Beauty & Health Editor
Beauty & Health Editor
Hannah Frye is the Beauty & Health Editor at mindbodygreen. She has a B.S. in journalism and a minor in women’s, gender, and queer studies from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Hannah has written across lifestyle sections including beauty, women’s health, mental health, sustainability, social media trends, and more. She previously worked for Almost 30, a top-rated health and wellness podcast. In her current role, Hannah reports on the latest beauty trends and innovations, women’s health research, brain health news, and plenty more.
Image by Daniel de la Hoz / iStock
August 28, 2024
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Simply clocking a full night’s rest is skin care in itself, but true beauty sleep goes beyond hitting the pillow. To come, three steps to complete before you shut your eyes to encourage firmer, tighter skin each morning:
1.
Use a microcurrent or LED device
If you browse through the beauty shelves of editors and skin experts, you’ll likely spot a couple of devices. Among the most popular are LED light masks and microcurrent tools, both known for their effectiveness in addressing aging skin concerns.
Microcurrent can be likened to a workout for your face. According to celebrity esthetician Shani Darden, “It stimulates the facial muscles underneath the skin, which helps improve facial contour, tone the skin, and reduce wrinkles.”
On the flip side, LED light masks target skin issues such as fine lines and wrinkles, by promoting collagen production and enhancing overall skin texture.
While you can use both, start by choosing one that addresses your specific concerns best, then add the other should you feel it’s necessary. Either way, remember, consistency is crucial; quality always trumps quantity in the world of skin care.
2.
Make a collagen latte or hot cocoa
I have some good news for those in favor of a nightly sweet treat—there’s an easy way to make it good for your sleep. The secret? Add collagen, and keep an eye out for added sugar overload.
But considering the research on collagen and sleep is still early, I’d suggest pairing it with another sleepy staple: chamomile. Below, my go-to sleepy-time latte recipe:
Ingredients
Instructions
- Bring the 2 cups of milk to a boil on the stovetop.
- Add your chamomile tea bags, cover, turn down the heat to the lowest setting, and let steep for 5 minutes.
- Squeeze out the tea bags and dispose of them.
- Add a dash of cinnamon and a scoop of collagen powder.
- (Optional) Use an electric whisk or matcha whisk rather than a spoon to prevent the collagen powder from clumping.
3.
Apply a peptide-rich moisturizer
As a final step in your beauty routine (and perhaps while sipping your chamomile latte), do your skin a favor and lather on the moisturizer. More specifically, choose a product that’s rich in peptides.
To add some science to the buzzword, let’s get clear on why peptides are so present in aging skin products. To start, peptides are chains of amino acids linked together by peptide bonds, and amino acids are the building blocks of proteins.
Proteins like collagen, elastin, and keratin exist in our skin, hair, and nails. Thus, caring for them should be a top priority for a well-rounded beauty routine—and using peptides is one way to do so.
When applied topically, peptides help to smooth skin texture, plump tired skin, strengthen the skin barrier, and so much more.
A great (not just good) peptide moisturizer will also include ingredients like hyaluronic acid, shea butter, aloe vera, ceramides, and other hydration boosters.
The takeaway
