Sleeping Beauty Nighttime Skincare Rituals

Dr Kate Jameson on how to optimise your nighttime routine and habits.

Aside from getting in a few extra hours of sleep, which can seem impossible in our hectic lives, how else can we optimise our nighttime routine and habits to ensure healthy and glowing skin on waking each morning?

We asked Dr Kate Jameson, founder and medical director of Youth Lab, Australia’s leading medical aesthetics clinic specialising in non-surgical aesthetics and skin rejuvenation, for an inside into the best way to master beauty sleep and how to wake feeling fresh and more youthful.

“Sleep is when our skin has the opportunity to recover and regenerate, after being exposed to the elements during the day such as pollutants, UV rays and occlusive makeup. Our cellular turnover increases, replenishing vital hormones and hyaluronic acid and boosting collagen synthesis. To put it simply, sleep is essential to maintain healthy skin, restore balance to the skin and aid in a glowing complexion.”
Read on for her tips for a glowing complexion!

Develop a Skincare Routine

The first step in improving your nighttime beauty sleep is to develop a simple skincare routine that you know you will
stick to. Start with a double cleanse with a calming and gentle cleanser to remove the debris of the day and ensure no makeup remains on the skin. Excess oils, pollutants and foundation can clog the pores leading to congestion, impaired barrier function and sensitivity.

Using your most active products at night can further aid in cellular renewal and skin rejuvenation while you sleep. Ideally, use high-potency retinol during nighttime to work its magic while you sleep. A firm favourite is Cosmedix Serum 16, which is not only retinol that targets the visible signs of ageing but also contains hydration to protect the skin’s moisture barrier and boost moisture without causing redness, dryness or irritation.

Using a luxurious and thicker night cream after the active serums can also work to provide a spa-like experience when you perform your nightly skincare routine, lock in key ingredients and moisturise while you rest, meaning you wake up refreshed with soft and supple skin. For those who love a luxury product and also want results, PCA Skin Hydraluxe Overnight Mask is a rich and luxurious night cream that works to reduce the appearance of fine lines and
deeply hydrates overnight.

The Magic of Silk

Investing in a silk pillowcase is a must for those seeking an improvement in their sleep and skin. These pillowcases feel and look luxurious and not only provide a comfortable slumber but also work to help your skin overnight. Silk works to provide a softer and gentler sleep by reducing irritation to the skin for those with sensitive skin that cotton or other fabrics can cause. In addition, silk does not absorb the precious skincare you have applied before bed, meaning the products work their benefits into the skin, not into the pillowcase. This in turn keeps your skin
hydrated overnight as silk also does not absorb excess moisture from the skin like cotton does.

A silk pillowcase also has the benefits of not creasing, which in turn can stop those stubborn sleep creases from forming on your skin when you sleep on your side or front. Combine a silk pillowcase with sleeping on your back and these stubborn creases will never get the chance to form.

A silk pillowcase coupled with a luxury silk eye mask is the ultimate combination for improving your beauty sleep. Not only do you get the skincare benefits but the complete blackout from wearing an eye mask will improve melatonin levels and improve the quantity and quality of your sleep, which in turn, yes you guessed it, help you feel refreshed and rested in the morning. My favourite silk combinations are from the Australian company SLIP, which stocks a variety of beautiful colours.

A Nighttime Ritual

Rituals are important when establishing positive habits, and a nighttime ritual can set you up for a restful night’s sleep. When preparing for a good night’s sleep, doing anything that boosts the sleep hormone melatonin will pay off. Not only does this hormone aid in improving the quality of sleep, but it is also a potent antioxidant that can work to improve skin quality.

Ensuring no screen time or blue light from your mobile phone at least one hour before bed is essential, as well as avoiding any stimulation or stress. Blue light has been proven to disrupt our circadian rhythm and, in turn, will
cause a disrupted sleep cycle. Reading a book, meditating or simply relaxing are all important pre-bedtime rituals and can replace the mindless scrolling on your smartphone.
Adding a beautiful pillow spritz such as lavender or having a warm shower with soothing essential oils can also prepare the body for sleep. A nighttime ritual is a private affair; no matter what you choose to do, these positive habits will result in better quality sleep, allowing more time for your skin to benefit overnight.

At Home LED

We all know the benefits of an LED treatment when used professionally. LED, especially red light, works to stimulate collagen production, promote skin health and works to energise the cells and prevent oxidative stress. There are now “at-home” options of professional LED treatments, working as a portable mask you can use whenever or wherever you want. Adding a home LED treatment to your nightly routine, or even as a weekly at-home spa treatment, will
not only give you professional skin benefits at home but the red light can even help to improve sleep quality. A double win for the skin!

The Deesse Pro Express light therapy mask is the world leader in at-home LED technology. This mask uses two clinically proven wavelengths of light (630nm red and 830nm yellow) to target the signs of ageing, provide skin
rejuvenation, increase blood flow and oxygenate the skin cells. It is safe, pain-free and only takes 10 minutes, so there is no reason not to incorporate this little luxury into your daily routine.

For more from Dr Kate, visit youthlab.com.au