Struggling to drift off? These are the best products for the ultimate beauty sleep
Beauty sleep is real, people!
Beauty sleep is real, people!
Anyone else finding it hard to get to sleep at the moment? We don't know about you, but the minute our heads hit the pillow our brain suddenly goes into overtime. Millions of questions start running through our minds, from whether we've replied to that important work email to what we are having for breakfast. We find ourselves tossing and turning for hours, and waking up looking (and feeling) a little worse for wear.
We are in serious need of some beauty sleep, but we can't do it alone. Luckily, there are loads of products available to help us drift off, and wake up looking like a new person. Check out our guide to how to achieve your best beauty sleep yet, and don't forget to shop our best pillow mists, best silk pillowcases and best sleep masks for that added bit of luxury. If you're really struggling, we also have lots of sleep remedies to help you get your full eight hours a night.
Is beauty sleep a real thing?
It might not sound like it, but believe it or not, beauty sleep is real. According to WebMD, your skin uses sleep to heal itself from any damage throughout the day. Not only that, but lack of sleep can lead to stress, which can cause breakouts and blackheads. Moral of the story? More sleep means clearer skin, brighter eyes and most importantly, more energy to tackle the day ahead.
The best products for the ultimate beauty sleep:
We've rounded up our top products for the ultimate beauty sleep, from relaxing body oils, cooling eye masks, lavender pillow sprays, CBD bath blocks and more. We've got loads of information on how they can help you drift off at night plus their added beauty benefits, and after reading this, you might want to try them all...
Mauli is founded on the principles of ayurvedic medicine. Instead of responding to the symptoms of bad health, all of the brand’s products are designed to prevent illness and nurture balance in the body. Good sleep is a huge part of staying healthy which is why we love these bath salts for soothing our senses and promoting great shut-eye. Combining aromatherapy and ancient medicine, the himalayan salts relieve anxiety, help us to focus and calm us down in our pre-bed bath. This product is suitable for all ages and is stored in a reusable steel vessel.
Nothing beats lighting a relaxing candle next to your bed at night and winding down with a good book. Our candle of choice? The 'Deep Sleep Heavenly Candle' by this works. It is expertly blended with pure essential oils of lavender and roman chamomile, creating a calming atmosphere for you to drift off.
We are always on the hunt for 100% vegan, natural and cruelty free brands and we love Balance Me for its range of highly effective skin and body care products. On top of the brand’s tailored routines, the team have formulated great sleep aids that work - trust us. This rollerball, which is made from high concentrate CBD, ylang ylang, lavender and cedar wood, has been helping us to gain clarity and good sleep over the past few weeks. It helps to soothe the endocannabinoid system (an intricate map of neurotransmitters in the body) which keeps things like your gut, metabolism, emotions and immune system working the way they should be.
Once we are asleep, we love to use products that get to work on our skin overnight. Liz Earle has formulated this plant-based retinol paste that mimics traditional retinol without causing the tell tale irritation that lots of people get from the Vitamin A derivative. After we have cleansed and toned, we apply this twice a week and it leaves our skin feeling plumped, hydrated and glowing in the morning. Like the rest of the brand's products, this overnight miracle worker is Leaping Bunny certified and comes in a fully recyclable tube.
A bath is a great way to relax before bed, however, if you are more of a shower person, we couldn't recommend this Aromatherapy Associates oil enough. It combines the restful powers of vetivert, camomile and sandalwood, and was created by the brand's founder to address her own insomnia. The oil will slow your racing mind and prepare you for a night of restorative sleep.
When we first opened this eye mask, we thought it was more of a fashion statement than a beauty product. Then, we started researching the power of quartz for calming the mind and releasing tension in the face. Soon we started using the eye mask for around 15 minutes a day and now, we're hooked. The moveable crystals mould around the contours of your face to provide a cooling effect which soothes tired and tense eyes after a long day of looking at a screen. If we need an extra pick me up, we pop the mask in the fridge for around three minutes before applying it to our face which gives it extra oomph.
This rich cream is packed with plant-derived ingredients such as Evening Primrose Oil, Sweet Almond Oil and more. When applied before bed, it blends into your complexion so you wake up with hydrated morning skin. The soft lavender scent also helps you to drift off. Win win.
This 100% vegan and cruelty-free body wash is packed with hydrating ingredients to gently cleanse your skin without ever leaving it feeling dry. The product takes inspiration from the principals of aromatherapy, with a carefully balanced mix of antioxidant-rich plant extracts like aloe vera, green tea and soothing chamomile to lull you into a state of deep relaxation.
Our Beauty and Style Director, Lisa Oxenham, first met Pauline Hili, the founder of Nourish London, earlier this year when they worked together on a project for the Soil Association. As soon as Lisa learnt about how great all of her products are for the planet and its people, she knew she had to stock up on the best sellers. This pillow mist is by far one of our favourite products for great beauty sleep and it has become a mainstay on our bedside table. The unique mixture of nine essential oils (including geranium, patchouli, bergamot and lavender) is blended to sing you to sleep as soon as your head hits the pillow. One spritz of this and you’ll be catching up on lost sleep in minutes.
This product is part of de Mamiel’s innovative Sleep Series, helping you to achieve a blissful slumber. The balm is designed to calm overactive nervous systems and soothe your mind. The base oil combines a blend of herbs, watermelon seed and passionflower oil to help absorb minerals such as magnesium, zinc and B vitamins. All you have to do is warm a small amount in your hands, place over your nose and breathe deeply. You can also rub it onto the inside of your wrists and décolleté to release tension.
Tossing and turning at night? You might find yourself waking up with hair more frizzy than normal due to friction. We love these silk scrunchies from ESPA as they prevent frizziness and are super comfortable to sleep in. Say goodbye to tight bobbles and hello to your new best friend.
NEOM have created the perfect hand balm to send you off to sleep. It combines cocoa butter, shea butter, lavender, chamomile and patchouli, plus 11 other essential oils. Pop this product on your bedside table and apply a pea-sized amount every night, massaging into the skin and cupping your hands over your nose to breathe in the relaxing scent. You'll wake up refreshed, and your hands will thank you.
Bath bombs have always been a great way of reducing plastic waste because they don’t come in bottles like other bubbles, salts and oils. This Kloris bath block comes sealed in a biodegradable cellulose wrap which is great for the environment and keeps the product in tip top condition. Combining magnesium and CBD, two ingredients that are renowned for their easing, soothing and clarity-inducing qualities, this bomb is perfect for when you need help to relax and you’ve been lacking in great beauty sleep.
This intensive replenishing balm helps to hydrate and deeply moisturise while you sleep. It contains delicate hints of lavender and bitter orange, and is suitable for all skin types.
If you're not a massive fan of candles, another great way of filling your room with a relaxing scent is a diffuser. The Jo Malone Lavender & Moonflower diffuser always helps us switch off, with a soft scent of lavender nestled among a cocooning note of white musk and night-blooming moonflowers.
Plantopia is a new beauty brand that features four different ranges, Detox & Purify, Rest & Sleep, Relax & Calm and Energise & Uplift. We have been loving the Dusk to Dawn Night Oil from the Rest & Sleep range. The facial product is designed to be applied at night to restore the skin's protective barrier function, soothe irritation and support overnight renewal. The brand recommends warming a few drops between the palms of your hands, delicately massaging the oil with your fingertips into the skin and sweeping upwards and outwards whilst exhaling. Bliss.
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Grace Lindsay is currently Junior Beauty Editor at Who What Wear UK and previously was Marie Claire UK's E-Commerce Writer. With over three years of experience in the fashion and beauty industry, she covers everything from the best make-up and skincare deals to how to shop the stand out trends of the season. When she's not typing away at her laptop, Grace can be found shopping her favourite vintage markets IRL, or catching up on her never-ending list of books to read.
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