Once upon a time, I was a great sleeper. I’m talking eight, nine, sometimes even 10 hours a night. Now? I call five hours of sound sleep a success. What I’ve learned: beauty sleep—despite the cliché—is a very real thing. A night without REM (of which, I have many these days) deprives my skin of its coveted rest and repair time, leading to dryness, puffiness, dullness, and some disturbingly dark circles.
I’ve tried just about everything to remedy my lack of sleep: white noise machines, melatonin gummies, silk eye masks, and even the lore of counting sheep. Same goes with my skin: de-puffing eye creams have been my saving grace, and I’m heavily reliant on brightening niacinamide serums. I didn’t expect the solution for both my concerns to come by way of the same product: Neuraé’s new Harmonie Sleeping Mask, which officially launches today, August 11.
I’ve been secretly testing the neuro-active product (the brand has proven that its proprietary ingredients have positive effects on the brain, in addition to the skin) since June—and I swear it’s made a difference I can see and feel. My honest thoughts, below.
The Formula
There are plenty of sleeping masks and overnight creams that promise to max out the skin’s ability to repair itself overnight—but Neuraé’s Sleeping Mask genuinely stands in a league of its own with proprietary ingredients that have millions of dollars of research behind them. Here’s the deal:
- Gardenia Jasminoides Extract: You’ve heard of melatonin. Probably taken it. It’s often an oral supplement that helps set your body’s nocturnal cycle into motion. Think of this gardenia extract similarly. “It helps preserve cutaneous melatonin and supports the skin’s nocturnal cycle for skin that feels regenerated when you wake up,” explains the brand’s Scientific Communication Manager Pauline Poussin. The TLDR: it tricks your skin into thinking it’s getting a good night’s sleep, even when it’s not.
- Red Indigo Extract: When you’re tired, your skin looks it—literally. Fine lines are more visible, dehydration is apparent, and there’s no rosy glow to the skin. What the red indigo extract does is signal the negative messengers that tell the skin its tired and sleep deprived to stop sending messengers. The result: less signs of fatigue on the skin.
- Epura Extract: As someone with incredibly sensitive skin, having an ingredient specifically designed to reduce redness and calm skin is somewhat of a non-negotiable. That’s exactly what this has done. It creates skin that “looks visibly more zen and relaxed,” according to Director of Marketing Elise Létang. But in practice, I’ve found that it evens out my skin tone and combats any stinging and burning sensations.
The Application
It’s recommended to use this mask two to three times per week, but I honestly use it in place of my daily nighttime moisturizer. I’ll wash my face, put on my acne medication, and then use a peanut-sized amount of the mask, creating a thin-ish layer on my whole face. The formula can get pretty pilly if I put too many serums or another moisturizer underneath, so I’ve found that simpler is better. I don’t like to rub in the formula too much (it will separate and pill), so I recommend just letting it soak into the skin about 30 minutes before bed.
The Results
The first thing I noticed upon application is that my sensitive, rosacea-prone skin is visibly soothed. The product doesn’t have a cooling effect per se, but I do find that it’s comforting on my skin and pretty instantly gets rid of any dryness or tightness. I immediately take note of the smell—it’s a calming, floral profile that’s reminiscent of a spa lobby (think: burning palo santo). It definitely set my nervous system into a calmer state pretty instantly.
That night, I slept like a literal baby. I didn’t think anything of it (just a lucky night), but the more I used this mask, I swear my sleep started to improve. It’s not that I’m sleeping more hours, but once I fall asleep, I’m actually staying asleep. It’s showing in my skin, too. I feel my pores have tightened, and instead of looking like I’ve seen a ghost when I wake up in the morning, my cheeks have a slightly rosy tone to them. In fact, I even stopped wearing foundation this summer. My skin truly drinks up the ingredients and looks healthier and plumper.
The Takeaway
Whether it’s a placebo effect or not is up for debate, but I genuinely believe the Gardenia Jasminoides Extract doesn’t just help my skin relax, but that, paired with the neurotropic scent, takes my body out of fight-or-flight mode, helps me relax, and encourages sounder sleep.
Regardless of whether or not my physical being is less sleep deprived, my skin certainly looks it. I have color back in my face, my skin looks lifted, and my pores look tighter. Even my redness has gone down. I’m calling it a win-win.
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