Innovation in ‘beauty sleep’

Over the past few months, the ‘sleep-maxxing’ trend has been all over TikTok, and there are currently around 99 million posts on this topic. The trend focuses on people finding hacks to get the most restful night’s sleep so that they look and feel their best.

The link between good quality sleep and looking good is not new, and the beauty industry has long been focused on sleep-enhancing products for beauty benefits.

Areas of innovation have included circadian rhythm skin care, products laced with sleep-enhancing scents such as lavender, anti-aging solutions that work while you sleep and products that boost collagen production during sleep.

However, many of these product launches that marketed themselves as a solution for ‘beauty sleep’ were for topical use rather than ingestible products that get to work ‘from the inside-out’.

Prompted to try supplements

Considering beauty consumers are increasingly focused on proven science and clinical trial results, there appears to be a big opportunity for ‘beauty sleep’ innovations within the ‘beauty-from-within’ nutraceutical sector.

According to Mintel beauty and personal care research analyst, Shiyan Zering, there is certainly space for more innovation in this sector.

“Research showed that 33% of UK adults would be prompted to try a new beauty supplement if it carried well-being claims, rising to 42% of UK adults aged 25-34,” she said—as she highlighted the link between high stress levels and lack of sleep.

“For example, 50% of UK adults who have experienced stress faced difficulty sleeping as a result,” she said.

“Lack of sleep disrupts physiological and biochemical processes, negatively affecting the skin, which was exemplified by a Procter & Gamble study that shows sleep deprivation increases facial skin yellowness. Brands can include sleep-inducing ingredients like magnesium, valerian or tart cherry in beauty VMS.”

The link between sleep and beauty

Natalia Cheisiuk, senior nutritionist and skin specialist at Body Fabulous Health Clinic in central London, noted that sleep is essential for maintaining overall health and wellbeing and therefore essential for skin health.

“’Beauty sleep’ refers to the restorative sleep essential for maintaining skin health, reducing signs of aging and improving overall appearance,” she said. “For optimal “beauty sleep”, aim for seven to nine hours of quality sleep, maintaining consistent bedtime routines and a calming pre-sleep environment.”

According to Cheisiuk, lack of sleep negatively impacts skin by reducing blood flow, leading to a dull, uneven complexion, and it also disrupts collagen production, accelerating wrinkles and sagging.

“Poor sleep also increases stress hormones, exacerbating conditions like acne, eczema and inflammation,” she said.

“Additionally, it can cause puffiness and dark circles due to fluid retention and impaired lymphatic drainage. Chronic sleep deprivation weakens the skin barrier, making it prone to dehydration and irritation.”

Carolina Goncalves, a superintendent pharmacist at UK registered online pharmacy, pharmica.co.uk, agrees that a good night’s sleep truly is one of the simplest and most effective beauty treatments out there.

“Think of sleep as your body’s ultimate reset button, restoring and rejuvenating everything from your skin to your hair,” she said. “If you want glowing skin, fewer wrinkles and healthier hair, prioritizing sleep is non-negotiable.”

Goncalves added that skin repair and renewal happen while we sleep, as the body produces growth hormones, which stimulate cell turnover “helping repair damage from the day, whether from UV radiation exposure, pollution or the stress of daily life.”

“Sleep deprivation can lead to dehydration, which impacts the skin’s natural glow and elasticity,” she added.

“Quality sleep also allows your skin to lock in hydration, making nighttime skincare routines, like applying moisturizers, significantly more effective. During sleep, the skin’s repair processes allow it to absorb products more efficiently, maximizing their benefits.”

Goncalves also highlighted that getting a good night of sleep reduces skin inflammation and acne. “During sleep, cortisol (stress hormone) levels drop, which helps calm inflammation. This can prevent acne flare-ups and redness, while also reducing puffiness around eyes,” she said.

Finally, she added that “lack of proper rest can reduce blood flow and oxygen delivery to the skin, causing blood vessels beneath the thin under-eye skin to dilate and become more prominent”—thus creating the appearance of dark shadows under the eyes.

Why beauty sleep is essential for skin health: the science

With the growing awareness of the importance of ‘beauty sleep’, there are plenty of opportunities to showcase the science to consumers when creating nutraceutical products that will help promote sleep and therefore offer beauty benefits.

For example, there are many processes that happen while we sleep that are essential for healthy skin, which can be disrupted if someone faces chronic sleep deprivation.

Just some of these processes that could be highlighted in ‘beauty sleep’ claims on pack and in marketing campaigns could include:

• Cellular repair: During sleep, skin undergoes significant cellular regeneration. The mitotic activity of keratinocytes (the cells responsible for the skin’s protective barrier) peaks at night and this helps repair damage caused by pollution, UV radiation and oxidative stress.
• Blood flow and oxygenation: Getting enough ‘shut eye’ enhances cutaneous blood flow to deliver oxygen and nutrients to skin cells. As such, improved circulation results in a healthy complexion, while sleep deprivation causes dull, yellow-looking skin.
• Inflammation and immune response: Sleep deficiency triggers a systemic inflammatory response. This includes releasing pro-inflammatory cytokines—and chronic inflammation can worsen skin disorders, accelerate aging and impair wound healing.
• Barrier function and hydration: Skin’s transepidermal water loss (TEWL) is regulated by circadian rhythms. At night, skin experiences increased permeability. Sleep provides the opportunity for the skin’s barrier to strengthen, preventing water loss and maintaining hydration.
• Hormone regulation: When we sleep, the body also regulates hormones that directly impact skin health. These include growth hormone, which stimulates collagen synthesis and cellular turnover and cortisol reduction. A poor night’s sleep increases cortisol levels, which degrades collagen, worsens inflammatory skin conditions like acne and disrupts the skin’s barrier function.
• Oxidative stress and free radical neutralization: The body’s antioxidant mechanisms are more active at night, counteracting free radical damage that contributes to premature aging like wrinkles, loss of elasticity and pigmentation issues.
• Stress reduction: Finally, but no less important, sleep affects mental wellness. Psychological stress negatively affects skin health through the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and sleep improves mental health, thus reducing stress-related skin conditions like eczema, acne and rosacea.

Although the most obvious category for innovation in this area is skin care, there are also opportunities to make some of these claims within hair and scalp care, too.

As Goncalves pointed out, getting adequate sleep prevents hair loss and strengthens hair.

“Restful nights ensure your hair follicles stay healthy and strong by maintaining the natural growth cycle,” she said. “In contrast, sleepless nights can elevate stress hormones, causing thinning hair and excessive scalp oil production, causing greasy hair and dandruff.”

Key nutrients for beauty sleep

So which nutrients can be used in supplements that make ‘beauty sleep’ claims?

According to Goncalves, the following nutrients can improve sleep quality and therefore give beauty benefits:

• Magnesium, which helps calm the nervous system, making it easier to fall and stay asleep. “It works by regulating neurotransmitters, chemical messengers in the brain that reduce overactivity in the nervous system. This promotes relaxation and lowers stress levels, which your skin will thank you for since stress can trigger breakouts and other skin issues,” she explained
• Omega-3 fatty acids, which are “powerful anti-inflammatory agents, help to hydrate skin from within, improve elasticity and reduce redness. Additionally, they help regulate melatonin, the hormone that controls your sleep-wake cycle, making them a win-win for your skin and sleep.”
• B Vitamins like B6 and B12 are essential for the production of serotonin, the “feel-good” hormone that also acts as a precursor to melatonin. “B vitamins not only help regulate your sleep but also promote a healthy mood. On top of that, B vitamins support cell turnover, which is critical for maintaining youthful, glowing skin and healthy hair,” she said.
• Tryptophan-rich foods like turkey, nuts and bananas are rich in tryptophan, an amino acid your body needs to create serotonin and melatonin, “the hormones that are crucial for promoting restful sleep and aiding your skin’s natural repair process,” Goncalves said.
• Zinc is essential for the repair and regeneration of cells, including those in your skin. “It also plays an important role in melatonin production, which helps you achieve deep, restorative sleep,” she said.  
• Vitamin D “helps regulate your circadian rhythm and also supports your skin by strengthening its barrier function, keeping it hydrated and protecting against damage from pollutants and other environmental factors.”

Cheisiuk agrees about the benefits of magnesium and omega-3 fatty acids for beauty sleep and also suggests other nutrients that could be considered in nutraceutical products designed for beauty sleep:

• Collagen: “a structural protein that supports skin repair during restorative sleep.”
• Melatonin: “regulates sleep cycles and promotes restful sleep in those with circadian misalignment.”
• Vitamin E and C, which Cheisiuk considers to be “excellent antioxidants that protect skin from oxidative stress and aid repair.”
• Glycine, “a main amino acid in collagen that improves both sleep quality and skin health. Also, it has calming effects on the brain, supporting relaxation.”
• Valerian root “has calming and sedative effects, promoting relaxation and improving sleep quality.”