How to wake up more beautiful

We all dream of waking up with healthy, younger-looking and glowing skin. And while serums and night creams are super hydrating, they might not be enough to give your skin the anti-ageing boost it needs to look fresher upon waking.

To give your skin a helping hand, we explain what happens to your skin while you sleep, what exactly is the most effective night-time skin care regimen, and why an overnight anti-ageing face mask is the missing piece in your skin care routine to help you truly get your beauty sleep.

What happens to your skin as you sleep?

While you get your much-needed shuteye each night, your skin works in overdrive to replenish, repair and revive itself. “The skin is regulated by a biological rhythm known as the circadian clock which is based on the day-night cycle,” explains David Whyte, National Education Manager for Elizabeth Arden. “It serves as an important regulatory function that cells need to revitalise and regenerate. The skin’s sebum secretion, water loss, pH and temperature change within this 24-hour period. When the body is in a deep, restful sleep, the skin’s metabolism increases and cell turnover and renewal escalates. This is the time when tissue is repaired from the day's aggressions such as the sun’s rays and pollution, as well as dehydration through water loss.”

How can an overnight mask help improve your skin?

The overnight regeneration and renewal phase is the perfect time to give your skin as much help as possible to fight the signs of ageing, and this is where adding an overnight facial mask to your routine once a week is key.

“An overnight masks allows you to multitask your skin care - while you’re asleep, the night mask is working for you!” says David. “In addition to reinforcing skin’s natural night-time repair cycle, an overnight mask such as Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Overnight Firming Mask’s advanced formula infuses the skin with a combination of 12 essential amino acids and vital minerals for visibly firmer, lifted-looking skin,” he explains.

How do I add an overnight mask to my night-time routine?

David recommends giving your skin a thorough clean with an oil cleanser first, to rinse away grit and grime. “When your body is at rest this is the optimum time for your skin to rejuvenate, so ensure your complexion is prepped and cleaned correctly before bed by removing any make-up, dirt and pollution residue from the day with a good oil cleanser. It’ll help to dissolve impurities from skin, all while nourishing skin to leave it feeling clean, soft, and moisturised - not stripped like some other cleansers might.” We recommend trying the Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Replenishing Cleansing Oil.

Follow by applying your regular serum and night-time moisturiser (try the Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Capsules Daily Youth Restoring Serum and Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Lift & Firm Night Cream). Then, once or twice a week (depending on when you feel your complexion needs an extra hydration boost), as the very last step of your night-time skin care routine, massage a generous layer of Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Overnight Firming Mask onto your face and neck , let it dry down to a fine, dry-to-touch silk coat, and leave the mask on while you sleep.

The formula of the Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Overnight Firming Mask is enriched with alfalfa extract, which is a botanical extract that helps to strengthen the skin’s natural overnight repairing and renewing process, while hyaluronic acid and moisture-sealing technology help to continuously hydrate skin throughout the night. Additionally, the formula’s ceramide skin identical matrix helps to reinforce skin’s protective barrier for a healthier complexion.

As a result, you’ll wake up with firmer-looking skin as well as a soft, supple and revived complexion. “This mask is clinically proven to intensely hydrate and lock in moisture for up to eight hours, and to restore skin’s natural moisture barrier for a refreshed appearance by morning,” adds David. As an added benefit, the unique fragrance of the mask promotes relaxation for a better night’s sleep.

Why use both a night cream and an overnight mask? What are the benefits?

“An overnight mask seals in the hydration and active ingredients from your night moisturiser,” he explains. “[As a result], you will wake with more relaxed, brighter and visibly youthful skin. The skin will be firm and elastic while being smooth to the touch.”

What steps should you take in the morning after using an overnight mask?

Upon waking, it’s important to ensure you thoroughly rinse off the mask to whisk away any build-up of toxins on the skin overnight. “It’s vital you cleanse well and tone in the morning. The skin goes through a detoxification process at night and you must clean off the toxins to [reveal] healthy skin,” says David. “After cleansing, follow with your daytime skin care routine which should contain a booster like the Elizabeth Arden SUPERSTART Skin Renewal Booster. This contains a probiotic to ensure optimum skin health, [then apply] a treatment serum and moisturiser that contains both an SPF (sun protection factor) and EPF (environmental protection factor).”

Did you know that your skin repairs and renews itself overnight?