Skin wins while you are sleeping

Here are five ways to wake up with better skin.

In Anti Aging

While we sleep, our skin is busy repairing itself at double speed, increasing production of collagen and other skin regeneration processes. So this is the optimal time to help skin make the most of this repair process with the right cleansing and facial skincare techniques.

Alternate the use of warm and cool water for a thorough cleanse

A build-up of dead skin cells and dirt in your pores contributes to dull looking skin, which makes skin appear older. Loosen the dirt and grime in your pores by opening them with warm (not hot!) water before you start your cleansing routine. This promotes deeper penetration of your skincare products. After cleansing, rinse with cold water to tighten your pores to ensure you have a more even complexion.

Steam to de-gunk your pores

Alternatively, loosen dirt in your pores with a facial steam — just like how the professionals do it. Place a towel over your head and hold your face over a bowl of hot water for five to seven minutes. Don’t do this more than once a week, because the heat has drying and thermal aging effect - where heat worsens damaged skin. Follow up with light exfoliation and moisturizer.

Apply a hydrating overnight mask 

Fact: our skin loses more water when we sleep than in the day. Especially if we’re sleeping in air-conditioned rooms. Combat this with a hydrating overnight mask. Look for ones with glycerin, a humectant — science speak for a substance that helps to retain or preserve moisture. 

Treat yourself to a facial massage

Massaging your products in will not only encourage better absorption of your products, it also improves blood circulation in skin, giving you a brighter, youthful look. Use circular movements from the center of your face upwards and outwards. Never massage downwards as this will contribute to sagging of the skin later in life.

Sleep on your back

When you sleep with your face pressing against your pillow, crease lines form on your face. You’ll notice it in the mornings and they usually uncrease themselves within an hour. However, with repetition you increase the risk of these crease lines becoming permanent.