on May 24, 2022
I'm talking sleep and beauty, not sleeping beauty. Although, a babe can dream.
Sleep is free, which makes it the most affordable beauty hack. You can get it anywhere, anytime. At dinner with the in-laws, during your fourth attempt at a film you keep falling asleep during, even at your desk. I won't tell.
Most babes haven't made the connection between sleep and skin. But when you snooze, your skin resets: it heals, restores, and clears congestion. So when you're up all night tossing and turning, skin is one of the first things to take a hit.
1. Beauty sleep keeps your skin moisturised.
When a babe sleeps, a lot happens. She dreams of her celebrity crush. She mumbles incoherent sentences (although it always sounds like poetry to me). Sometimes, she even drools.
So what happens to your skin? Your body's hydration rebalances and extra moisture is recovered. On the flip side, not getting enough sleep can decrease your moisture levels and lower your complexion's pH levels, resulting in dry, tired-looking skin, puffiness, redness, uneven tone, and breakouts.
Remember that time someone at work said "you look tired today"? That "tired" look is largely due to your body missing out on moisture. If your skin needs a hydration hit in the morning, my Caffeinated Face Moisturiser has you covered.
2. Beauty sleep keeps your eyes bright and de-puffed.
I like that thing you do with your lids. You know, that pink sparkly thing. But sometimes, shadows can pop up below your lids, too.
When you're not sleeping, your blood vessels dilate, which causes those pesky dark circles to appear. Not getting enough sleep also changes the salt balance in your body, making you retain more water. Hello, puffy eyes. And if you sleep on your stomach, liquid can pool in your under-eye troughs through the night, causing bags. The only bags you should wake up to are totes.
Sleep on your back if you can. If you find you're ending up on your side anyway, get an extra fluffy pillow to elevate your head. And when life happens, keep my Glow Mask in the fridge for a five-minute de-puff in the morning.
3. Beauty sleep supports your skin's collagen.
Like 30 unread emails is stress for your mind, missing sleep is stress for your body. Chronic stress affects the way collagen forms in your skin. Collagen is responsible for the elasticity of your skin. When it breaks down, skin gets thinner and wrinkles become more prominent.
Sleep deprivation can accelerate that breakdown, as well as deplete your skin's hyaluronic acid: the tiny molecules responsible for that glow. Sleep is one of the best things you can do to support your skin's collagen. And unlike most beauty treatments, it's completely free.
4. Beauty sleep benefits your existing skin conditions.
The less sleep you get, the more likely your body is to experience inflammation. An overload of inflammation interferes with your immune system working properly. So not only could you get sick more easily, but immune-related skin conditions can flare up.
Inflammation can also cause more breakouts and break down the skin proteins that keep you looking like a glowing babe. Getting to bed earlier is the first step. And building a nighttime wind-down routine helps too. My In Your Dreams Sleep Scrub & Soak is a good place to start. Lavender and chamomile to calm both your skin and your mind before bed.
5. Beauty sleep slows down your skin's ageing process.
Deep sleep is my favourite type. In this stage, your body experiences a rise in growth hormones, which are responsible for repairing damaged cells. Every day, your cells undergo damage from pollution, UV rays, and general life. Every night, those cells get repaired. But if you don't enter deep sleep, that recovery doesn't happen. And when daily damage builds up without repair, the signs of ageing become more noticeable over time.
Since new skin cells also grow faster while you sleep, sleep really is the closest thing to a time machine. Hop in, babe.
6. Beauty sleep is something you have to work at.
I can tell you to "get more sleep" but sometimes it isn't as simple as hopping into bed, closing your eyes, and nodding off. Changing your sleep behaviour takes time, practice, and lifestyle changes. Sometimes you'll slip up and watch four more episodes than you planned.
But a nighttime relaxation routine is a good place to start. Put your phone away so you can actually switch off. Good things take time.
So, are you ready to sleep with me?
x frank
