Taking care of yourself and maintaining the beauty is important not only during the day, but at night as well. To accomplish this, you should not necessarily deprive yourself of sleep – you just need not to make mistakes that can harm your beauty as you go to bed. We list the most common ones.
Sleeping with makeup on your face
This is probably the most terrible and unforgivable mistake of all. But, unfortunately, many women repeat it again and again. Some of them are just too lazy to wash off the makeup, and some of them forget about the cosmetics they used during the day. There are some ladies who believe that they look better with makeup during sleep and that in the morning they will not need to waste time applying it again. However, sleeping with makeup is bad for the skin. While we sleep, even the most resistant makeup gets smeared, so one should not think of the visual advantage of the “night” makeup. Pores get clogged with dust and grease; they also get extended causing inflammation.
Unclean hair
Long strands and the bang falling down on the face during sleep can harm the skin. This is especially true if the fair sex has skin problems. After all, hair can accumulate particles of dirt during the day; during the close and prolonged contact with the face, this dirt is transferred to the skin. If you do not wash hair before going to bed, it is better to have a ponytail or a braid or just wrap the hair with a handkerchief or a scarf. Even if you use the shampoo before bedtime, it is important to remember that some of them (including the natural oils) have a negative impact on the skin.
Cotton pillowcases
It is better to choose the fabrics that minimize the formation of folds on pillowcases, as the latter tend to rub and irritate the skin. The most preferred fabrics are satin or silk. A pillow with a cotton pillowcase is not only highly irritating to the skin, but can also contribute to early wrinkles because the friction of the skin against the folds of the fabric makes the cells lose collagen. Hard cotton fibers can harm the sensitive skin. To avoid this, use creams with hyaluronic acid, collagen or silicone. Remember that a cotton pillowcase quickly accumulates all kinds of bacteria, oils, dead skin cells, which is also not very good for the skin. It is therefore desirable to change cotton pillowcases at least once a week.
Excessive use of cleaning products
Many women think that the more cleaning cosmetics they use at night the better. Unfortunately, this is a common mistake. The fact is that many of the products are incompatible with each other. That is why their application with one another can harm the skin. It is not recommended to alternate serums and creams from various cosmetic lines. Using two or three cleaning products for the night would be enough.
Lack of purification
Cleansing of the skin should not be abandoned completely, even if you do not use makeup. During the day, the skin gathers quite a lot of dirt, grease and dust. It clogs the pores, greatly increasing the risk of inflammation. To clean the skin, it is best to use a gentle cleanser or special cosmetic wipes. When washing your face, beware of too hot water, which makes the skin dry.
Many exfoliating products
Too many exfoliating products affect the skin adversely just as the overabundance of cleansers: all kinds of peels, scrubs, rough sponges, scrub brushes, etc. It is desirable to opt for a soft exfoliant with optional moisturizing. Particular attention should be paid to the removal of makeup around the eyes, where the skin is very delicate and sensitive – the movements should be careful to avoid the damage to blood vessels, irritation, or inflammation of the skin.
The amount of liquid
It is known that drinking water helps to preserve youth and elasticity of the skin. Dehydration, in its turn, leads to dryness and swelling; the skin loses its elasticity and fresh look. To avoid such consequences, it is traditionally recommended to drink eight glasses of water a day. It is desirable that one should not exceed the amount of liquid, especially before going to bed, as this may lead to unwanted swelling of the skin and bags under the eyes.
Sugar abstinence
Few of us can resist sweet treats! However, the consumption of sweets before going to bed should be reduced: overabundance of sugar and carbohydrates increases the production of insulin, which in turn contributes to inflammation and irritation of the skin. Thus, instead of the amount of sugar and carbohydrates, it is better to select the dishes rich with melatonin, protein and fiber before going to bed: tomatoes, cherries, grapes, walnuts and others.
Alcohol abuse
Alcohol causes more active production of cortisol in the body, which leads to the loss of such an important skin component as collagen. Even a glass of wine a day can contribute to your skin becoming dull and losing its freshness over time. Try to reduce alcohol consumption to minimum and do not use it at bedtime.
Temperature control
It is equally important for skin care to monitor the temperature in the room where you sleep. Sleeping in extremely hot surroundings or under the influence of too dry air can not only cause insomnia, but also lead to dehydration of the skin. The optimum temperature for a good sleep is 19-22 C, with the humidity level of 45-55%.
Sleeping face down “in the pillow”
Those who love to sleep on their stomach, with the face buried in a pillow, may cause more harm to their skin than others. This posture puts the facial skin under more pressure, which entails the formation of artificial folds, collagen degradation, loss of elasticity, and accordingly, the formation of wrinkles. If you do not want to change the sleeping position on your stomach that you like so much, you can buy a special comfortable C-shaped pillow that will help you have a stable position during sleep.
Lack of sleep
Many people still mistakenly believe that lack of sleep has nothing to do with the condition of the skin. In fact, periodic lack of sleep leads to dull skin, the appearance of dark circles under the eyes and to many other troubles, which have a negative impact on the health and beauty. The same can be said about stress, worrying, and excessive violent emotions felt before bedtime. Therefore, it is advised to tune your body to sleep, calm down and forget for a while about all the problems. Have a good night’s sleep and a pleasant awakening!
