National Sleep Awareness Week Night Creams

Statue of Sleeping Ariadne in the Vatican Museums

What a snooze--it's National Sleep Awareness Week! The annual celebration helps people understand the benefits of proper rest and the importance of identifying the signs of a sleep disorder. The last day of the campaign kicks off the beginning of Daylight Saving Time, which falls on Sunday, March 11.

How much beauty sleep do we need? Experts say seven to nine hours of shut-eye each night rejuvenates our bodies and energy levels, and improves heart health, weight maintenance and mental sharpness. Best of all, Mr. Sandman reduces the appearance of puffy eyes and dull skin.

In honor of National Sleep Awareness Week, we've assembled our fave night creams. We're hoping these luxurious formulations will not only give you radiant skin, but also help take the sting out of turning our clocks forward this weekend. Nighty-night!  

SHINE: VB Cosmetics Abrioné Night Time Recovery Cream. BEAUTY: Renews and restores skin's youthful appearance with extracts of aloe vera, pineapple and passionflower. BEACON: No animal testing.

SHINE: Burt's Bees Sensitive Night Cream. BEAUTY: Cotton flower extract, aloe vera leaf juice and shea butter moisturize sensitive skin overnight without causing redness or irritation. BEACON: No animal testing. Contains no sulfates, parabens, phthalates or petrochemicals.

SHINE: Dermelect Self-Esteem Beauty Sleep Serum. BEAUTY: Tones, tightens and brightens skin with aloe vera and grape seed extracts, and hyaluronic acid. BEACON: No animal testing.

SHINE: Nature Pure Labs Black Currant Night Renaissance. BEAUTY: Jojoba and avocado oils, and green tea and black currant extracts reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. BEACON: No animal testing. Also free of mineral oil, propylene, petrolatum, parabens, and artificial colors and fragrances. 

SHINE: Skyn Iceland Oxygen Infusion Night Cream. BEAUTY: Enhances skin's elasticity, tone and texture with jojoba and cranberry seed oils, shea butter and aloe vera leaf juice. BEACON: Cruelty free. Contains no parabens, petroleum, phthalates, mineral oil, sulfates or dye. Also supports Making Strides Against Breast Cancer. 

SHINE: Weleda Pomegranate Firming Night Cream. BEAUTY: Organic pomegranate, borage and jojoba seed oils, argan oil and macadamia nut oil aid skin renewal. BEACON: Contains no synthetic fragrances, colorants, preservatives or raw materials derived from mineral oils. 

The Power of Pomegranate Skin Care

Photo by johannrela

Pomegranate seeds look like precious rubies. They possess a vibrant garnet color, glisten in the sunlight and, most of all, make us feel good. You could call them nature's bling bounty.

Known as the "jewel of winter," the pomegranate has served as a symbol of romance, longevity and fertility in some cultures. Today, the oil and extract from this succulent super fruit appear as key ingredients in many skincare formulations to minimize signs of aging and promote youthful radiance. Vitamins B and C, polyphenols and anthocyanins provide more antioxidants than red wine and green tea.

Discover the hidden treasures of this natural gem. The following formulations improve skin health by utilizing pomegranate as a prominent ingredient. 

SHINE: Burt's Bees Naturally Ageless Line Diminishing Day Lotion. BEAUTY: Pomegranate and wild yam root extracts, and sunflower seed oil help fight free radicals responsible for the breakdown of collagen and elastin. BEACON: No animal testing. Also free of sulfates, parabens, phthalates and petrochemicals.

SHINE: Éminence Organic Skin Care Cranberry Pomegranate Masque. BEAUTY: Pomegranate purée and juice, cranberry purée and juice, gooseberry extract and sesame oil assist with moisture retention. BEACON: Supports the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition and The Cinderella Project.

SHINE: Pomega5 Or de Nuit Illuminating Lifting Serum. BEAUTY: Pomegranate seed oil, aloe vera leaf juice, colloidal gold and blue green algae extract promote cell renewal and collagen production. BEACON: Cruelty free. Also contains no parabens, petrochemicals, synthetic fragrances or dyes.

SHINE: Weleda Pomegranate Firming Serum. BEAUTY: Organic pomegranate juice and millet seed extract help strengthen and support skin regeneration. BEACON: Free of synthetic fragrances, colorants, preservatives and raw materials derived from mineral oils. Also supports Conservation International. 

Winter Sun Protection

Brrrrr... it's chilly in many parts of the country. However, the debate over our ability to follow through on our New Year's resolutions heats up. A whopping 80 percent of people who vow to change or improve some aspect of their lives on January 1 typically fall off the wagon by Valentine’s Day, say researchers.


I've decided I'm going to make good on my promise, which is to wear sunscreen year-round. After considering the bad news/good news, who wouldn't? It doesn't matter if it's winter, spring, summer or fall, ultraviolet radiation damage often leads to skin cancer, hyperpigmentation and/or premature aging. On the upside, daily use of sunscreen helps shield the skin and important proteins, such as collagen, elastin and keratin, which keep it smooth and firm. 


I'm loving the idea of applying sunscreen year-round--by Valentine's Day and beyond. Check out the latest SPF formulations for your face and décolleté.

SHINE: Bioelements SPF 50 FaceScreen. BEAUTY: Formulated as a moisturizer to help safeguard against wrinkles, loss of elasticity and pigmented brown spots with titanium dioxide, aloe leaf juice, chamomile flower extract and Chinese herbs (including dong quai root extract). BEACON: No animal testing. Also free of synthetic colorants and fragrances, and packaged in glass for maximum freshness and recyclability.  

SHINE: DermaQuest Skin Therapy ZinClear SPF 30 Tinted. BEAUTY: This sunscreen soothes and heals using zinc oxide, and vitamins C and E with tinted coverage that warms lighter skin tones and compliments darker ones. BEACON: No animal testing. Also contains no parabens.

SHINE: iS Clinical by Innovative Skincare SPF 20 Powder Sunscreen (Translucent). BEAUTY: This formulation contains micronized zinc oxide and transparent titanium dioxide to provide UVA/UVB protection, and uses a self-dispensing brush applicator. BEACON: Supports National Breast Cancer Coalition and Stars For Stripes.

SHINE: Luzern Laboratories La Défense SPF 30. BEAUTY: Zinc oxide, and aloe and green tea extracts protect skin from damaging UV rays, as well as minimize premature aging, reduced elasticity and dark spots. BEACON: No animal testing and vegan. Also free of parabens, sulfates, phthalates, synthetic fragrances, dyes, glycols and petrochemicals.

SHINE: Smart Girls Who Surf SPF 30+ Organic Sunscreen Face Stick. BEAUTY: Provides UVA/UVB protection with sunflower, aloe and avocado oils, vitamin E, titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, and green tea and rosemary extracts. BEACON: No animal testing. Also contains no parabens or synthetic fragrances.