How to Find the Best Overnight Face Masks For Your Skin Type

This week (March 11-17) marks the National Sleep Foundation’s annual Sleep Awareness Week. In an effort to get the most out of your beauty rest, we’re giving you the tools to boost your skin while you catch some Zzz’s. Read on for the best overnight face masks for every skin type! 

Give your beauty sleep the ultimate beauty boost with an overnight facial mask. Overnight face masks can help to care for your skin while you snooze—giving a whole new meaning to beauty sleep. What’s more, they can even help you achieve softer, smoother, more supple-looking skin come morning. But, not all overnight face masks are created equal…in fact, many are created for specific skin types and concerns, such as sensitive skin, dry skin, dull-looking skin and more. Lucky for you, we’ve done our research and found the best overnight facial masks for every skin type from the L’Oreal portfolio of brands. See which ones made the cut, here. 

WHY DOES A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP MATTER?

Before we dive right in, let’s talk about the importance of getting a good night’s sleep. For starters, getting the recommended hours of shut-eye each and every night can do wonders for your health, both mentally and physically. It’s also considered primetime for your skin’s self-repair and regeneration. When you repeatedly strip away those hours night after night, you are not only affecting your productivity levels but also the look and feel of your skin. Bottom line: If you feel tired, your skin will surely show it. Of course, getting a good night’s rest isn’t always easy. If you need help catching shut-eye, read these helpful tips:

Set the room temperature to 65 degrees: The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) recommends setting the thermostat to 65 degrees for better sleep. The reason being that when you’re drowsy, your body temperature goes down and then rises again as morning approaches. If the room temperature is too warm, it can make you restless throughout the night. 

Make your bed: Turns out this chore may have some effect on the way your body falls asleep. Recent studies from the NSF conclude that many people believe a clean and comfortable bedroom environment is important to getting a good night’s sleep. While more research is needed, there might be a correlation between feeling content about your environment and how you sleep throughout the night. 

Sleep in light clothing: Since the temperature of the room makes a difference in how our body rests and repairs throughout the night, it’s important not to counteract it by wearing too warm of clothing. If you sweat while you sleep, try wearing cotton pajamas to bed.

Now that we know sleep is essential to the overall wellness of your body and skin, why not enhance the regeneration process by adding an overnight face mask to the mix? Ahead, we share everything you need to know about overnight face masks including why they deserve a spot in your regimen! 

WHAT IS AN OVERNIGHT FACE MASK?

Let’s set the record straight once and for all: Overnight masks are formulated specifically for use in the evening while you snooze. As such, they should be applied as the last step in your evening skin care routine—after cleansing, toning, applying serum, moisturizing…you get the idea. Unlike rinse-off masks, overnight masks are meant to be worn for hours while you sleep, delivering skin-enhancing ingredients to your skin all night long. While each formula offers different benefits, you should expect to wake up to a more hydrated, radiant, healthy-looking complexion come morning time—and who doesn’t want that? 

WHY WE LOVE OVERNIGHT FACE MASKS

One thing we love about overnight masks is that they work seamlessly into our nightly skin care routines. In other words, you don’t have to put your life on pause for 15 minutes while they dry, or lock yourself in your bathroom so your roommate or boyfriend doesn’t shriek in terror at your masked face. Simply smooth one on, wait for it to absorb into your skin, and head to bed. The only hard part? Finding the right formula for your skin type. Luckily, we just made that part a whole lot easier.   

AN OVERNIGHT FACE MASK FOR SENSITIVE SKIN

If you’re on the market for a soothing overnight face mask that can cool and comfort reactive skin, look no further than SkinCeuticals Phyto Corrective Mask. Formulated with active botanicals of cucumber, thyme, and olive, a calming dipeptide, and hydrating hyaluronic acid, this overnight facial mask can offer lightweight—yet effective—hydration while working to soothe and comfort sensitive skin. What’s more? You can use SkinCeuticals Phyto Corrective Mask one of three ways: as a 10-15 minute rinse-off intensive calming treatment, in the morning as a leave-on product to comfort compromised skin throughout the day, or at night as an overnight option for extended replenishment.

For more on SkinCeuticals Phyto Corrective Mask ($55 MSRP), see our full product review, here.

AN OVERNIGHT FACE MASK FOR DRY SKIN

The next time you find yourself scanning the beauty aisles of your local drugstore for an overnight face mask that can hydrate dry skin, reach for Vichy’s Quenching Mineral Face Mask. Enriched with 10% of the brand’s mineralizing thermal water and vitamin B3, this quenching overnight face mask can help strengthen the skin’s moisture barrier and leave it feeling ultra soft, supple, and hydrated. We share more about the replenishing face mask—and other masks in the brand’s Mineral Face Mask collection—here.

Vichy Quenching Mineral Face Mask, $20 MSRP

AN OVERNIGHT FACE MASK FOR DULL-LOOKING SKIN

No one wants to wake up to a dull—read: dreary-looking—complexion. Breathe life back into your skin with Biotherm’s Life Plankton Mask. Formulated with radiance in mind, this overnight facial mask can hydrate, soothe, and promote overall radiance in the complexion.

Biotherm Life Plankton Mask, $50 MSRP

AN OVERNIGHT FACE MASK FOR OILY SKIN

Who says oily skin can’t benefit from a little hydration? One of our favorite ways to hydrate oily skin overnight is with SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 Masque. Enriched with hydrating hyaluronic acid and vitamin B5, the gel-based formula is light enough to use on oily skin, leaving it feeling soft, smooth, and supple come morning.

SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 Masque, $54 MSRP

AN OVERNIGHT FACE MASK FOR COMBINATION SKIN

Similar to oily skin, when it comes to choosing an overnight face mask for combination skin, you may want to consider a mask that is lightweight. One of our favorite gel-based formulas? Lancôme’s Hydra-Intense Masque. Made to refresh and revitalize the skin overnight, this lightweight—yet effective—face mask can leave the skin looking and feeling softer, smoother, and suppler—without an extra slick of oil—just in time for your AM wakeup call.

Lancôme Hydra-Intense Masque, $43 MSRP

AN OVERNIGHT FACE MASK FOR MATURE SKIN

Did you know that environmental factors, such as pollution and free radicals, can play a major role in your skin’s aging process? Well, it’s true! And there are certain skin care products you can incorporate into your routine that can alleviate some of the negative environmental effects. To help combat these environmental skin aggressors—and promote a more youthful-looking appearance—reach for Kiehl’s Cilantro & Orange Extract Pollutant Defending Masque. This overnight mask can help nourish your complexion and provide it with a boost of skin defending antioxidants upon application.

Kiehl’s Cilantro & Orange Extract Pollutant Defending Masque, $22 MSRP

AN OVERNIGHT FACE MASK FOR STRESSED OUT SKIN

Stressed out? Give your skin the relaxation is deserves—read: needs—with Lancôme’s Hydra Zen Anti-Stress Serum-in-Mask. Created with stressed out, fatigued-looking skin in mind, this overnight facial mask can send your complexion into ultimate zen-mode and work to reveal hydrated and radiant-looking skin come morning.

Lancôme Hydra Zen Anti-Stress Serum-in-Mask, $83 MSRP

AN OVERNIGHT FACE MASK FOR ALL SKIN TYPES

If you’re in search of an overnight face mask that is a bit more universal, we recommend Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Overnight Hydrating Masque. Formulated with all skin types in mind, this overnight facial mask can help hydrate, soften, and soothe the skin upon application. What’s more? The nourishing overnight face mask is paraben-free, silicone-free, colorant-free, and fragrance-free… so, it’s suitable to use on sensitive skin types, too!

Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Overnight Hydrating Masque, $35 MSRP

Want more tips to help you boost your beauty sleep? Read this!