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Choose your nighttime products strategically to optimize your skin’s recovery during those restful, restorative hours.
With everything happening in the world today, and everything you have on your plate at home, it is fair to say that you may not be getting the rest you need to be at your best.
We have all heard that old adage about getting your “beauty sleep”, well, it’s true. It’s a thing!
Good Housekeeping had a great article a while back on this very topic. In it, top dermatologist, Whitney Bowe, M.D., explains that “When we sleep, our stress hormone (cortisol) goes down and our sleep hormone (melatonin) goes up. Our body, and our skin, are in repair mode.” So yes, sleep is important for whole-body rejuvenation – that includes your skin!
What happens when we do not get enough sleep?
● Increased cortisol levels can trigger inflammation
● The moisture balance in your skin can get out of whack
● Blood vessels dilate (and become more visible under the skin)
● Cellular function is not optimized
How does this manifest visibly?
● Dull skin
● More visible fine lines (lack of moisture)
● Dark circles
● Puffy eyes
What?!?!
According to Dr. Whitney Bowe: “The deeper layers of your skin are working at night to repair damage from the environmental stressors they encounter all day long. Your skin is also working to build new collagen, which keeps your skin firm and smooth.”
Optimize your skin while you get your beauty sleep (or fake it till you make it)
Her advice? “Choose your nighttime products strategically to optimize your skin’s recovery during those restful, restorative hours!”
Our recommendation?
HYDRATE – Drink water. You cannot survive on coffee alone (though black coffee in moderation is an anti-inflammatory). We’re living by the 8×8 rule; 8oz 8 times a day. Helpful tip? Try not to load up too much before bedtime or you may find yourself waking up in the middle of the night.
CLEANSE – We’re sticklers about washing your face before bed. Hey, if that includes a long warm bath too (thumbs up icon). We’re really digging the CosMedix Purity Detox Scrub. It has a little salicylic acid in it, so it will help to clean out those pores and prep skin for optimum renewal.
TREAT – Ah, the good stuff, skincare!
>>> Optimize your PM routine with products that hydrate and replenish your skin. Every Eighteen B silk skin care product contains Hyaluronic Acid which binds moisture to the skin and B-SILK™ PROTEIN that acts as an extension of your skin barrier to lock in skin-nurturing ingredients.
>>> If you’re working through dark spots, acne, or treating deep lines and are using a retinol or Vitamin C, apply that first. Follow fast with our vegan silk serum, the Firm + Replenish Serum (the best vegan silk serum) to lock in all those goodies.
>>> Don’t wait until morning to figure out how to cover up those dark circles, take preventative measures and use our award-winning silk eye cream, Defend + Nourish Eye Cream which contains Jasmine Flower Extract to improve circulation so you can banish dark circles before they form.
>>> Our Hydrate + Restore Rich Cream was made to rejuvenate your skin, so it’s our top pick for overnight moisturization. (The best moisturizer overall!)
SLEEP – 7 to 8 hours is ideal. Yes, we are aware that this is harder than it sounds.
>>> If you can’t get to sleep 20 minutes after lying down, get up and do something relaxing until you are sleepy.
>>> Keep your bedroom dark and cool, and try not to work where you sleep. Routine is important, train your body to know that your bedroom is a relaxing place for sleep vs. work.
>>> Try to find something relaxing to do before bed like read or listening to music.
>>> Hot tip: Caffeine and Alcohol affect your sleep … there’s a trade-off here. Ha.
More beauty sleep tips here
These are recommendations on how to get better sleep and refresh your skin while you sleep. We understand that life can be chaotic, so if you can do one or two things new, we call that success!
