Why Overnight Face Masks Are A Beauty Sleep Essential

Beauty sleep is the number one thing you’ll be recommended to not just deal with a stressful lifestyle but also your health. Just like your body heals faster when you sleep, your skin, too, repairs and rejuvenates at night. While you sleep, the skin recovers moisture as the body’s hydration rebalances and also helps tackle aging skin concerns like wrinkles and sagging. Blood flow is also improved and skin looks fresher and vibrant. That would explain 'Sleeping Beauty' and why she stayed gorgeous for all those years!

So how about you give your skin an extra dose of rejuvenation while you rest? With the right skincare, you can! Make the most of natural ingredient based sleeping masks and wake up with a dewy, dreamy glow and greater-looking skin. An overnight sleep mask is the perfect solution as it makes it easy for active ingredients to penetrate into your skin and prevent skin concerns like dullness, open pores, dehydration and dark spots. Here’s all you need to know about overnight sleep masks and how they can transform your skin while you get your beauty sleep.

What are overnight sleep masks?

Overnight sleeping masks are supposed to go on your skin like a thick moisturizer. Perfect to replace your daily night creams or ant-aging serum, these are meant to stay on your face all night until morning and work their magic. Usually made of lightweight hydrating formulas, overnight face masks have a  fast-absorbing formula and are packed with super-potent ingredients like hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, retinol along with skin-nourishing oils of jojoba, rosemary etc. An overnight mask works both as a barrier and sealant, maintaining optimal moisture levels in your skin. Sleep masks work overnight to repair and replenish skin without any effort on your part!

The theory is that as the overnight mask is absorbed, the active ingredients are slowly released throughout the night to give your skin all it needs. If your skin has a longer amount of time to absorb the goodness, it'll be able to reap more of the benefits. You can use an overnight treatment once or twice a week depending on your skin type, needs and concerns.

Night cream VS overnight mask

If overnight treatments work their magic at night, then are they simply night creams? While the overnight mask might sound like a night cream, the masks are more powerful and often provide a specific function for different skin concerns.

Night creams are a step-up from your daily moisturizer and are all about providing your skin with lasting moisture. Sleeping masks are packed with ingredients that target specific skin care concerns, like anti-ageing, hydration, oil-control and brightening. This product is that extra dose of TLC your skin needs.

Read Here: How To Multi-Mask To Address Multiple Skin Concerns

How overnight sleep masks benefit your skin

While the benefits of overnight treatments may vary based on the ingredients and which skin type they cater to, some pros are constant.

• Provides ultra-hydration: Moisturizers, serums and night creams do moisturize your skin. But an overnight mask takes it to the next level. These formulas are touted for their moisturizing abilities. Ingredients like cherry blossom, cica and calendula hydrate, moisturize the skin as well as improve skin’s moisture barrier. 
• Locks in active ingredients: Sleeping in an overnight face mask not only locks in moisture but also active ingredients. A mask effectively seals in the key ingredients from products applied prior to the mask, as well as from the mask itself.  
• Prevents premature ageing: This intensive overnight treatment helps effectively prevent premature aging, fine lines and wrinkles. Powerful ingredients like Korean ginseng, lotus root and pearl boost collagen production, promote cellular repair and prevent skin from sagging and wrinkles.
• Deep cleanses: The right sleeping mask can deep cleanse your skin and unclog pores. Korean ingredients like grapefruit deep cleanses pores effectively.
• Brightens: An overnight sleeping mask that contains vitamin E reduces the appearance of spots, blemishes, dark circles. This helps brighten your skin while ingredients like cherry blossom lighten pigmentation and even out skin tone.
• Enhances cell regeneration: Your skin cells replicate and reproduce during the night and an overnight mask aids that process even more. It acts as a catalyst in cell regeneration.
• Acts as skin sealant and barrier: A sleeping mask prevents skin from drying out while you sleep and also helps keep dirt and pollutants from getting into pores.

Your guide to using an overnight sleeping mask the right way

Now that we have got you excited about an overnight mask, it’s time to know how and when to apply it. An overnight sleeping mask will be replacing your regular night cream. Starting 15-30 minutes before bedtime, you can use it one to two times per week. 

Step 1:

Start with the basics: Begin by cleansing your face with your favourite face wash. Follow it up with a pore-minimizing toner and an essence.

Step 2:

Get to the sleeping mask: Apply a thin layer of the overnight mask. Massage it gently in circular motions using your fingertips. Don’t forget your neck and décolletage!

Step 3:

Different tips for different masks: If you are using a peeling mask, just pat the product on your skin, do not rub.

Step 4:

Keep your skin protected: Put down a clean towel on your pillow to avoid the transfer of germs and residue onto your skin. This will also help keep the mask on all night.

Step 5:

Wake up to radiant skin: Rinse it off in the morning and follow it up with your Cleanser, Toner, Moisturizer routine. Don’t forget to use sunscreen before you head out for the day.

Choose your overnight mask with care

Before you lather on the nearest overnight sleeping mask, know which mask suits you the best.

For oily, acne-prone skin use Mama Cica Oil Control Overnight Mask

You need a sleeping mask made with a skin clearing formula that’s best suited for oily, acne prone, sensitive and combination skin. The Mama Cica Oil Control Overnight Mask deep cleanses and unclogs pores, preventing acne, oiliness and blemishes. It is packed with the goodness of 2% niacinamide along with cica, Korean ginseng, lotus root, calendula extracts and tamanu oil. All these ingredients make it a go-to choice for taking care of breakouts, blackheads, damaged and irritated skin.

This is a super light, skin refreshing overnight mask that dissolves dead skin over night while pumping in nourishing oils and ingredients, leaving your skin with a healthy glow. Keep skin smooth, supple and healthy-looking with this gem of a product. 

For dull, dry and pigmented skin, try Mon Cherry Overnight Peeling Mask

Skin that doesn’t bring a smile on your face just needs some TLC. And a sleeping mask that’s powered by potent Korean skincare ingredients like licorice extracts and vitamin E is your best bet. The Mon Cherry Overnight Peeling Mask is a unique skin brightening and exfoliating leave-on overnight mask that gives you softer, smoother skin in morning. This exfoliating face mask gets rid of dead skin cells, unclogs pores and renews skin overnight. It absorbs excess oil, soothes and heals breakouts and delivers the most satisfying glow!

The gentle exfoliating formula is packed with powerful skin brightening natural ingredients and actives. This mask diminishes dark spots and blemishes as well as visibly brightens skin without any irritation or dryness. It revives dull skin effortlessly due to the inclusion of super-charged exfoliating peel infused with skin soothing ingredients.

This is the most effortless step of your skincare routine and definitely deserves a space in your vanity. After all, who doesn’t love a skin care nightcap?