Treatments that work overnight for radiant skin in the morning

While you sleep, your cells get to work. For radiant awakenings, we wholeheartedly embrace these new nighttime skincare treatments that help them perform at their best.

"Good sleep is a factor in social success!" Who says this? Gwyneth Paltrow, the high priestess of clean sleeping. She advocates for between eight and ten hours of sleep daily and encourages making sleep an absolute priority, even before nutrition and exercise. It worked for her, but it's undeniable that we are sleeping less and less, and the quality of our sleep is declining. "70% of French people complain of sleep troubles, ranging from simple difficulty falling asleep to severe insomnia," laments Dr. Loris-Alexandre Mazelin, a sleep psychiatrist. "Before COVID, it was only 40%. In women, these issues are very common and less well-addressed than in men," continues the doctor. For example, a quarter of women suffer from sleep apnea after menopause." Yet, we know that sleep influences health, mood, weight, and even the skin at all levels.

All studies on chronobiology show it: it's during deep sleep that cell division is most active. "What we call the golden hours, between midnight and three in the morning," specifies José Ginestar, scientific director at Sisley. During the day, the skin goes into self-defense mode, and at night, it repairs the damage from the day. It detoxifies, oxygenates, regenerates, and soothes... Well, when everything is going well and when it's young. Afterward, gradually, laziness takes over, and you need to lend it a helping hand with dedicated actives. "Lack of sleep ages you and increases oxidative stress," adds Bethsabée Coutaz, director of research at Dr. Pierre Ricaud. "It's a virtuous cycle. When you wake up feeling refreshed, the emotional impact of fatigue decreases."

The new "somni-sphere"

The skin-sleep-emotion axis is becoming increasingly documented. In the cosmetic "nightclub," retinol and its derivatives still take the spotlight, but every brand has its nighttime team. What's new? "Recently, we have highlighted the fundamental role of cutaneous melatonin," says José Ginestar. "Serotonin, secreted during the day, is gradually replaced at night by melatonin, the sleep hormone. It is produced in the brain by the pineal gland but also by the skin and probably by the intestines. It kickstarts the mechanisms of skin regeneration and repair, and it also has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties." With age and our lifestyles, the source of melatonin becomes scarcer. Sisley's answer? The Grand Soin Anti-Âge Supremÿa La Nuit, which, while you dream, takes care of twenty-five tasks at once in three steps: self-clean by recycling damaged proteins, resynchronize by stimulating melatonin production, and repair by boosting sirtuins and ensuring cell quality control.

In the new nighttime Regeneration Suprême range, Dr. Pierre Ricaud also relies on cutaneous melatonin, activating its production with a microRNA from organic lavender and probiotic bifidobacteria. Garancia's Étoile Polaire range activates cutaneous melatonin but goes beyond that by addressing all the post-menopausal woes: fat loss, sagging, and deep wrinkles. If there's a pioneer in chronobiology and skin microbiome, it's Estée Lauder: their new Advanced Night Repair Soothing Concentrate reduces irritations and redness in highly stressed skin. Starting at the age of 25, Institut Esthederm's Age Proteom serum optimizes cellular longevity by providing full protection to the skin's proteins. It's meant for use morning and evening, year-round, at any age, promising to "age two times slower," according to their labs. Reverting to a younger state of functioning is the obsession of Dior's research, and with their highly luxurious (and refillable) Nectar Premier Prestige, they launch their most powerful serum. The ninety-nine molecules in their patented Granville rose complex, enriched with vitality-filled buds, address all dimensions of aging: volume, structure, skin quality, radiance, and more.

For those aged 45 and over, Shiseido's Vital Perfection Night Emulsion acts as the final step in the nighttime routine by "activating the dynamic facial belt," which refers to the group of muscles that resist gravity. L'Occitane's Exceptional Youth Harmony Immortelle Serum, with its 8,500 microbeads of oils, concentrates the powers of immortelle and red algae to revitalize and reshape the skin. The queen of the night is a rare flower that blooms only a few hours a year... It doesn't dance or sing, but Clarins cryogenically freezes it right after picking because it reactivates foxo, a longevity protein in the skin. You can experience its powers by trying the Precious Cells range and the treatments developed by facialist Marie Depoulain. This unique experience is exclusively available at select Clarins institutes and spas. The sixth generation of Caudalie's Resveratrol Lift range, created in partnership with Harvard, introduces the collagen of the future—vegan and biotech, produced by plants in vertical farms. "Three times more effective than retinol for skin firmness," assures Mathilde Thomas, the co-creator of the Caudalie brand. Inside, there's not a gram of silicone, but the texture is so pleasant that you'd think it contains some.

At dusk

To benefit from all these discoveries, of course, you need to sleep... Dr. Mazelin's advice for reconciling with Morpheus? "Insomnia is treated in the morning. You should always get up at the same time, even if you haven't had enough sleep, engage in physical activity in the morning, and take power naps of no more than twenty minutes. The ideal power nap lasts ten to twelve minutes, lying down, in a quiet place, with your eyes closed, without trying to sleep. If you wake up in the middle of the night and don't fall back asleep within twenty minutes, there's no need to insist; the brain will always do the opposite of what you want." So get up and take advantage of it, as Gwyneth advises, to keep a sleep journal. Finally, don't underestimate the power of the evening ritual. It starts early, as body temperature drops two to three hours before bedtime.

It's best to finish your meal at least two hours before slipping into the sheets and avoid late-night snacking. And it all begins with makeup removal, which has become a full-fledged skincare step, a moment of pleasure and relaxation. Just like facial massage, which helps relax the features, smooth, reshape, optimize the effect of skincare, and prepare for beautiful dreams. Some small tools like gua sha help take matters into your own hands. All luxury brands now have their own, with a massage technique that enhances the effect of the products.