A Sephora pro shares the best beauty products that work while you sleep
You've heard it before: To look and feel your best, you should drink plenty of water, eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly and get those eight hours of sleep a night. And while you're drifting off to dreamland, why not multitask by using products that'll work while you snooze?
These days, there are so many ways you can take advantage of those hours spent sleeping and maximize the rejuvenation process — you can essentially make your beauty sleep work overtime while putting in minimal effort.
Yahoo life asked Helen Phillips, Sephora Collection’s national makeup artist, for little-known treasures that work hard while you, well, don't. From a cult-fave night cream to a luscious silk pillowcase, this stuff will help you wake up on the right side of the bed every morning. Scroll for Phillips' five easy-to-follow tips and pro product picks.
1. Try a mask—the fun kind
While protective face masks might be more top of mind for you at the moment, we can’t forget about the fun kind of face masks, which offer soothing, hydrating and clarifying benefits for your skin. Plus, they're just fun to use. Especially during the change of seasons, couldn't your skin benefit from a refresher? And what better time than bedtime?
“I like to mask twice a week,” says Phillips, “and usually I recommend one for exfoliating/purifying and one for hydration/brightening depending on your skin concerns.”
One of Phillips' favorite masks? The Sephora Collection Water Gel Mask—at $16, it's a budget-friendly overnight formula that works on all skin types. Marine algae and amino acids firm and hydrate, so you'll wake up to plump, glowing skin.
If you're dealing with 'maskne,' try the Sephora Collection Purifying Mud Mask ($16). Made with zinc and clay, it helps clear breakouts and mattify oily areas. You can also use it as a spot treatment.
Want to multi-mask? The wildly popular Glow Recipe Watermelon + AHA Glow Sleeping Mask ($45) contains AHAs that gently exfoliate and refine pores, while hyaluronic acid and watermelon quench the skin — it’s so popular that one is sold every three minutes. It even once had an 8,000-person waitlist.
Shop It: Sephora Collection Water Gel Mask ($16), sephora.com
Shop It: Sephora Collection Purifying Mud Mask ($16), sephora.com
Shop It: Glow Recipe Watermelon + AHA Glow Sleeping Mask ($45), sephora.com
2. Sleep on silk
Not only do silk pillowcases look and feel luxurious, they have so many beauty benefits. Since silk isn’t as absorbent as cotton, it helps your skin and hair retain moisture (it also won’t suck all those carefully applied products from your face). Unlike polyester, silk is naturally anti-microbial too.
“Overall, [silk pillowcases] are super comfortable and don’t tug on your face or hair, so you wake up with less pillow wrinkles and no bed head,” Phillips says.
It’s a splurge, but the Slip Silk Pillowcase ($89) has more than 100,000 'loves' at Sephora for a reason. Made with the highest grade mulberry silk, it promises to protect the delicate skin on your face from sleep creases (which can develop into fine lines and wrinkles over time) and decrease damage to hair (think spilt ends), while extending the life of your blowout.
Shop It: Slip Silk Pillowcase ($89), sephora.com
3. Keep a humidifier by your bed
If you’ve ever woken up with with your face, throat or nose feeling dry, it's a sign that you need a humidifier. Running a humidifier while you sleep adds more moisture to the air, which in conjunction with the right skincare products, can help your skin stay hydrated and dewy.
The Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier, $35 (down from $40), has over 38,000 perfect five-star reviews on Amazon. With 16 hours of continuous operation. It’s small enough to keep on your nightstand or next to your bed for a beauty boost.
Shop It: Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier, $35 (was $40), amazon.com
4. Lock in moisture
There’s nothing like slathering yourself in thick lotions, creamy body butters and nourishing oils before bed, but what’s actually the best way lock in moisture?
According to Phillips, the key ingredient to seek out is hyaluronic acid. It holds up to a thousand times its weight in water, so it really draws in moisture and plumps up your skin. She recommends Sephora Collection All Day Hydrator ($17) because it’s lightweight and works well under makeup. Another winner: Sephora Collection Firming Night Cream ($17)—it's made with fruit acids and natural peptides for anti-aging results.
“The biggest thing to remember is to gently exfoliate occasionally too,” Phillips adds. “Your skin can’t absorb all those great ingredients if there is a layer of dead skin on top.”
Don’t forget to treat everything below the neck, either. This Sol de Janeiro Coco Cabana Body Cream ($45) contains hyaluronic acid, coconut coil and cupuacu butter to hydrate, soften and lock in moisture. It has more than 1,000 reviews, with many shoppers praising the creamy texture and yummy coconut scent.
Shop It: Sephora Collection All Day Hydrator ($17), sephora.com
Shop It: Sephora Collection Firming Night Cream ($17), sephora.com
Shop It: Sol de Janeiro Coco Cabana Body Cream ($45), sephora.com
5. Make time for a facial massage
If you’ve ever gotten a facial, you know that the massage is one of the most relaxing parts of the process. Bonus: It’s also good for your skin.
Massaging your face stimulates cellular activity, which helps with collagen production and lymphatic drainage to reduce puffiness. Start by lubricating your skin with a face oil and then use a tool like a jade roller or gua sha to stroke the skin up and out.
The Mount Lai Gua Sha Facial Lifting Tool ($28) is a jade stone crafted to relieve facial and jaw tension, while lifting and contouring the face. And the Sephora Collection Rose Quartz Facial Roller ($20) soothes and cool skin, while reducing the look of puffiness.
Massaging your skin before bed will not only offer anti-aging benefits, but release any tension in your face and relax you for a more restful sleep.
Shop It: Mount Lai Gua Sha Facial Lifting Tool ($28), sephora.com
Shop It: Rose Quartz Facial Roller ($20), sephora.com
Read More From Yahoo Life:
The best, most supportive pillows at Amazon to prevent back and neck pain
The ultimate guide to buying a mattress online, according to sleep experts
Insomnia? Night sweats? These top-rated sleep-inducing products at Amazon start at just $20
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