Sleeping Beauty

When it comes to beauty, I don't believe in rigid guidelines because you should really do whatever works for you.  However, one rule that every girl should always follow is removing your makeup at night.  Why?  

• First of all, makeup generally stays on for a fixed amount of time, so when you wake up, it will look faded, caked, and/or smudged.   
• Second, having mascara or liner on your eyes when you sleep can allow for the formation of bacteria-causing styes and infections.  Similarly, having powder on your face can trap bacteria and assist in acne formation.  
• Lastly, your skin needs oxygen and nutrients to repair itself while you're asleep, which it can't necessarily do with makeup sitting on your pores. 

That being said...there are always those times when it's inevitable that you're going to sleep in our makeup - whether you're taking a red-eye flight or crashing at a friend's place after a late night outing.  The challenge is finding products that will still look great on your face when you wake up and will cause minimal disruption to your skin's overnight repair process.  On those occasions, try these healthy products to keep your skin feeling as healthy and looking as fresh as possible:
   

The Eyes

The eyes are definitely the trickiest part when it comes to sleeping in makeup.  There's no way to avoid the fact that leaving it on when you sleep can definitely make you more prone to eye infections and styes.  So the following product recommendations are more based on how well they stay on while you slumber.  From

personal experience, I can say that sleeping in a smokey eye look can result in looking like a raccoon when you wake up.  So opt for a simpler look with shimmers and mattes only...sparkles can end up all over your face by the end of the night.  In general, if you know you're going to sleep in eye makeup, stick to smudge and crease-proof products, rather than products that blend well.  This means that you should stay away from pencil or powder liners.  A gel or liquid liner will stay on your eyes for longer and won't smudge.  I'm all for

drugstore products, but I find that they peel more easily and don't last as long as liners like the Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner ($20 at Sephora). It has a nice thin tip for a precise and smooth application and does not run or smudge.  Or try the Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner ($23 at Sephora), if you're more of a gel person.  It is also a very long-lasting formula and comes in some really pretty colors like Chocolate Shimmer and Hunter.  Similarly, try a cream shadow like the shimmery Buxom Stay-There Eye Shadows ($18 at Sephora).  They're light-weight, crease-resistant, easily to blend, and richly pigmented.  And don't forget mascara! 

Look for long-last mascaras that are smudge-proof rather than waterproof (since waterproof formulas are more likely to peel).  The two big long-lasting, volumizing mascaras on shelves are the Maybelline XXL Pro 24HR Bold Mascara ($8 in drugstores) and the Cover Girl LashBlast 24 Hour Mascara ($9 in drugstores).  There's even a new, hot mascara product that lasts 72 hours!  Unfortunately, the Max Factor Lashfinity 3 Day Mascara has only been released in the UK.  I can't wait for it to make it over here!


The Lips 

As you sleep, your lips lose moisture, so you definitely need to wear a moisturizing product at night.  Your best bet for long-last lip color is always a lip stain because they literally "stain" your lips.  The problem with lip stains though is that they don't provide hydration.  So products like the Clinique Chubby Stick Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm ($17 at Sephora) and the Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain ($9 in drugstores) have introduced a solution in the form of balm + stains, which are similar to chubby crayons.  Balm + stains are the perfect product for beautifully pigmented, soft, kissable lips morning and night.


The Face 

Like your lips, your skin will also lose moisture as you sleep, and many foundations even pull moisture from your skin in order to keep from caking.  Instead of a foundation, stick to a BB or CC cream for better hydration and coverage that will last.  In this case, a CC like the Ole Henriksen Total Truth CC Creme Broad Spectrum 30 ($36 at Sephora) that is suited more for dry skin types will do the job.  Or if you're more of a BB person, try the Dr. Jart+ V7 Beauty Balm ($36 at Sephora), which is packed with vitamins to assist with the skin-renewal process when you sleep (so that your skin is supple and radiant when you wake up!).  Both products contain hylauronic acid to help your skin lock in moisture.  As for your blush, try a gel formula that will stay on without drying out your skin.  I've always been a fan of the Josie Maran Coconut Watercolor Cheek Gelee ($22 at Sephora) because it is very natural looking, and the coverage is buildable.  Plus, it water infused and formulated with coconut, a super hydrating natural ingredient.  Alternatively, you can try a rollerball gel blush, which is also very natural looking.  Tarte makes a nice Maracuja Blush and Go ($32 at Sephora) and for a sheerer color, use the Perfekt Cheek Perfection Gel ($28 at Sephora) with Smart Color Technology that adjusts to your skin tone.  These rollerball blushes are great for sleeping because they're light-weight, moisturizing, and contain beneficial vitamins and antioxidants.

And don't forget to top it all off with powder!  One of the most innovative beauty products to hit the market is the bareMinerals Pure Transformation Night Treatment ($60 at Sephora), the first makeup product that is specifically designed for sleeping.  In fact, it is an overnight treatment that replenishes skin so that you wake up with a luminous glow.  At the same, the powder is pigmented, providing coverage to mask imperfections, minimize pores, and even skin tone.  Overall, it is pretty transfer-resistant and moisturizes without feeling oily.  It's definitely one of the coolest products that I've tried! 

To help your makeup last throughout the night and stick to your face rather than your pillow,

check out these tips.  The morning following up your night in makeup, your complexion may look a little dull.  After cleansing, try a mask that will help renew your skin and restore its natural glow.  Simply smooth some JUARA Skincare Turmeric Antioxidant Radiance Mask ($35 at skinstore.com) all over your face and rinse it off with cool water after 15 minutes...your face will be instantly brightened!