Most of us are all too familiar with that dreaded internal clock that wakes us at 7:00 AM on the weekend, despite our desire to sleep in. We fail to appreciate that this internal clock is part of a natural body rhythm that can dramatically impact our skin.

Scientific studies have revealed that our skins biological functions follow circadian cycles which vary over the course of a 24 hour period. In the skins biological clock, epidermal cell renewal and the permeability of the skin are both highest during the night.

The trick to good skincare is taking advantage of this knowledge and utilizing it to enhance our skins health. Because the permeability of the skin is higher at night, more water loss naturally occurs at night. Consequently, a moisturizer that offers greater skin permeability and prevents water loss, should be applied before bedtime, to ensure moist, hydrated skin.

To provide the greatest effectiveness, a moisturizer should meet two tests. First, it should contain certain natural ingredients that have been specially formulated to be easily accepted by the skin. Green tea compounds, for example, are a must for todays moisture creams, as these compounds are seen by many scientists as skin cell rejuvenators.

Secondly, moisture cream should contain the latest silicone technology. Silicone molecules in a moisture cream provide a more even coverage than the molecules in hydrocarbon-based moisturizers by forming a sheet of hydration over the skin.

We sleep for approximately one-third of our lives, so lets make our sleep useful by developing good sleep habits and utilizing products that rebuild skin while we sleep. With ingredients that are formulated to work on a sub-cellular level and provide extra hydration to your skin, youll be working with your skins natural rhythms.

Copyright 2005 Alpha Ward-Burns