FIGHT AGEING WHILE YOU SLEEP
Your nightly skincare regimen needn’t be a hassle. Our plan is so simple that you can do it with your eyes closed
After a long, stressful day, the last thing you need is yet more stuff to deal with – and rooting through the skincare products on your bathroom shelf might feel like one hassle too many. But having a strategy for taking care of your face before sleep is well worth the effort.
It’ll leave you relaxed and ready to take on the next day looking and feeling fresh, instead of progressively frazzled.
Science has shown that the night is the best time to double down on your anti-ageing efforts. “During the day, your skin is in defence mode,” explains dermatologist Morgan Rabach.
Which isn’t too surprising, since this is when your face is blasted by the elements: harsh sunlight, city smog, cold air, and your own palm when you realise that you forgot to prepare for your Zoom meeting with your boss.
“Then, in the evening, the rate of skin cell regeneration doubles,” says Rabach. In other words, your face fixes itself. Its production of wrinkle-preventing collagen increases, as do your levels of the hormone melatonin, which helps to repair UV damage.
But your body also gets dehydrated overnight. (This is why you wake up looking crumpled.) According to Rabach, a simple night-time skincare routine will “seal in moisture and give a vitamin boost to your skin”.
There’s even evidence that the soothing textures and scents of some products could help to lower your levels of stressinducing cortisol. You’ll wake up with a whole new outlook.