Sleep is as crucial for our health (and survival) as food, water, and air, but the many unfortunate factors of modern life make it impossible for most of us to get a quality night’s rest. If pandemic anxiety, a new season of Emily In Paris, or worrying about tomorrow’s meeting is keeping you up at night, you’re not alone. According to a recent study, almost 40 percent of adults don’t get the recommended 7-9 hours per night – that’s a lot of sleep-deprived people out there!

With all of that in mind, we’ve compiled a list of sleep essentials that may help you on your way to your best night in months, and it includes some beauty-related treats too. One of the beauty industry’s greatest secrets is the knowledge that any product used in the evening comes with an inbuilt superpower, something we make ourselves, for free. Sleep.

While there’s still much we don’t know about how our body recharges at night, there have been studies that show our cells use our sleep time to repair themselves – making it the perfect time to double down with high-performance skin formulas. 

A silk pillowcase

If you haven’t already made the switch to silk pillowcases, here’s why you should. They help keep sleep wrinkles and fine lines at bay and let your blow wave last that much longer, and they look pretty chic to boot. We love Slip for their Slipsilk™ fabric, which is shown to reduce friction by 43 percent on average, allowing skin to glide along the pillow, which can reduce pressure on creased skin. They definitely aren’t cheap, but a great investment for healthier, happier skin and hair!

Henné Organics Lip Mask

Henné Organics offers a beautiful rejuvenating Lip Mask that we love. A lip treatment that is both luxurious and indispensable, it includes ingredients like sea buckthorn oil and evening primrose to help restore and soothe your lips. Apply a thick layer and leave it on for 15-30 minutes (or better still, overnight), then gently remove the residue with a tissue. 

A silk sleep mask

Like a silk pillowcase, this is another affordable luxury with major pay off. Keep a silk mask next to your bed if you have trouble nodding off (or in case you wake up earlier than expected), knowing that it will help block the light and won’t bend or break your lashes overnight.

Try and sleep on your back

A majority of medical doctors say it’s the best way. Celebrated beauties—Japan’s legendary geisha, for example—are all for back-sleeping. Facial wrinkles are caused by the misplacement of delicate skin tissues caused during wrong or awkward sleeping positions, in places where your face contacts your pillow. The aforementioned silk pillowcase will definitely help if you just can’t bear sleeping on your back, or try Hyoumankind’s specially designed back sleeping pillow, which can help you change the habit of a lifetime.

Pure Body Luxe Nourish

We love a great body oil, and NOURISH delivers skin-soothing benefits along with the relaxing scents of Frankincense and Mandarin combined with Bergamot, Myrrh and Ylang Ylang. Perfect for pre-sleep application, this combination helps promote feelings of peace, well-being, and calmness, while botanical oils and oil extracts work together to provide intense hydration for dry, damaged, and moisture-depleted skin. 

Black out curtains

Ever wonder why you sleep so well in hotel rooms? Odds are it’s the blackout curtains. Good news: you can DIY your own at home but lining your current curtains with a sheet of black fabric. You can even buy ready-made black out curtain liners online, some of which also create a barrier to block out external noise.

Trilogy Rejuvenating Overnight Mask

Doing all of the hard work while you drift away, Trilogy’s Rejuvenating Overnight Mask is perfect for those nights when you need an extra hydration boost. Suitable for all skin types, this soothing wonder is particularly ideal for those with maturing or dry skin, or those concerned with the signs of ageing.