We’ve covered what to cover your bed and body in for sleep.
But what about that stuff we’re covered in already?
Our dermal shroud?
Does Chanel come with beta or alpha hydroxy acids, Miss Monroe? Because, according to experts – whether you’re naked or not at night – the largest organ of our body also requires a bit of pre-mattress dress up, too. Why? Because, our skin functions totally differently at night than during the day. Much like the human brain (which many thought logged out for nocturnal zonk time), our body coating’s diligently toiling, too. In fact, it actually does this even when we’re not physically asleep. From 11 to 12, whether you’re crashing on a project or crashed out on a pillow, your skin’s doing its duty by lunar light. In a way, this is just another reason to get to bed good and early – so you can cover your mug in the miscellaneous potions the pros suggest. Which ones exactly? Well, looking at it from a holistic standpoint, we should probably first cover the daytime rubs: from A.M. to early P.M. hours, unguents worn under sunlight should basically be chainmail against pollution, temp, and elements. Antioxidants, SPF, and hyaluronic acid work well for that. Then, your snoozetime salves serve as damage control. That’s why most night creams consist of retinol, niacinamide, and vitamin C – they’re excellent at managing havoc your skin’s suffered during your waking hours.
Yet, the scientist in me always needs to know all the details.
Especially before I’m willing to wander over to the binary boutique on interweb street to dole out digital dollars.
So what’s the sorcery behind this balm working the graveyard shift on my skin? Well, according to Dr. Dennis Gross (a New York dermatologist who founded a skin care line named after himself), it all has to do with prepping your skin for cell mitosis o’ clock. (That pre-midnight hour mentioned above). By combining alpha and beta hydroxy acids on the daily, you get this sort’ve team work happening. While both aim to extract that moribund upper layer of skin (that otherwise leave you looking like an extra dessicated raisin come morning), they do it via separate mechanisms. While the beta hydroxy acids act like skeezy homewreckers, breaking up bonds betwixt the cells, those alpha hydroxy acids make the cells themselves just let go altogether, Princess Elsa style. The whole ablution routine is all about this thing called PH flux. It’s what’s dubbed the “neutralizing step” inasmuch as returns your integument to normal. Blending these two acids, according to Dr. Gross, is the most un-gross thing you can do for your dermis. Also, unlike some of those ones that feel like you’re blanketed in napalm and make you wake wishing you were in the burn ward, this mix is one he describes as the ” most effective and gentle.”
(Which’s why you’ll often see ’em combined in a complexion ménage à trois like this Neutrogena system.)
That said, not every human hide’s built equally. If you’re super sensitive, the alpha hydroxy acids (AHA) might suit you better (since the beta’s got more’ve a deep poor penetrating capacity). And you may only wanna bust it out a couple’ve times a week. Its really a matter of trial ‘n error – like any other product you’d purchase. And what exactly are you purchasing? When out shopping, look for your AHA in the form of glycolic acid (from sugar cane), malic acid (from apples), and mandelic acid (from some sort’ve exotic) almond. Or, if you’re not vegan, you could just take sour milk baths like Cleopatra used to do. However you get your AHA, it’s typically found in your exfoliants – so maybe look for those labels first. Then, for your BHA’s, a popular one’s salicylic acid. As mentioned above, it drills right it, making it great for oily faced sorts whose pores clog easily. This is great because it evicts blackheads and de-greases your skin.
So, tonight, before you slip into silk jammies and Egyptian cotton, remember your embrocation ensemble, too. And, if you’re lazy like I am, just remember that it’s like leaving a tooth for the fairy. She can’t pay you in pretty if you don’t leave her a layer of lotion primed pigment. So, with that, I wish you all sweet dreams and hope you won’t forget to pave the way for the pre-witching hour skin pixie.
May you all wake looking radiant as Fukushima tomorrow.