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Beauty sleep: wake up looking refreshed with our four-step bedtime routine
Natural Health, May, 2008 by Megan O'Neill
WOULDN'T IT be nice to rise out of bed every morning looking rested and relaxed? We thought so. That's why we asked expert dermatologists to create a skincare regimen that takes advantage of the natural renewal process our bodies go through every night.
"While you sleep, your skin repairs cells that have been damaged during the day," says Kenneth Beer, M.D., a dermatologist in West Palm Beach, Fla. When your skin isn't being exposed to sunlight, smoke, and other toxins, Beers says, it devotes energy to renewal. A groundbreaking 2001 study in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology suggests that skin not only generates new cells overnight, but the pH becomes more acidic, boosting exfoliation.
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Follow our routine before bed and get ready for a beautiful morning.
STEP 1: cleanse
WASH YOUR FACE EVERY NIGHT. You need to rinse away pore-clogging dirt, grime, and whatever beauty products you may have applied during the day. "Products break clown throughout the clay into a combination of chemicals, free radicals, and bacteria that can be damaging to the skin," says Jeanette Graf, M.D., a dermatologist in Great Neck, New York, and author of Stop Aging Start Living (Crown, 2007).
CHECK OUT
BURT'S BEES SOAP BARK & CHAMOMILE DEEP CLEANSING CREAM ($8, burtsbees.com) contains chamomile, aloe vera, and soap bark (derived from an evergreen tree) to soothe and soften skin.
DDF GLYCOLIC EXFOLIATING WASH 7% ($32; sephora.com) cleanses and lightly exfoliates with glycolic acid, a natural substance found in sugar.
DESERT ESSENCE GREEN TEA FACIAL CLEANSING PADS ($7; drugstore.com) contain antioxidant-rich green and white tea to fortify skin while removing dirt and makeup.
STEP 2: exfoliate
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SCRUB TWICE A WEEK. After cleansing, you want to slough away that top layer of dead cells. "At night, the lymphatic system works hard to excrete waste, including any dead skin cells that inhibit the skin from functioning," says Graf. Dermatologists recommend using products that contain gentle alpha hydroxy or beta hydroxy acids such as lactic acid or fruit enzymes. (If you use an exfoliating facial wash in Step 1, you don't need an additional exfoliant; you can skip directly to Step 3.)
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DHC SALICYLIC ACNE WASH ($13; dhccare.com) contains salicylic acid, (a beta-hydroxy acid from the willow tree) and is especially good for exfoliating oily skin.
JASON NATURAL PRODUCTS 12% PLUS OIL-FREE GEL NEW CELL THERAPY ALPHA HYDROXY ACIDS ($21.50; jasonnaturalproducts.com) is a blend of AHAs--including sugar cane lactic acid and fruit acids from grapes, apples, papayas, and citrus--that sloughs off surface cells without irritating skin.
ALBA BOTANICA PAPAYA ENZYME FACIAL MASK ($12; albabotanica.com) contains fruit enzymes and extracts from papaya, pineapple, and pumpkin to loosen and dissolve dead cells.
Avoid fragrances Using heavily perfumed products before you sleep can irritate skin.
STEP 3: repair collagen
KICK START RENEWAL Your body works to repair collagen while you sleep. But the harmful effects of UV rays, pollution, repeated muscle movements, and aging all make it hard for your skin to repair itself on its own. "Creams that contain retinoids, which are derived from vitamin A, and peptides (small fragments of proteins) are your best shot for collagen repair," says Beer, who adds that products with retinoids are best used at night; sunlight degrades them, and they can cause irritation if used before sun exposure.
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CHECK OUT
AVEENO CLEAR COMPLEXION CORRECTING TREATMENT ($15; at drugstores) contains a pure, active form of vitamin A to pump up collagen, and soy to help even out skin tone.
NEUTROGENA HEALTHY SKIN ANTI-WRINKLE NIGHT CREAM ($18; drugstore.com) contains retinol in combination with wrinkle-smoothing and moisturizing hyaluronic acid.
L'OREAL ADVANCED REVITALIFT COMPLETE SPF 15 LOTION ($17; drugstore.com) has retinol and the ocean plant criste marine to help prevent any irritation.
Sleep on your back Lying on your side, especially on the same side every night, can cause creasing and wrinkling of the skin. Can't do it? Get a satin pillowcase that offers more slip between your skin and the sheets.
STEP 4: moisturize
APPLY MOISTURIZER EVERY NIGHT. Your skin becomes dehydrated while you sleep even if you're drinking plenty of water during the day. Choose one with humectants like glycerin (which pulls in moisture from the air), hyaluronic acid, and botanicals rich in fatty acids. To give your skin an extra dose of protection, look for antioxidants, which will help increase your body's store of free-radical fighters, says Rebecca Tung, M.D., a dermatologist at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland. (You can skip a nightly application of moisturizer if your collagen-repair product already contains moisturizing ingredients.)
AND DON'T FORGET YOUR EYES. Select creams that contain natural, anti-inflammatory ingredients like antioxidants, cucumber, and chamomile that keep puffiness in check. Also caffeine and vitamin K can help combat dark circles by shrinking and strengthening the underlying blood vessels that cause the bluish hue.
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