What Role Does Sleep Play in Your Skin Care Routine? Experts Weigh In How Sleep Affects Your Skin

So, after nabbing a few fun products from Olive Young in Seoul, I decided to full force use my Samsung watch and Korean skin care products to see if there was a holistic approach to sleep and skin care that I should be trying out.

It's been a little over three weeks since I've returned and I've slowly gotten my sleep back to the seven-hour range and I've also gotten a ton of compliments on my skin. While it will surely take some more time to confirm my personal discoveries, I spoke with two experts all about just how much sleep plays a role in your skin care routine.

At the end of the day, or rather, at the end of your evening routine, sleep is your skin’s best friend. No cream or serum can fully replicate the hormonal and cellular processes that unfold during deep, restful sleep. “Skin regeneration peaks overnight,” says Dr. Asmi Berry, a board-certified dermatologist and self-described “beauty biohacker” based in Los Angeles. “Missing sleep isn’t just about feeling tired—it impacts how quickly your skin heals, how much collagen it makes, and how well it functions overall.”

So yes, a luxe serum or a new overnight mask might help. But the foundation of truly healthy skin? That’s built in the dark—quietly, night after night, while you sleep. Miss out on sleep, and your skin will let you know. Puffy eyes, dullness, and breakouts are just the beginning. Poor sleep increases the body’s production of cortisol, a stress hormone that triggers inflammation, weakens your skin barrier, and increases oil production—a perfect storm for acne, rosacea, and eczema.

“If you’re getting less sleep, it’s even more important to keep your nighttime routine simple and focused on hydration and repair,” says Dr. Angela Lamb. “Your skin is already under stress, so soothe it—don’t overload it.”

“During sleep, your body enters a repair and recovery mode,” says Dr. Asmi Berry, a board-certified dermatologist and self-described beauty biohacker based in Los Angeles. “Blood flow to the skin increases, collagen production rises, and cell turnover speeds up. This is when your skin works hardest to repair damage from environmental stressors, like UV rays and pollution.”

Dr. Lamb agrees: “Sleep is when your skin rebuilds from the damage it faces during the day—sun, pollution, weather. It’s one of the most powerful yet overlooked aspects of skin health.”

Both dermatologists emphasize that consistent, quality sleep—ideally 7 to 9 hours per night—is essential for maintaining healthy skin. While your skincare products do a lot of the heavy lifting, your skin needs uninterrupted sleep to actually put those ingredients to work.

That’s because your skin is more permeable at night, meaning products absorb better while you sleep. “You’re not exposed to sunlight, pollution, or touch, so it’s the perfect time to apply potent actives like retinol, peptides, or ceramides,” says Dr. Berry. “Retinol, for instance, breaks down in sunlight, so using it at night ensures both safety and effectiveness.”