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Beautiful sweet dreams

Kate Lawrie
5/ 5/2008

MARILYN Monroe was famed for just wearing a splash of Chanel No 5 to bed - but for modern women it's all about wearing a face mask, hair treatment or a skin-softening body lotion.

The latest trend in skin and hair care to hit the shelves brings a whole new meaning to beauty sleep.

When spending hours on primping and preening isn't an option, new treatments specifically designed for overnight use could be the answer. Just look at it as beauty multi-tasking.

However, not only does applying beauty products at night save you precious time, it makes sense scientifically too.

Skin regenerates itself at night, cellular renewal doubles and blood flow to the skin increases, especially between 11pm and 4am, so it's the ideal time to make sure skin's taken care of.

A quick two minute application is all it takes before you hit the sack and let these lotions and potions do all the hard work.

There's an overnight product to suit all beauty dilemmas, from cellulite and spots to damaged hair and cracked heels. While you're tucked up in bed out of the way of pollution, wind and rain, these twilight treats can really get to work.

Look out for vitamin A to smooth out fine lines or antioxidants to fight off skin-damaging free radicals. While a cream with glycolic acid compound will have an exfoliating action to help shift dead skin cells.

Added benefits to these products can include ingredients that promote sleep such as lavender. For the ultimate in luxury, treat yourself to a silk pillowcase.

Silk has the same ph balance as skin and 18 naturally occurring amino acids to help maintain skin's moisture levels and prevent tangled hair. These are some of our favourite bedtime buys. Sweet dreams.

FACE

Kiehl's Over-Night Biological Peel, £34 Enhances the efficiency of skin renewal. Pores appear smaller and skin tone is more even and vibrant.

Elizabeth Arden Good Night's Sleep Restoring Cream, £34 Aromatic lavender and honeysuckle help to relax you while fine lines are tackled.

Antipodes nourishing night cream, £28.95 (antipodesnature.com) A deeply hydrating cream from new organic skincare brand, Antipodes, from New Zealand. Packed with 100 per cent avocado pear oil, antioxidants and vitamins E, A, B1, B2, C and D for superior restorative qualities. Apply at sunset onto face, neck and cleavage.

Clarins Renew Plus Night Serum, £39 Suitable for all skin, over 30 years of age, this Pre-Retinol packed serum includes ginseng, papaya and kiwi to help restore skin overnight.

Neal's Yard Remedies Rose Formula Hydrating Eye Cream, £20 Don't forget to pamper those peepers. This gentle cream is packed with organic plant extracts, anti-oxidants and amino acids, plus rose to soothe and regenerate.

Champneys Collagen Plus Repair and Perfect Night Cream, £17.50 Collagen-boosting formula to help act on lines and wrinkles while you sleep. With white tea to minimise pigmentation and redness. Great for mature complexions.

Witch Stick, £3.09 Finally, fight spots and blemishes while you snooze with this blemish-control stick. Breaks down oils and fights bacteria. Apply as soon as pimples pop up.


HAIR

Umberto Giannini Overnight Moisture Balm, £4.99 A night cream for hair to restore and repair, and no need to rinse out in the morning!

Frederic Fekkai Nighttime Follicle-Boosting Treatment, £28 Massaged into the scalp this will oxygenate follicles and promote healthy hair growth.

Kerastase Noctogenist Voile Nuit, £24 French hair gurus, Kerastase, have introduced this nourishing treatment for dull and tired hair. When applied at night it continues to protect the following day.

Paul Mitchell Super Charged Moisturiser, £5.95 from salons (0845 659 0012) Leave on overnight for an intense treatment on dehydrated hair. Packed with vitamin E to moisturise and aloe, chamomile and rosemary to improve shine.

BODY

Origins Float Away Sleep Inspiring Bath Milk, £18 A 20-minute soak in this Roman Chamomile infused bath milk has been clinically proven to help you doze off. Plus it leaves skin smelling divine.

Johnson's Dreamy Skin range Specially formulated bath and body products to help you get a good night's sleep. Start with a soak in the moonflower and vanilla scented Creamy Bath, £2.59 and finish with nourishing body cream.

Bliss The Tenderfoot, £48 Slather on the Sock Salve, then slip on the Softening Socks to banish cracked heals and relieve hardworking feet.

Lush Mirror Mirror neck cream, £8.75 Necks need looking after too - so treat yours to this soothing and calming lotion packed with orange blossom honey and rose. Great for improving moisture and with tiger lilies to tighten tissue and help cell regeneration.

PAMPER PILLOWS

Silk Skin Pillowcase, £35 Fall asleep as soon as your head hits this 100 per cent Fairtrade, organic silk pillow.

Puraspace pillows (puraspace.com) Of course, the best way to wake up feeling and looking good is to get a great night's sleep. This new range of bedding solutions should help - with all kinds of anti-allergy quilts and pillows.

Waterproof and anti-bacterial, they are designed to combat allergies and dust mites. Meaning you can banish those bleary eyes for good. Pillowcases start from £2.50.