We all know how hard it can be to stick to a good overnight skin care routine. After a long and tiring day, who wants to spend time getting ready for bed, rather than simply getting in bed? However, the consequences of skipping our nightly skin care ritual can be dire. We’ve heard the experts, and we’ve seen the morning results firsthand: dry, irritated skin, congested pores, maybe even a new blemish or two. Knowing what lies at stake can make the decision for rest over routine much less relaxing. 

So if we know what’s best for us - and regularly muster the energy to complete our nightly skin care routine - why not boost our results and get the most out of our beauty sleep? * Cue overnight face mask.*

“You can never mask enough,” Eminence Organics International Trainer Katie Rattray tells Canadian Living magazine. We all have skin conditions and concerns that we want to address, from dehydration to pigmentation to large pores. While foundational products like cleansers and moisturizers may contain additional ingredients to help treat these issues, their primary purpose is to, well, cleanse and moisturize. However, the sole purpose of a face mask is to powerfully target specific conditions, making masking one of the most effective skin care treatments. Plus, Katie points out that “sleep masks take no longer to apply than night cream,” so it’s smart to make the swap and wake up to a flawless face.

4 Benefits Of An Overnight Face Mask

1. Lengthens Time For Actives To Work

If a mask can be effective in 10-15 minutes, what wonders could it work if left on all night long? If we’re lucky enough to get the recommended amount of sleep, an overnight face mask gets approximately seven hours to weave its magic. With hours to work, actives have a greater window of time to treat and beautify the skin. 

2. Locks In Moisture And Active Ingredients 

According to mind-body expert Dr. Claudia Aguirre, “trans-epidermal water loss (think: dehydration) peaks at night". She advises: “It’s best to layer on an extra level of protection to keep your skin from drying out while you sleep, especially in low humidity climates and during the fall/winter.” Sleeping in an overnight face mask not only locks in moisture but also active ingredients. A mask effectively seals in the key ingredients from products applied prior to the mask, as well as from the mask itself.   

3. Provides Barrier Against Impurities

The physical barrier created by a face mask works both ways: Not only is it keeping the good stuff in, but it's also keeping the bad stuff out. A night time mask protects the skin from dust, dirt and other toxins all night long, and then easily rinses off the next morning. 

4. Enhances Cell Regeneration 

While moisture loss accelerates at night, so does cell renewal — a process that is crucial for helping slow down the visible signs of aging skin. “At night, the skin goes into repair mode, growing new skin cells and deleting damaged ones,” says Dr. Aguirre. A night time face mask optimizes this regeneration and exposes new skin cells to nourishing, hydrating ingredients that encourage the natural renewal process — talk about starting life out on the right foot!

Try This Step-By-Step Face Mask Routine

If you’re ready to experience an overnight mask, our Product Support Team Lead, Alicia Hawthorne, suggests replacing your regular night cream with a night mask one to two times per week. Starting 15-30 minutes before bedtime, follow this step-by-step routine: 

1. Cleanse, tone and apply an essence. Feel free to use a serum as well. 

2. Apply a thin layer of your night mask — don’t forget your neck and décolletage!

3. Use a towel to protect your pillow if desired.

4. Snooze!

5. Wake up, rinse and finish with your favorite serum and SPF day cream.

Cream-based masks tend to better absorb into the skin 

While a night time face mask is just as easy to apply as a night cream, it should feel just as good as one too. Gone are the days — or rather, nights — of hardened peel-off face masks. Today, the best night masks are creamy and hydrating, allowing your skin to drink them up. “Cream-based masks tend to better absorb into the skin,” says Alicia, “where nutrients and other potent antioxidant-rich ingredients can penetrate deeper, for better results.”