Sleeping My Way To Better Skin

Sleep is a wonderful thing. A good night's sleep has many amazing benefits since it basically works to reset your body, helping to strengthen the immune system, improve cognitive function and boost your mood. Sleep affects just about every bodily function and it also plays a big part in the appearance of our skin. Beauty sleep is real! I average 7 - 8 hours of sleep/night and I like to maximize the natural repair cycle by supplementing my skincare routine with sleeping masks.

Sleeping masks or sleep packs as they're known in Asia are a popular K-Beauty product having a moment as a number of companies are now offering their own overnight treatments. A sleep mask is meant to be applied as a final treatment over your evening skincare as a way to lock in moisture and help your products to absorb better into the skin. You rinse it off the next morning and enjoy smooth and hydrated skin. Overnight treatment products are often formulated with a high water content so they're more lightweight than night creams and other types of facial mask since they're meant to sink into skin without feeling greasy or leaving residue on your pillow. Sleeping mask are not a must but I personally like to use them to boost hydration and to address skin issues. My first sleeping pack was the Laneige Water Sleeping Mask and that is like a total OG product. I think it's solid but there are so many other options that do more out there these days.

Aveda Tulasāra Wedding Masque*  ($65)

This 97% naturally-derived creme mask is inspired by the Indian Haldi pre-wedding tradition where a homemade turmeric paste is applied to the bride and groom for glowing skin on their wedding day. In clinical tests for this product, 100% of women exhibited brighter skin instantly with the use of this and the accompanying eye mask. Well I can say that mask delivers visible brightening. I had actually forgotten that I had used it the night before the first time and wondered why my skin looked so much better the next morning. It not only creates a radiant complexion but used over time it will help to firm and smooth the skin. There's nothing I don't like about this mask. It is unscented with a lovely weightless texture that sinks right in when applied and it works. Tulasāra means "moving toward balance" in Sanskrit.

Aveda Tulasāra Wedding Masque Eye*  ($55)

This product is essentially the Aveda Tulasāra Wedding Masque formulated for use on the eye area. It works to brighten and firm while diminishing the appearance of dark circles and puffiness with use over time. This is the first ever sleeping mask product I've ever used that is made specifically for the eyes but I was quite excited about it since I'm vexed by the occasional dark circles if I don't get enough sleep. Like the facial mask, the texture of this eye mask is like a dream and lighter than air. It is also unscented and stays right where it's applied. And the best part is that I wake up with well rested looking eyes even when I haven't had the best night's sleep. Not only has it helped with my dark circles, I also feel like it has improved the overall appearance of my eye area. 

Both of these can be found at Aveda and Nordstrom.

Farmacy Sleep Tight Firming Night Balm  ($48)

I have previously reviewed this product and you can get the full details here. This is my second jar of the Farmacy Sleep Tight Firming Night Balm, a renewing night treatment made from farm grown botanicals that transforms into a gentle oil gel to moisturize, tone and firm. I was initially concerned that balm nature might make this greasy and while it does feel slightly heavier than any of the other masks I'm currently using, it does absorb into my skin fairly easily without any type of residue. And it's quite effective in terms of deep hydration and keeping flaking skin at bay when it's really cold. I find it also helps with redness. Because of it's richness, I do limit use of this one to the winter.

This product is available from Sephora.

Lady&Skin  Blooming White Oxybright Overnight Mask  ($38)

As the name would suggest, this is an intensive overnight brightening treatment. It is formulated with by a complex of 8 natural botanicals, tangerine oil and oxygen bubbles which promote moisture retention and elasticity by helping to improve skin circulation. It has a faint citrus scent and this one is kind of fun to use. Out of the jar, it is in cream form when you apply it and once it sits on your skin for a few seconds, the oxygen bubbles activate and foam up after which you just work the product in with gentle massage. I saw some results after almost two weeks of using this product. It has definitely kept dullness at bay.

I picked mine up at last year's Peach & Lily sample sale. It can be purchased online from Peach & Lily or RoseRoseShop. Get $10 off  your first purchase at Peach & Lily.

Kicho Camellia Sleeping Pack  ($35 // $53 in set with brush)

This product may look familiar because it was one of my recent loves. This nutrient rich treatment is formulated with natural camellia oil, lanolin oil, rose water, and fermented black ginseng. It has a lightweight feel and a pleasant light rose scent. I like this for how it effectively seals in moisture while improving the texture and tone of my skin and how pretty is that tube.

I purchased mine from OhLolly and I've seen this for sale at Whole Foods. You can also buy it online through Amazon or Peach & Lily. Get $10 off  your first purchase at Peach & Lily.

Do you use sleeping masks? Do you have a favorite?

Disclosure: This post features products both purchased by me and those received for editorial consideration (denoted with a *) and may contain affiliate or referral links. For more details about my product review policy, copyright, and information about affiliate links, please refer to the Policies page of this blog.