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Get Your Beauty Sleep

words by Frankie Rozwadowska

The clocks went back this weekend, which means we get a whole extra hour of sublime shuteye. Hooray! Our skin is rejoicing. It is not just a saying or an old wives’ tale – sleep really does make you more beautiful. Heidi Klum gets 10 hours a night, whilst Penelope Cruz clocks up 12 – and Eva Mendes claims she would get the gold medal if sleep became an Olympic sport. Those glorious hours when we are dreaming of magical lands or marrying Ryan Gosling (admit it) are when our skin goes through vital processes of restoration and repair and when our metabolic rate rises to replenish dead cells at the surface. Lack of sleep not only makes you feel lousy, but it puts extra stress on the body. Increasing levels of stress hormones mean one thing – wrinkles. And lots of them.  Instead of battling nasty environmental factors like pollution and sunlight, at night our systems focus on repairing damage caused during the day, and without this key time period skin becomes more sensitive and irritated. Sleep also helps support a healthy immune system, enabling our bodies to banish blemishes and fight off infections. It’s therefore no surprise that many products are more effective when used at night. They are absorbed faster and penetrate deeper whilst our bodies are at rest, working alongside nature to turn you into a sleeping beauty fit for a fairytale.

Before bed, soak in a bath of Aromatherapy Associates Relax Deep Bath & Shower Gel. The aromatic oils of nature’s most calming plants (chamomile, sandalwood and vetivert) instantly create a deep sense of peace and tranquillity and the coconut oil will leave you feeling seriously soft. £37.00

Bad news for anyone who sleeps on their face – it is one of the biggest ways to speed up ageing. Your skin is compressed, meaning less circulation, skin creasing and more wrinkles. But there is good news. Sleeping on the 100% silk hypoallergenic Holistic Silk Rejuvenating ‘Anti-Ageing’ Silk Pillow Case means no creasing, therefore no wrinkles. Simples. £42.50

Now you have the pillow, you need the pillow spray. The This Works Deep Sleep Pillow Spray is infused with 100% natural essential oils (lavender, vetivert, wild chamomile) to relieve tension and insomnia whilst soothing and sedating the mind and body. Simply spritz, smell and sleep. £15.00

The ultimate fighter against ageing has to be the REN Bio Retinoid Anti-Ageing Concentrate. 100% nature derived Vitamin A, Pro Vitamin A and Retinoid Analogue (which does not irritate skin like synthetic retinol) combats wrinkles, fine lines and age spots – leaving skin brighter, plumper and smoother. Warm a few drops in your hands and apply before your night cream/serum. £42.00

Detox is not just for diet but for skin too – and the Sisley Night Complex does detox and more. This cell activator, rich in active plant extracts (hops, horsetail and white lily) and essential oils, is suitable for all skin types – restoring tone, elasticity and firmness, whilst rebalancing and oxygenating. £158.00

Health Guru Dr Andrew Weil puts his power in a pot with the Dr Andrew Weil for Origins Night Health Bedtime Face Cream. Particularly good for the stressed or anxious, this nutrient-rich cream contains Buckbean and St Paul’s Wort to target tense, clenched-looking skin, together with anti-irritants derived from algae and yeast to help visibly calm complexions. £46.00

Eyes are the tell-tale sign of not enough kip (skin under the eyes is only a 1/3 as thick as facial skin and has far fewer sebaceous glands, making it more susceptible to dehydration) so a super eye treatment is a must. The Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Eye diminishes fine lines, puffiness and wrinkles by combining powerhouse natural oils with Butcher’s Broom – a root extract proven to increase microcirculation and to strengthen the delicate eye area overnight. £24.50

Naturally fragranced with the most luxurious of roses, the Eve Lom TLC Cream leaves skin supple, smooth and hydrated, as well as smelling sublime. Formulated with natural oils (Bulgarian Rose Otto, arnica and calendula), beeswax and euphrasia extract, it is gentle enough for the most delicate of skin – reducing sensitivity and calming redness. Total tender loving care. £55

A’Kin is one of a’kind. Blended in Australia’s bushland, the A’Kin Lavender & Rose Repairing Anti-oxidant Night Cream has no nasties and lots of botanical goodness. Rapidly absorbed and enriched with highly moisturising vitamins and fatty acids a’plenty, this works wonders for dryness. £24.00

A night-time nourisher that ticks all the boxes, the Liz Earle Superskin Concentrate rebalances combination and oily skin, nurtures dry skin, clears toxins, boosts circulation, reduces puffiness and encourages cell renewal. Massage this heavenly combination of oils (argan, organic rose hip, neroli and lavender) onto the face and décolletage after cleansing and let sleep and Superkin work their magic. £40.25

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