BEAUTY

Why Your Skincare Does Its Best Work Overnight

It’s called ‘beauty sleep’ for a reason.

Ever noticed that your skin looks its best the morning after a solid eight hours of shut-eye?

While the concept of ‘beauty sleep’ might sound cliché, it’s actually a science-backed phenomenon. A 2017 study found that after just two nights of poor sleep, participants were perceived to be less healthy, attractive and even trustworthy. (Yikes.)

Here, we explain how sleep affects your skin and overall health. Plus, how to supercharge your sleep so you can wake up with your best complexion yet (hint: you’re going to want to pick up a bottle of Dr. LeWinn’s Ultra R4 Collagen Surge Overnight Sleep Mask).

the effects of no sleep on your skin
Lack of sleep equals daytime fatigue. (Credit: Getty)

How does sleep affect your skin?

While you’re sleeping, your body gets to work.

During the wee hours of the night, your skin takes this opportunity to repair itself by rebuilding collagen and repairing damage from UV exposure. Blood flow to your skin and face also increases.

A 2015 study published in Clinical and Experimental Dermatology found that chronic poor sleep can speed up the visible signs of ageing by not giving your skin a chance to rest and renew overnight. Participants who slept seven to nine hours per night were found to have a stronger skin barrier (helping to protect against external aggressors), more moisturised skin, and a complexion that was better able to heal damage from UV light.

And it’s not just our skin that suffers: when you’re tired, you’ll probably notice a dip in your mood, along with poor concentration, irritability, daytime fatigue and even impaired judgement.

Dr LeWinn's Ultra R4 Collagen Surge Overnight Sleep Mask
Got a big event coming up? Try applying Dr. LeWinn’s Ultra R4 Collagen Surge Overnight Sleep Mask the night before. (Credit: Supplied)

How to supercharge your beauty sleep

So, more sleep equals a healthier, happier you, and more youthful-looking skin. But did you know that you can double down on the benefits of sleep by using the right skincare overnight?

Dr. LeWinn’s Ultra R4 Collagen Surge Overnight Sleep Mask has been formulated to support your skin’s regenerative processes, so you can wake up with plump, hydrated, and youthful-looking skin come morning.

The newest product in Dr. LeWinn’s best-selling R4 range, this lightweight sleep mask sinks into skin easily, and is designed to be applied before bed to coincide with your skin’s natural renewal process. This gives the product’s active ingredients an opportunity to really do their job while you get some much needed rest.

The Ultra R4 Collagen Surge Overnight Sleep Mask’s dual-serum formula contains anti-ageing peptides (to help reduce the appearance of wrinkles); marine collagen (to improve skin elasticity and firmness); and niacinamide (to minimise the appearance of pores). One recent independent laboratory study found that signs of skin fatigue improved by up to 44 per cent after 28 days and 100 per cent of users noticed brighter skin.

How much sleep do you actually need?

While we’d all love to clock up eight-plus hours every night, the reality is that sometimes life can get in the way. In an ideal world, the Sleep Health Foundation recommends most adults aim for seven to eight hours of sleep per night.

And if you know that you’re probably not going to hit the minimum quota? We can always count on coffee and skincare to help reduce the visible signs of fatigue.

Brought to you by Dr. LeWinn’s.

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