How I Get the Best Night’s Sleep

July 25, 2024

Like most women, I value my time at night so much. There’s no better way to end a crazy day than by pampering myself with beauty products and weird nighttime routines to help me to relax and unwind. Having a nighttime routine–even if it’s just five minutes long–helps me to get the best night’s sleep.

My Routine to Get the Best Night’s Sleep

In this post, I’m running through the skin care products that are part of my current nighttime routine as well as some other things I do that help me to get the best possible rest. I’m always toying with new products and rituals, but this is a peek into what I’m doing now!

Cleansers and Toners

My routine has varied over the years as I test out new products and ways to relax, but it always starts with skin care. After I’ve kicked the kids out of our bathroom for the tenth time, it’s time to remove the day with a good cleanser, treatment, and moisturizer.

You can’t beat an oil or balm cleanser as a first step. These formulas remove makeup and sunblock like no other. Trust me: Do not attempt to remove layers of zinc oxide sunblock and makeup with a foaming cleanser alone, or you will end up with dry skin that is not even completely clean.

I cycle between oil and balm cleansers, and here’s what’s always in my stash. I’ve been using the Tatcha Camellia Oil cleanser for, no joke, fifteen years. I discovered it while I was working in TV and needed to remove the layers of makeup from my face without drying it out. I’m also loyal to the classic Elemis Pro-Collagen Balm Cleanser, which smells divine. Finally, I’m a recent convert to the Farmacy Green Clean Makeup Removing Balm as well; this one really emulsifies well and melts my makeup right off.

I follow up with a toner about four times per week–not every night, as it can be drying for my skin–and when I do I turn to the Medik8 Press and Glow Toner with PHA or the m-61 SuperSoothe Calming Toner from Bluemercury.

Skin Treatments

For treatments, I’m loving the NassifMD Pro Peptide Collagen Serum or the Dr. Heather Rogers Night Repair Treatment, which has bakuchiol (my skin tolerates this much better than retinol) and a gentle acid blend.

Finally, I love a simple face cream with no actives–just a ton of moisture. I picked up the old school CeraVe Moisturizing Cream in a jar when I was traveling recently and am so happy with how it hydrates my skin. (It’s an amazing deal, too, at $17 for 19 ounces!)

Supplements and Rituals

If you’ve checked my Instagram lately, you may have seen me singing the praises of this magnesium spray from Alo, which I spray on the bottoms of my feet nightly–two sprays per foot, then let soak in–and let me tell you, this stuff works.

People who picked it up after seeing my IG Stories have said the same. I don’t know how or why it works so well, but it does! So after I crawl into bed, I do my “sprays,” then wait for it to kick in. Usually it’s about 15-20 minutes before I start feeling sleepy, then drift off into the deepest, most restful sleep.

I’m a big believer in aromatherapy, so I also keep a jar of this Bynacht sleeping balm in my nightstand, which I use on certain pulse points–my wrists and temples, to be exact. It has notes of ylang ylang and lavender and just a few deep breaths of it instantly relaxes me.

Finally, I’m a big believer that you can train your body into falling asleep quickly by associating a certain activity with nighttime. So every night, I fire up my Kindle and read for at least 10-15 minutes. It relaxes my brain and forces any stress or repetitive thought from my mind, and I always fall asleep within seconds of putting down my Kindle.

One weird thing I have noticed about reading at bedtime: I can’t read self-help or non-fiction books at night, because they activate my brain to analyze and plan. So it’s only fiction for me at night! If reading at night hasn’t worked for you in the past, try switching up what you’re reading and see if that helps. It should feel more like an escape than anything.