Content created in partnership with Estèe Lauder

Sleep. We all know it’s the ultimate elixir for a focused mind, healthy body and fresh skin. But sadly it’s not always easy to come by readily in today’s modern world. Busy days, a blend of work/life balance (and personal space, with many now working out of their bedrooms), a bedtime routine of doom scrolling and catching up with life admin, and environmental disruptions (hello, steamy nights and aircon) all take their toll.

And while there’s no magic pill to cure your ills, there are scientifically proven ways you can set yourself up for a restful and bountiful beauty sleep.

Fun fact: In 1982 the term ‘beauty sleep’ took on a whole new meaning when Mrs Estèe Lauder launched the now iconic Advanced Night Repair serum. It was the first night serum in the world and became the moment skin ‘care’ took on the more active form of skin ‘repair’. But the term ‘beauty sleep’ isn’t a marketing buzzword; it’s scientific fact. 

Deep sleep gives your skin (and body, and mind) the time to heal and repair from the environmental stressors it was exposed to during the day. It helps with cellular rejuvenation, increased collagen and healthy blood flow. (Incidentally, ANR also helps with all these things, meaning while using it your sleep works even harder).

A wise friend with great skin once told us it’s the hours before midnight that count the most. She’s a registered nurse so we’re going to go right ahead and call that science. At any rate, anyone who’s gone to bed at 3am and slept until 11am knows you wake up feeling (and looking) worse than if you go to bed at 9am and arise at 5am, even if you were up sipping green juice and removed all your makeup before bed. (Shout out to all the shift workers out there doing the hard yards day in day out in order to keep Aotearoa running. We see you).

ANR works in sync with your bodies natural circadian rhythms (and harder, this product is a must-have if your skin and body get less than optimal sleep time to repair) with tripeptide-32 peptides designed especially to promote the natural synchronisation of skin's natural day/night rhythm, in which skin protects itself by day and repairs itself by night.

Speaking of day, ANR has just as important a role to play through the daylight hours as the ingredients selected especially to ‘protect’ work exceptionally hard to combat environmental assaults.

It’s an essential item for anyone who works in air conditioning (we all know hyaluronic acid is a ‘moisture magnet’ that serves to ensure increased hydration) and, hot tip, if you’ve ever underplayed your SPF and ended the day a little pink of face dabbing ANR on will see you waking up good as new (this is a great parenting hack also). 

Anyone who uses ANR will tell you it’s one of those desert island beauty products you should never be without. From an elderly grandmother with beautifully cared for skin through to yours truly - it’s universally acclaimed and adored by all.‍

Four tips for a good night's sleep 

• Create a bedtime routine. Encourage your body into circadian rhythm by going to bed at the same time, and in the same way, each evening. Ensure that you don’t do anything that may boost adrenaline or cause stress in the hours before bedtime (working, eating salty food, drinking alcohol, watching true crime documentaries on Netflix).
• Make your skincare part of this routine to unwind. Use the time to thoughtfully apply it; give yourself a mini face massage while you apply your serum and night cream.
• Block out blue light. Shut your devices in another room, cover digital alarm clocks, unplug your television, and perhaps wear an eye mask.
•Turn your light out before you’re exhausted. We’ve likely all seen what happens to babies when they get overtired and overwrought. Avoid that happening to you. Use the moments after lights out for some diaphragmatic breathing (breath in belly pops out, breath out belly goes in).

Estèe Lauder’s Advanced Night Repair Serum starts from $143 for 30ml and is available from esteelauder.co.nz