SHAYDE Beauty: Why Are Overnight Masks Beneficial
Commonly being referred to as “supercharged night cream", this integral part of any skincare regime needs no introduction. Being packed with potent ingredients that sink their way into the skin, overnight masks are the ultimate way to re-energize your mind and soul.
On the outside, the concept of overnight masks appears simple, it sits on your face until you wash it off in the morning. But their true potential lies beyond their name. After all, the night is when the skin takes time to repair itself so why not utilize an overnight face mask to get the ultimate pamper session.
What Are Overnight Masks?
An overnight mask is similar to your night cream which is both designed to last all night on your face. However, overnight face masks contain ingredients at higher concentrations to deliver more drastic hydration and brightening resulting after continuous use.
What Do Overnight Masks Do?
There are a plethora of ingredients that overnight masks can incorporate to improve the look of your skin overnight. Some key improvements most overnight masks provide are:
Brightening: Between 10 pm to 2 am the body is in a deep, restful sleep, the skin’s metabolism increases and cell turnover and renewal escalates. With that being said, using an overnight mask during this time allows beneficial ingredients to be absorbed quickly into the skin, thus aiding the skin renewal process to reveal a brighter complexion.
Hydration: A well-known ingredient found in night creams is hyaluronic acid for its ability to alleviate dry skin and reduce wrinkles. The body takes the night to rebalance its hydration levels, using a night cream with high concentrations of hyaluronic acid will allow the ingredient to absorb into the skin for longer.
As skin loses moisture with age the skin, keeping the skin hydrated is crucial to slow down the development of wrinkles meaning older adults may experience more pronounced hydration with the use of overnight masks. But adding overnight masks is beneficial to all ages, especially when temperatures drop and the environment is drier.
Protection: Since the masks will be sitting on your face all night, they usually contain a sealant ingredient that keeps all the beneficial ingredients in, while acting as a barrier to keep dirt and other pollutants out.
What Skin Types Are Overnight Masks Suitable For?
Since overnight masks are packed with various beneficial ingredients and come in several consistencies, it is suitable for all skin types and issues. However, due to the variety choosing the best mask is a challenging process.
Luckily for you, we have compiled a list of our favorites depending on your skin type:
Best Overall: Laneige Water Sleeping Mask ($25)
Dry Skin: Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Hydrating Mask ($26)
Acne-prone Skin: Allies of Skin Promise Keeper Blemish Sleeping Facial ($120)
Sensitive: Mamonde Calming Hydro Sleeping Mask ($25)
Anti-aging: Glow Recipe Avocado Melt Retinol Sleeping Face Mask ($49)
How to use:
Before you wind down after a long day, make sure you treat your skin to a nickel-sized dollop of the overnight mask once or twice a week. Despite being the last step of your skincare regime, you should spread the mask with clean hands all over your face, hit the sheets, and let all the ingredients work their magic!
Pro tip: Apply your facemask about 30 minutes or wait till it’s dry before heading to bed to avoid it ruining your linen.