The term beauty sleep usually refers to getting enough sleep that you look rested and refreshed in the morning. But there’s also an entire category of beauty products which claim to work better when used overnight. Are they really more effective in curing dry skin on your face, getting rid of pimples, strengthening hair, and softening your lips while you sleep? Dermatologist Dr. Jodi LoGerfo, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, an expert in skin and hair care, weighs in with her opinion and the research behind it.
In This Article
How to Get Better Facial Skin Overnight
The Cure for Dry Skin
Melatonin has been shown to reduce crow’s feet around the eyes, treat skin dryness, and provide anti-aging effects. Our skin and hair follicles naturally produce melatonin, but those levels decrease as we age.
When applied topically in moisturizers, Dr. LoGerfo says melatonin replenishes those levels while also reversing the effects of sun damage and pollution. Melatonin cream can be worn either day or night.
However, if a moisturizer contains melatonin and any of the next three ingredients below, it should only be worn at night.
Top Picks: Topical Melatonin
How to Heal Peeling and Rough Skin
Salicylic acid has exfoliating benefits that promote skin cell turnover to shed dead, peeling skin and replace it with a fresh new layer. AHA’s are a different type of organic acids that treat rough skin and dryness to smooth skin. However, unlike melatonin, both react negatively to sunlight and can potentially cause redness, irritation and inflammation when worn outside.
The Skinny on Clear Skin
Retinoids, chemical compounds which contain Vitamin A, are also great for clear skin. They help with hyperpigmentation and sun damage while keeping skin hydrated. However, they too, are sun-sensitive and should not be applied during the day.
So when it comes to products containing AHAs, salicylic acid, or retinoids, the answer is yes, they are all more effective and recommended to apply at night and wash off in the morning.
Daytime skin moisturizers are more lightweight with a focus on SPF sun protection, LoGerfo adds. At night skin cell repair peaks, making it the ideal time to incorporate night creams into your bedtime routine. “Most night creams are specifically formulated to make the most of the skin’s evening process of recovery and repair from damage done during the daytime,” LoGerfo explains.
How to Get Healthier Hair Overnight
Do Overnight Hair Masks Really Work?
“Hair masks are intense conditioners to help with dryness, heat-damage, chemical damage, and smoothness. Most hair masks contain lots of hydrating and rich ingredients like natural oils and butters. They are often heavier than traditional conditioners. Leaving a hair mask on overnight will intensely hydrate the hair,” says LoGerfo.
Top Picks: Overnight Hair Mask
Does a Silk Pillowcase Actually Do Anything?
Silk pillowcases prevent hair knots in the middle of the night and help reduce frizziness. Additionally, copper-oxide, which is infused in many silk pillowcases, helps reduce wrinkles. LoGerfo says copper-infused silk pillowcases also increase collagen and elastin formation to smooth and soften your facial skin overnight.
Top Picks: Silk Pillowcase
Why Wear Lip Renewal and Plumping Products at Night?
When worn for an extended period of time without any other barriers like lipstick, lip renewal products combined with lip plumping treatments add volume and improve dryness, making nighttime ideal for wearing them since there’s minimal lip movement when you sleep and you’re usually not wearing makeup.
LoGerfo says the best ingredients to look for in lip renewal products are shea butter, beeswax, vitamin E, coconut oil, jojoba oil, lanolin, and petroleum for their moisturizing benefits. The best plumping products contain hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, peppermint, peptides, cinnamon, ginger, cayenne, and menthol because they increase blood flow, making the lips look fuller.
How to Treat Acne Overnight
One of the strongest over-the-counter pimple-fighting ingredients is benzoyl peroxide because it decreases oil production and helps unclog pores, says LoGerfo. Pimple creams that contain benzoyl peroxide can be worn anytime, but since they tend to be thick, white, and noticeable, you may prefer to wear them at night.
Other topical acne creams rely on ingredients like the retinoid Adapalene (also known as Differin); AHAs to exfoliate and remove dead skin cells under the pimples overnight; Azelaic acid to treat bacteria and improve pigmentation; and salicylic acid, which also unclogs pores and prevents new breakouts.
LoGerfo recommends wearing pimple creams or gels with Adapalene, AHAs, Azelaic or salicylic acid only at night, since they’re sun-sensitive and might cause irritation or redness when worn in daylight.
How to Soften Dry Hands and Feet Overnight
There are overnight nourishing masks made for hands and feet to make them softer and more supple. “They’re similar to masks you would apply to hair or skin,” says LoGerfo. “Feet and hands should be clean or dry before applying an overnight mask. Putting on cotton socks or cotton gloves after applying them is helpful to lock that moisture in. Anyone with dry feet or hands can use a foot or hand mask.”
Keep in mind, however, if you have fungus on your feet or toes, a mask will not treat it. Foot or nail fungus should be treated with antifungal medicine prescribed by a doctor.
The Big Picture: These Beauty Products Are More Effective at Night
Specific ingredients and the amount of time recommended to wear them determine which products work best at night. Those products include:
- Topical gels or creams for your face that contain sun-sensitive ingredients like retinoids, AHAs, salicylic acids, or Differin
- Hair, hand, and foot masks masks that deep condition the longer they are left on
- Silk pillowcases that reduce hair knots and frizz, especially ones infused with copper-oxide which helps reduce wrinkles
- Lip treatments that won’t be disrupted by talking or wearing lipstick during the day
It’s worth noting that sleep itself, even without these types of products, can be considered a beauty treatment. “Sleep induces the production of collagen, a key ingredient in firm, youthful skin,” says sleep medicine expert Dr. Michael Breus, PhD. “The skin’s capacity to hold water is enhanced by sleep, thereby keeping skin moisturized and supple. During phases of deep sleep, levels of human growth hormone in the body also rise. These hormones play a powerful role in stimulating the immune system and promoting cellular repair as well as new cell growth.”
To look and feel your best, let sleep do the heavy lifting while the products fine-tune the rest.
About The Author
Contributing Writer
Beth Sobol is a freelance writer based in New York City who contributes to outlets including Allure and Women’s Health. She is early to bed, early to rise and pro-nap.
- POSITION: Back Sleeper
- TEMPERATURE: Neutral Sleeper
- CHRONOTYPE: Bear