Beauty...
Be your own
kind of beautiful
Be your own
kind of beautiful
By Melissa Epifano
Being tired all the time is just a thing now. And no matter how many hours of sleep you actually get, you’re not alone if your twice-daily coffee isn’t hitting the spot anymore. Pandemic burnout is real, and the way we shape our nighttime routines is more important than ever. It puts an end to what can feel like a never-ending workday or a tiring cycle of family care and housework.
There will always be the occasional night where you’ll crawl into bed after a slightly too fast tooth brushing session followed by nothing more than a makeup wipe, but you deserve much more than having this as your norm. By focusing on an extra cushy, comfy nightly routine you’ll be helping your body and mind unwind while also setting yourself up for catching some proper Zs. Below are several categories with 22 different products to ensure you wake up feeling glowy, refreshed, and ready for anything this new lifestyle throws your way. Sweet dreams!
Yes, silk pillowcases look so stylish on your bed, but they do more than sit pretty. The composition of silk is beneficial to your hair and skin because it reduces the friction that comes with generic cotton or synthetic pillowcases — meaning you can also say goodbye to those awful sleep lines and frizzy hair.
Silk also absorbs less than the standard cotton pillow, so if you’re a chronic stomach sleeper (it’s a hard habit to break, okay?) you can rest easy knowing your 10-step routine isn’t instantly being smeared off into a mattress oblivion.
It won’t come as a shock that silk is quite a bit spendier than your everyday pillowcase, and if that’s a dealbreaker, try opting for its more wallet-friendly satin counterpart.
While you won’t be sleeping with this on per se, there is no better time to treat yourself to the luxury of an LED mask than before bed. In a time where getting an in-office facial isn’t possible in many places, you can bring the power of those lights into your own home, if not temporarily. The beauty of these tools is that most take between two to 20 minutes and you can slip it on over your freshly serum-ed and moisturized face once you slide under the duvet.
But what do LED lights do exactly? It depends on the color. The SpectraLite Faceware Pro from Dr. Dennis Gross, for example, has both red light — to combat wrinkles and sun damage — and blue light to tackle acne and blemishes, as well as a combo of both to work double duty. Other masks, like Shani Darden’s, have additional settings, including green light for helping with hyperpigmentation and dark spots.
Some sleep sprays, roll-ons, and tinctures can be applied to your skin or taken sublingually, but even the ones that are designated for pillowcases and sheets are essential for a good night’s sleep. Sure, it’s not another toner or mask, but sleep equals great skin and hair, so any additional tools for your arsenal are key.
These particular sprays and remedies help your sense of smell and taste get involved with the sleeping process, by chilling you out with mixtures of essential oils used to promote relaxation and a calming atmosphere. Fans of the tranquil smell of lavender will have an easy time finding a spray and those of us who are excited at the prospect of CBD have a wide range of drops and tinctures worth testing out.
For some of us, the last time we had a real hair mask was at the salon. And if you don’t have the time to wait 15 minutes in the shower for a deep conditioner, an overnight product will quickly become your new best friend. And matched with that silk pillowcase? Talk about the dream team.
Our hair takes a beating, whether that’s from excessive hot tool use or 24/7 ponytails. Running a nighttime formula through your strands takes the effort off your plate and gives your scalp and mane plenty of hours to repair. Picking out a formula all depends on what you personally need, and there’s a spray, gel, and goopy mask for everyone —whether you need to target straw-dry strands or major breakage.
The best part about overnight facial products is how little you actually have to do. Other than applying a thin layer to your face, you can let the formula do all the work while you snooze. Aim to buy products that have ingredients such as retinol, and acids to exfoliate and induce cell turnover, as well as more moisturizing components so you can hydrate and rejuvenate your complexion at the same time.
This will ensure that you’ll see actual results when you wake and not end up feeling like you’ve just added a second night cream to your routine. Some products you can use nightly while others are best reserved as a weekly treat. Just find what suits your skin type and make it a concrete part of your nightly unwind.
Skincare and hair care go beyond the potions lined up on your vanity and bathroom shelf. If you often find yourself waking up feeling ultra parched and dry each morning, your skin and hair are probably feeling the same. Give your moisturizers and masks a hand by supplementing with a humidifier. These gadgets are far sleeker than the ones from decades past that rumbled and gurgled all night (most are virtually silent now).
If hydration isn’t your biggest concern, something like a diffuser will add a little bit of moisture to the air, but also serve as a calming sensory experience by allowing you to add fragrances like chamomile and lavender to help you fall asleep. There’s also something so calming about the ritual of adding your oils to your machine each night that helps signal to your body that it’s time to hunker down.
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