How to Supercharge the Benefits of Beauty Sleep with AlumierMD
There’s no doubt that good quality, regular sleep has a powerful impact on wellness. It’s also true that sleep has a direct link to stronger skin, a study at Manchester University found that skin replenishes the thin collagen fibres that help it to stay firm, during the night-time repair cycle. Throughout the night our skin is working its hardest to rejuvenate, so it’s important to prioritise your sleep routine. Applying night-time skincare will also supercharge your repair cycle leading to faster and better results for all skin goals.
Never forget the crucial cleanse
No matter how exhausted you are, or how late the hour, it is imperative to cleanse your face before hitting the hay (or silk covered pillow).
Cleansing will remove makeup and SPF, but also any dirt or debris that might cause damage to your skin throughout the night. A manual cleanse with your hands also gives you the opportunity to check in with your skin. Are there any new blemishes? Can you feel any drier areas? This easy check-in means you can choose the appropriate products to apply next.
There’s also little point applying clever (and expensive) actives to dirty skin as they will be unable to penetrate and benefit your skin.
Maximise results with active skincare
Your skin is at its most active between 11pm and 4am and the majority of cell repair occurs during this time. As we sleep our skin steps up its game, working hard to repair any damage, renew cells and produce collagen.
To help heal, and restore skin at its optimal level, it’s essential to include hardworking active ingredients in your night-time regime. Before bed, apply Enzymatic Peel to help promote skin renewal. This highly effective exfoliant removes dead skin cells readying your complexion for further actives and helping your skin to be as efficient as possible throughout the night. Retinol is proven to help boost your skin’s ability to produce collagen, a night time function, so it’s perfect time to apply your retinol serum. Retinol can also make skin more sensitive to sunlight and is not recommended for use in the daytime.
Looking for younger-looking skin?
Beauty sleep is absolutely essential for those serious about waking up to smooth, young-looking skin. First up, while we’re snoozing our skin is working hard to produce collagen.
Collagen is what gives our skin that plump, smooth and bouncy look, as we age, we naturally produce less of it, so losing out on sleep leads to sagging and lines. Secondly, skin cells turnover more quickly during the night which leads to fresher-looking brighter skin.
We can take advantage of this by using exfoliating alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) at night that work with our skin to improve cell turnover and lead to more even-toned and radiant skin. Try our AHA Renewal Serum which contains lactic acid.
All aboard at the hydration station
Throughout the night while we rest, our incredible skin gets warmer and more permeable as it works hard to rejuvenate. This is great news for any products you apply, as they are welcomed by the skin and absorption is supercharged. On the other hand, night-time is when transepidermal water loss is at its highest, your skin will lose moisture and often needs a dose of hydration come morning. We recommend tackling this from the inside out and drinking a full glass of water first thing. (You can find more tips like this in our Hydration blog.) If you suffer from dry skin, then try sealing in your serum before bed with a dose of rich moisturiser such as HydraRich. It’s also worth spending your wind down time in the evening relaxing with a hydrating mask, such as our Aqua Infusion Mask.
Glow: it’s all about blood flow!
Sleep deprivation is the enemy of naturally glowing skin; while sleeping your body boosts blood flow to the skin, meaning you wake up radiant. If you miss out on your 8 hours it shows in a dull, ashen, drab complexion. Yet another reason to prioritise sleep! If you’re finding it hard to nod off, take a look at our tips for maximising sleep here. To avoid dullness in the morning, try a vitamin C skin booster like our Vitamin Rich Smoother that helps to smooth the skin’s texture, revitalise and brighten tired looking skin.
Bright eyes, please
The delicate eye area is the first to show signs of sleep deprivation with heavy dark circles and puffiness, but why? Well, the body understands a lack of sleep as stress and responds with the hormone cortisol, which changes the salt balance in your body and leads to a puffy face and particularly, puffy eyes.
You can try an extra pillow to help drain fluids but focusing on getting enough sleep is a better long-term solution. Rest can also minimise the look of dark circles, as this classic sign of a bad night is made much more obvious by a lack of blood flow to the area.
Restore eyes in the morning with our Eye Rescue Pads which immediately help to reduce puffiness and shield skin against moisture loss too. Our Rejuvenating Eye Collection set takes a two-pronged approach to eye care with our moisturising AluminEye which will help to calm puffiness and diminish fine lines and dark circles in the morning. Before bed apply the Retinol Eye Gel (included in the set) which works hand in hand with your skin to firm and tighten.
We always recommend connecting with one of our skin pros for a consultation that will take a deep dive into your needs and provide you with a personalised skincare regime that will include all your night-time requirements.
