THE EVENING STANDARD: INTENSIVE NIGHT REPAIR ROUTINE
Wake up with skin that’s brighter than the morning light
Words by Christina Ko
If there’s one benefit to the slowdown of our otherwise frenetic lives, it’s sneaking in a little additional sleep. And while you’re catching up on those Z’s, it makes sense to indulge in the beauty products and accessories designed to work hard when you’re not. So, take a page from our pre-dream routine.
Unless your body is already waking you up periodically throughout the night, we all tend to dehydrate overnight. Therefore, it’s all the more important to nourish skin deeply before hitting the sack. To heal and hydrate at the same time, the Ouessant honey in Guerlain’s famed Abeille Royale collection is luxuriously effective. Depending on your preference in format, we recommend locking in moisture with either the Abeille Royal Honey Cataplasm sheet mask or the Abeille Royale Repairing Honey Gel Mask.
The next step is to follow with a results-oriented serum, and Estée Lauder’s Advanced Night Repair Intensive Recovery Ampoules are a supercharged version of the cult-favourite serum. Designed for SOS moments or a seasonal boost, use them for two weeks in a row to see a measurable difference in almost any skin issue. For your average evening, however, Dr Barbara Sturm’s Night Serum is enriched with antioxidant and anti-ageing properties and, more importantly, teaches your skin how to defend itself from damage in the long run, whether it’s from daily UV exposure or other stressors.
When it comes to cream, we like to go old school with brands that have decades of experience in the beauty department. That means names like La Prairie, whose Skin Caviar line launched 30 years ago but continues to garner fans. New technology and recipes also mean these products are as effective as anything you’ll find on the market; Luxe Cream Sheer was created in the 1800s, while others like Helena Rubenstein’s Powercell Night Rescue Cream uses native vegetal cells to radically rejuvenate and replenish.
Of course, all this skincare can only stand up so much to insomnia. To help wind down, try applying the This Works Deep Sleep Night Oil which works to induce relaxation with the calming essences of lavender, vetivert and chamomile. Put light out of sight with a Slip silk sleep mask (plus a matching silk pillowcase that doesn’t tug on skin during the night) and you’re all set to snooze. Sweet dreams!
