Be kind to your skin Print E-mail
Written by Jane Garner, 2008   
Page 1 of 3
Jane Garner tracks down the best products to lavish on your face and body before you settle down to sleep

Do you lose sleep worrying about wrinkles? Or do you use the hours of night-time to give your face a beauty treatment?

Our bodies are built to regenerate while we sleep, but whether we can actually reverse the effects of too much sunshine, hormones, stress, pollution and the passing years - well, we like to hope we can.

The debate over whether face creams really work rages on and the huge variety of day - and night - creams on offer might be regarded as a cynical ploy to get us to buy twice as many.

But in fact a woman's skin reacts differently at night, so formulas are tweaked to take advantage of our body clock. At the end of a long day, skin might be crying out for rehydration, and not just on the face but down the neck to the cleavage and bust, as well as hands, feet and knees.
 
A good night's sleep is a tonic in itself, and can be encouraged by establishing a good bedtime routine, winding down your mind as well as body. This is where the 'X factor' comes into play because if night-time treatments smell and feel gorgeous, they can help you feel the same.

Don't just take pot luck with face creams, always find out first what skin type you have and buy something designed to work for you. For example, oily skins don't strictly really need a night cream but they will appreciate an occasional treat, while the drier your skin, the more you will need a moisturising effect.

The wee small hours are a very good time to tackle uneven skin tone and sunspots, and there are plenty of night creams designed to improve them. Remember these must be used regularly to work their best and some ingredients can be quite strong, so take advice before buying.

There's no strict rule against using day creams at night if you like them, but some overnight ingredients might be deactivated by sunlight, so don't waste them.

While you're at it, take the opportunity to use up any creams you've tried and abandoned. Use rich creams on over-dry elbows and knees, and slather plenty of moisturiser on hands and feet to give them a treat. If you want a really intense effect, slip them into socks or gloves afterwards.

You could spend a fortune on beautifully packaged potions, or just give yourself a few minutes' 'me time' soaking in the bath. The golden rule is to do what makes you feel good. If it works for you, it works.

Satin Skin

The smoother your pillow, the smoother your face. Treat your skin every night with a Satin Skin satin-silk mix pillow (£29.95). Provides relief from conditions like eczema and allergy to dust mites, and helps you avoid messy 'bed hair' in the morning.

AD Skin Synergy

A little goes a long way with AD Skin Synergy Nourishing Night Treatment (£38), a gorgeous smelling, organic preparation combining 15 natural ingredients from across the world. These include oils from the desert shrub jojoba, rosehips grown in the Chilean Andes and lavender cultivated at high altitude in Provence.

Agera

Award winning Agera Evening Peptide Complex (£89) exfoliates, repairs and helps diminish fine lines and wrinkles with ingredients including retinol and vitamins A and C.

A'kin

Give your eyes a treat with A'kin's unscented time release Ginkgo & Chamomile Night Eye Creme (£17.99), with vitamin E plus Omegas 3, 6 and 9. Or try their Lavender & Rose Repairing Anti-oxidant Night Creme (£17.99), a time release anti-wrinkle moisturiser with even more vitamins and the same trio of Omegas.

Annemarie Börlind

Designed for skin over 30, the Annemarie Börlind range regenerates skin, improving elasticity and softness on more than the face: LL Regeneration Night Cream (£27.85), Eye Wrinkle Cream (£25.90) and Décolleté Cream (£27.85). And for stressed skin there are smoothing, toning Annemarie Bšrlind Intensive Care Capsules (£40.55), to boost vitality.

Avon

Testers said their skin felt five years younger when they tried Avon ANEW Ultimate Age Repair Night Cream (£18), formulated to stimulate skin and boost critical proteins.

Beauty Naturals

A lullaby in a tin? Badger Sleep Balm (£4) from Beauty Naturals mail order uses essential oils to smooth skin (and your nerves) with a lovely fragrance.

A formula that melts into your skin - Martha Hill's Mimosa Night Cream (£14.50) from Beauty Naturals promises to provide a new glow.

Improve facial skintone and texture with Advanced Facial Massage Oil (£9.50) from Beauty Naturals. Also used to help eczema and psoriasis.

Treat your scalp to an overnight purification with Jason Revitalizing Scalp Elixir (£8.40) from Beauty Naturals, helping strengthen hair and control thinning and fallout.

<< Start < Prev 1 2 3 Next > End >>
 
[ Back ]