If your morning look suggests you need another eight hours’ sleep, something’s not right.
If you have a new lover, a new baby or any other serious cause of insomnia – well, this article can’t really help much. But if you don’t have a watertight excuse, then night time really should be about refreshing and regenerating.
When you’re asleep, new skin cells are generated and there’s increased blood flow and nourishment to the skin’s surface, so best you take full advantage of it. Before you hit the hay, follow these great tips:
You wake up with: blemishes that weren’t there the night before
If you’re prone to breakouts, look for products with benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid and tea tree oil, which remove pore-clogging dead skin cells and kill pimple-causing bacteria.
> Morning fast fix: Tinted blemish treatments can help you heal and conceal.
You wake up with: a Medusa mane
Keep long hair smooth by securing it with a loose ponytail on top of your head. You’ll get the bonus of extra volume from keeping your hair pulled up overnight. You can help bond split ends while snoozing with leave-in conditioners and repair creams.
> Morning fast fix: A dab of frizz control cream or leave-in treatment helps fill uneven surfaces on the cuticle for smoother hair.
You wake up with: pillow creases
Sleeping with your face pressed into the pillow impedes proper circulation to facial skin, leaving marks and causing puffiness. Over time, you’ll look older and creases can become permanent, especially parallel to the nose. Try to sleep on your back or use silk pillowcases instead of cotton.
> Morning fast fix: Apply a gel-filled eye mask (available from selected pharmacies and Clicks stores) that’s been stored in the fridge overnight.
You wake up with: Sahara-dry hands and feet
If your skin is badly cracked, help prevent infection and redness by applying an antibiotic ointment to the affected areas. Then smooth on a moisturiser with ingredients like vitamins A and E, aloe, jojoba and shea butter.
> Morning fast fix: Use moisturiser on your feet as zealously as you do on your face.
You wake up with: puffy eyelids
Skip sodium-heavy foods like soya sauce and chips. Salt intake causes tissues around the eyes to retain fluid. Being overtired and crying can also cause puffiness. To minimise the effect, apply an eye cream with calming green tea extract or cucumber.
> Morning fast fix: Gently massage the area around the eyes to distribute retained fluid, and do this little move: lean over your basin, resting on your elbows. Place the heels of your hands in your eye sockets and let your head rest on your hands, using the weight of gravity to push it down. Hold for a minute, then release and repeat.
You wake up with: dull, fatigued skin
Being tired slows circulation, which diminishes the skin’s sheen. Make it a priority to get at least eight hours sleep every night, and slather on a night cream packed with antioxidants and other nutrients to replenish skin.
> Morning fast fix: Wake up tired skin with products containing stimulating fruit and botanical extracts such as birch extract, pineapple, papaya and chestnut.
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