about finances, friendships, work, and everything in between. There’s no escape from the effects of poor sleep either because it will be written all over your face, from fine lines and wrinkles, blemishes as well as dull and dehydrated skin. So, make a commitment today to take some proactive steps to minimise stress in your life and see the reflection in your complexion!
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