3 ways you're harming your skin when you sleep

A solid night of sleep is the ultimate beauty treatment. It leaves you feeling refreshed, it clears the mind, and it allows your skin to repair and rejuvenation itself.

But what if you’re not making the most of your nightly eight hours? Or, worse still, what if you’re actually damaging your skin as you sleep? If you’re committing any of these three skin sins, it’s highly likely your snoozing sessions are doing more harm than good.

3 WAYS YOU’RE HARMING YOUR SKIN WHEN YOU SLEEP

#1. You don’t sleep on a silk pillowcase

Do you often wake up with creases on your face? You can blame your regular cotton pillowcase for that. When you sleep on your stomach or your side, the material bunches up underneath your skin and causes indents. (Annoyingly, it can also pull, scratch and tug at your skin.) Now, these indents do disappear, but they can cause permanent wrinkles over time from repetitive folding of the skin. You can solve this issue by purchasing a silk pillowcase, though. Its super-smooth texture won’t crease under your skin as you sleep, eliminating the chance of skin creases.
Try: slip pure silk pillowcase ($69.95, slip.com.au)

#2. You don’t use the right anti-ageing skin care ingredients

If you want your skin to remain youthful for longer, you can’t just slap on any old cream at night – you need to make the most of your skin’s natural repair time by feeding it the right ingredients. “Look for products that contain peptides, antioxidants, hyaluronic acid, wheat protein extract and vitamins such as vitamin A, E and C, as these all help repair, regenerate, stimulate or hydrate the skin,” says Emma Hobson, Dermalogica’s Education Manager.
Try: Dermalogica Extra Firming Booster or asap Advanced Hydrating Moisturiser.

#3. You leave the air conditioner switched on

Or, you point your pedestal fan in the direction of your face. Both of these items may keep you wonderfully cool during the night, but they also cause skin dehydration. This means they strip your skin of its much-needed natural moisture, which leads to dryness, flakiness and more prominent lines. Combat this by switching off the air con before you jump into bed or facing your fan in the direction of your feet, and always apply a hydrating serum and moisturiser before you nod off to further protect your skin.
Try: Hydraluron by Indeed Laboratories and L’OCCITANE Immortelle Divine Cream.

Do you currently commit any of these skin sins when you go to bed? Will you be changing your bad habits form now on?