OWN THE NIGHT
Night-time skincare rituals to rejuvenate and repair your skin
We know what a lack of sleep will do to your appearance (hello, dark circles, my old friends), but is ‘beauty sleep’ just an idea plucked from the pages of a fairy tale or does getting a full eight hours actually work wonders for the health of your skin? And, what can you do to help the process along?
Most of us think of sleep as a time when your body switches off, but actually, it is hard at work while you’re snoozing away. At night, your brain sorts through reams of information and data; it runs checks to ensure that the exquisite balance of hormones, enzymes and proteins is maintained; and your skin cells churn out growth factors to repair damage and maintain elasticity.
‘When you sleep, the skin repairs and rejuvenates itself,’ explains dermatologist and founder of Dermastore Dr Ian Webster. ‘Sleep repairs DNA damage, which is caused by pollution and UV light. While you sleep, your body encourages tissue repair and protein synthesis for proteins such as collagen and elastin. Collagen is the protein that gives you shiny hair and glowing skin.’
Studies have shown that a key factor in sleep regulation is the circadian rhythm (see our feature on page 60 for more) which
‘is influenced by light and the environment,’ says Dr Webster. Exposure to light stimulates a centre in the brain called the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), which sends signals to the other parts of the brain that control body temperature, hormones such as cortisol and a host of other functions. In your skin, it influences blood flow and wound healing, Dr Webster adds. Various studies have shown that skin repair peaks at night.
Biomedical Emporium co-founder Dr Judey Pretorius believes that the biggest benefit of a good night’s sleep is a boost in overall immunity. ‘If your immunity is low then things start to express on your skin, and typically you are more prone to react to irritants such as pollutants and other irritants in the air.’
Like day and night
As anyone with oily skin will tell you, your skin goes through changes throughout the day as well. ‘The sebaceous glands go through a cycle; you’ll find that your skin is generally oilier at midday,’ says Dr Webster.
At night, your skin is likely to be drier because it excretes less sebum and there is an increase in transepidermal water loss (TEWL) – which is what dermatologists call the loss of water that passes from the body through the skin. This nighttime TEWL can exacerbate itchiness and inflammation. ‘During the day you’re busy, but when you get into bed you’re lying still and your body heats up. This increase in body temperature and skin acidity can exacerbate inflammation.’
Why is a night-time skincare routine so important?
Going through a step-by-step night-time skincare routine will help you wind down from your busy day, and it’s a great time to introduce products that can work their magic overnight.
‘Good products for skin regeneration are serums, moisturisers, eye creams and sleep masks,’ says Dr Webster. ‘The ingredients we have
found to have the best regenerative overnight properties are retinoids, alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs), resveratrol, ceramides, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, coenzyme Q10 and prickly pear seed oil.’
KEY STEP 1: Cleansing
‘During the day, your skin is exposed to the environment and pollution,’ explains Dr Webster. ‘A thorough cleansing will help prepare it as a canvas for night-time correctors. Use a cleanser at night, then use something milder in the morning like a micellar water – try not to go over the top.’
• Lush Sleepy Face Cleansing Balm, R89 • Optiphi Classic Pure Cleansing Wash, R690 • Pond’s Pimple Clear Micellar Water, R69,95
• Alma K Purify Cleansing Micellar Water, R199,99
KEY STEP 2: Eye cream
Lauren Engelbrecht, education manager for Benefit Cosmetics, is a firm believer in eye cream. ‘The skin around your eyes can be up to 10 times thinner than the skin on the rest of your face; it also has less collagen and elastin fibres,’ she says. ‘That’s why this area is prone to ageing faster than most other parts of your body. Your skin is also in repair mode at night, and products that deeply hydrate, restore and repair do their best work while you get your beauty rest.’
• Skin Republic Fast Fix Under Eye Patch, R70 • Benefit It’s Potent! Eye Cream, R525 • Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Eye, R550 for 15ml
KEY STEP 3: Serum
After you apply eye cream, move on to a serum. ‘A serum is basically more concentrated with active ingredients than a night cream,’ Dr Webster says. ‘But it’s not really a one-or-the-other type of situation – you can wear the serum under the night cream. It really depends on your skin type. Your skin absorbs topical product a lot better at night, so that’s the best time to apply
ingredients like retinol, peptides and resveratrol.’
• Hyaluronic acid seals in moisture and strengthens the skin barrier.
• Vitamin C is an antioxidant; it brightens dull skin and dark marks.
• Retinol, vitamin B3 and peptides prevent wrinkles and sagging by stimulating the production of collagen and elastin.
• Colloidal sulphur and niacinamide have antimicrobial effects that calm redness and irritation by decreasing inflammation and improving acne.
KEY STEP 4:
Treatments
Now is the time to tackle that zit on your chin, give your chapped lips some much-needed TLC or apply an overnight treatment.
SPOTS: • Gatineau Clear & Perfect S.O.S Stick, R385 • NeoStrata Targeted Spot Treatment Gel, R410
• Vice Reversa Pimple Patch, R380 for 8 LIPS: • Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Intensive Lip Repair Balm, R295 • Optiphi Active Lip Formula, R417 • The Body Shop Hemp Heavy-Duty Lip Care, R75
OVERNIGHT MASKS:
• Biomedical Emporium HA Contour Masque, R1200 • Filorga NCEFNight Mask, R899 • Nivea Q10 Power Sleeping Melt-in Mask, R189,99
• Chanel Hydra Beauty Camellia Overnight Mask, R1815
ICONIC PM PRODUCTS: • Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate, R850 for 30ml
• Estée Lauder Advanced Night
Repair, R890 • Dermalogica Sound Sleep Cocoon, R1450
Gatineau Age Benefit Ultraregenerating night elixir,
R1325