You know those rare, but lovely occasions when you get to sleep a full eight uninterrupted hours and then wake up looking and feeling better than you did the day before? Ok, ok. We know from experience that those moments are close to non-existent, but with some prep work the night before, you can make people think you’ve spent eight wonderful hours in dreamland. By doing these nighttime beauty tricks, you will save time in the mornings and who knows, you may even incorporate these tricks into a relaxing bedtime routine. Best of all, you’ll wake up feeling and looking refreshed.

number one: Hydrate

You hear this all the time, but water should be the last thing you drink at night (and the first thing you drink in the morning!). Drinking half your weight in ounces of water every day will not only improve your complexion, but it will increase your energy, relieve fatigue, boost your immune system, flush toxins, and make you feel better overall. Why is it especially important to drink before bed? Water balances your body’s nutrients, hormones, and muscles. By drinking it before bed, the water has time to reach every part of your body, which relaxes and rejuvenates it completely.

number two: Freshen Your Roots

Washing your hair every morning may feel rejuvenating, but it wastes time and frankly, it’s terrible for your hair. Too much washing can strip your hair of its natural oils, potentially making it dry, frizzy, and less than maneageable. Instead, try dry shampoo, but do yourself one better and apply it at night. As your body heats up while you sleep, the oils your hair produces will get soaked up by the dry shampoo, allowing you to wake up with fresh and bouncy locks. Try our DIY dry shampoo tutorial, or if you’re in a pinch, just use baby powder – the white residue will be completely absorbed and invisible by morning. 

Want extra volume in your hair come morning? Pile your hair on top of your head with a scrunchie (yes, we just went there) for major volume in the morning. The soft hair tie will avoid crimping and hair breakage.

number three: Get Glowing

Mix some self tanner in your moisturizer to wake up with a back-from-the-beach glow. The best part is that you can wash away any undesirable self tanner smell in the shower the next morning! The St. Tropez Self Tan Bronzing Mousse is always on our radar. For a less noticeable look, try Jergens Natural Glow Revitalizing Daily Moisturizer.

number four: Soften Hands and Feet

Although this is a very simple tip, it’s extremely important since it’s said that our hands are the first thing that ages us. Moisturizing your hands and feet will not only feel relaxing before bed, but it will make your tips and toes look better than they did the evening before. Try an antioxidant-rich cream like Whish Body Butter, which contains organic aloe, organic raspberry butter, and organic shea butter.

number five: Spot Treat

Acne blemishes don’t stand a chance with La Roche-Posay’s Effaclar Duo Dual Action Spot Treatment. Apply it on stubborn spots before bed and let the combination of Micronized Benzoyl Peroxide and Micro-Exfoliating LHA do its magic by the time your alarm clock sings.

number six: Overnight Facial

Why not let your skin benefit from a fabulous facial while you’re catching ZZZs? The First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Overnight Mask is packed with powerful ingredients that will brighten, hydrate, and deeply nourish your skin. While sleeping, your body will heat up, allowing the mask to be absorbed much better than it would while awake. You’ll wake up with skin that’s hydrated, refreshed, and more even-toned.

number seven: Repair Your Hair

It’s important to replenish your hair with moisture in order to have tousle-and-go locks. Applying a reparative treatment, like Weleda Rosemary Conditioning Hair Oil, will smooth and restore your hair while you sleep. Not to mention, the smell is incredibly relaxing!

number eight: Lash Out

Applying a lash growth serum at night will enhance, condition, moisturize, and strengthen your lashes. We are loving the RapidLash Eyelash & Eyebrow Enhancing Serum. It has six unique, exclusive ingredients that, together, will safely give you that long-lashed, doe-eyed look we are all after.  

number nine: Sleep on Satin or Silk

Time to say goodbye to bed head and face creases. Did you know the average head weighs 7 to 8 pounds? Think about that the next time you shove your head into your cotton pillowcase. The resistance between rough fabrics and your skin will cause creases and potential wrinkles on your face. However, sleeping on a silk or satin pillowcase will allow your face to move without resistance while you sleep (and on the same note, it will keep your hair from breaking!). Since cotton absorbs moisture, a silk pillowcase will also allow your skin to stay more hydrated throughout the night. We think the RESTore Silk pillowcases are the perfect indulgence for yourself or to give as a gift!

number ten: Sleep on your Back

If you’re a stomach sleeper, you may want to rethink your snoozing strategy. This sleep position can cause fluid buildup around your eyes, giving those very unwelcomed puffy eyes we have all come to know in the morning. Your best bet is to stack a couple pillows and sleep on your back—it will prevent fluids from building up where you don’t want them.

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