.jpg "Experts Detail the Benefits of Beauty Sleep—Plus the Best Products to Shop")
As you would in the daytime, look to supercharged serums and treatments as the next step post-cleanse. Penzi’s pick is Sunday Riley’s night oil, powered by a blend of retinoid ester, soothing botanicals, and avocado seed oil to boost skin elasticity and reduce redness. Similarly, the Medik8 treatment combines encapsulated retinaldehyde, hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, glycerin to combat sagging, texture, and pores overnight. For Palm, the Alastin Restorative Skin Complex is the ticket to skin rejuvenation by not only smoothing fine lines but protecting skin from further damage. Otherwise, Tatcha’s serum in cream treatment is enriched with Japanese indigo, red sage root, ceramides, and hyaluronic acid to calm irritation, plump wrinkles, and lock in moisture.
Night Creams
Because PM formulas often contain ingredients that are higher concentrated and more efficacious when applied before bed, you’ll certainly want a designated night cream. To experience the restorative benefits of retinol, Olay’s moisturizer is always a good idea, whereas Isdin’s cream is rich in antioxidants, melatonin, and peptides to protect against environmental stressors. Then there’s 111Skin’s nourishing cream powered by Dr. Yannis Alexandrides’s signature healing complex, NAC Y², alongside centella asiatic and hyaluronic acid to strengthen and hydrate skin. Overnight exfoliation, on the other hand, comes by way of RéVive’s Moisturizing Renewal Cream—a formula enriched with peptides and glycolic acid to reveal smooth, glowing skin.
Overnight Face Masks
Remember: the best face masks have a way of supercharging your complexion after just a short treatment. Nowadays, there are a handful of overnight options that don’t need to be rinsed off until after sunrise. All three of our experts recommend EltaMD’s Skin Recovery mask, which promises to calm redness, improve hydration, and aid skin barrier repair. Improved barrier function and protection against environmental stressors could also be achieved through Naturopathica’s white team-enriched mask, picked by Ntonos. Partial to a K-beauty philosophy? Sulwhasoo offers a sumptuous overnight treatment containing the antioxidant-rich Korean red pine extract to soften, smooth, plump, and hydrate in just a few hours. Lastly, dry skin is no match for Laneige’s Water Sleeping Mask, known for its unmatched moisture surge, just like its complementing Lip Sleeping Mask.
Lip Treatments
Speaking of lips, your daily slumber is the perfect time to give your pout a dose of TLC. Your beloved Aquaphor is always a good idea, or SpoiledChild’s luxe mask is full of peptides, shea, and AHAs. For intensive remedies, this SkinCeuticals formula replenishes moisture levels and smooth lip’s surface, while SkinMedica’s system smooths fine lines and delivers a picture-worthy plump.
Sleep Accessories
No matter what kind of sleeper you are, ensure your bedroom setup also puts your best skin forward. “Sleep accessories aren’t necessary for good sleep, but they can be helpful in supporting a better sleeping environment to promote a deep, uninterrupted slumber,” explains Palm, who is a fan of sleeping next to a humidifier to prevent dryness caused by water loss. “A humidifier can also help some people breathe better in general, which promotes more sound sleep,” such as this device by Canopy. Bedding-wise, Penzi says silk is the way to go, particularly for those with sensitive or acne-prone skin as the fabric is hypoallergenic. “Not only [is silk] soft and luxurious, but [it] greatly reduces friction that may cause pulling on the facial skin and scalp and hair, which means less chance of wrinkles and hair loss/breakage.” Per Ntonos, eucalyptus does the trick, too—leaving us with one final reminder: “You can always use any of these accessories to enhance your sleep, but remember, adequate sleep will always be superior and more beneficial to any sleep accessory.” For a high-tech approach, one could even start wearing an Oura ring which tracks your sleep patterns, heart rate, and body temperature amongst other things.
Is Beauty Sleep Real?
“Beauty sleep is very much a real thing,” says Ntonos “Many of the restorative capabilities our skin has are achieved during our night sleep, since cells regenerate quicker at nighttime.”