Sleep should be a beautiful thing. The idea of waking up with a fresh start, ready to tackle the day’s goals after a full eight hours of restorative slumber. More often than not, though, sleep is something squeezed in between life’s many responsibilities and interrupted by the ringing radar alarm on the nightstand that’s set for 9 a.m. There is dry skin, dark circles, bedhead, a new pimple and cracked lips— a far cry from ideal beauty sleep. In the continuing merger of beauty and wellness, new products promise to have you getting out of bed well-rested and glowing.
Sleep starts with where you rest your head. Cotton pillowcases can absorb face cream, cause hair breakage and lead to sleep creases. Slip is here to change that with a 100% silk line that not only includes pillowcases but has expanded to eye masks, hair ties and robes. It’s a modern-day version of the satin bonnet that extends the benefits past your hairline. According to their website the pillowcases “absorb significantly less face cream and create 43% less friction.” The idea of the beauty pillowcase has transformed to treat a variety of skin issues including hygiene and bacteria (Skin Laundry), acne (Nufabrx) and dullness (Iluminage).
Radiant morning skin can also be achieved with help from not just a regular nighttime skincare routine but an overnight routine too. The literal definition of beauty sleep can be found in the form of overnight masks. Favorites include Youth to the People’s Superberry Hydrate + Glow Dream Mask, and Korean skincare brand Glow Recipe’s Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask and Laneige’s water sleeping mask.
A running component in overnight masks is that they tend to focus on moisture and “glow.” Laneige has expanded the idea, creating a lip sleep mask and eye sleep mask to target more specific areas of the face, addressing dry, cracked lips and puffy dark circles. Overnight skincare can go beyond face masks. Sleep is the perfect time to wear products like acne-healing dots and Caudalie’s overnight detox oil.
A third solution is targeting sleep from within with the help of supplements. A visit to Sephora’s Inner Beauty section will showcase gummies and vitamins perfect for bedtime. Hum Nutrition’s Beauty zzZz Sleep Supplement, “promotes a restful beauty sleep for beautiful skin,” and should be taken 20 minutes before bed without food. The Sephora Collection also launched a collaboration with Olly nutrition which includes a Radiant Sleep gummy supplement with “a blend of active ingredients that work together to calm your mind and support restful sleep.”
Restful sleep is something we all hope to achieve, especially when days can be so stressful. Use your nightly beauty routine as a time to unwind from the day, a moment of self-care in the midst of the madness. Fall asleep with a glow mask, an acne dot or two, a mind-clearing gummy or a silk pillowcase and wake up to glowing skin, sleek hair and a well-rested body and mind.
Written by Hannah Harris
Graphic by Hannah Harris