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Vanessa Mulquiney

DURING THE NIGHT, the body works to restore the stressful effects of the day, giving the skin ample time to revitalise and repair itself. Whether you've had enough sleep or too little, it will be on display for all to see the next morning.

Tell-tale signs include puffy or swollen skin, dark circles and droopy eyes.

According to ACNeilson's latest global survey on sleeping patterns, Hong Kong ranked a close second after Taiwan in the highest number of night owls, with 31 per cent of people claiming they don't hit the sack until after 1am.

Han Lin, Club Oasis manager at the Grand Hyatt Beijing, says a 1,000-year-old herb can be one remedy for the visual effects of tiredness.

'Eyebright herb softens the grey, swollen areas of the eye,' says Lin. Snip the top off a capsule and place the contents and a few drops of water onto cotton pads, place over the eyes, sit back and relax.

Don't, however, leave the compress on overnight, he says. Leave on the eye area for 10 minutes; if there is an allergic reaction, cease use immediately.

'Every day after that, add three to five minutes based on your comfort level and level of improvement.' Gauge improvement on a weekly basis, says Lin, not daily. 'If applied consistently and correctly over a period of one month, there will be a noticeable improvement.'

Unfortunately, lack of sleep isn't the only culprit when it comes to waking up with dark eyes, says Jennifer Agapie, manager of Hong Kong-based Ellespa.

'As the skin becomes thinner with age, dark circles can appear more prominent,' she says. 'The darkness is often due to the blood vessels that are found beneath the skin's surface.'

As well as getting proper rest, key nutrients are necessary to maintain blood-vessel strength, she says.

'Attracting water to the skin and encouraging healthy collagen and elastin formation can be done through eating raw, colourful fruits and vegetables rich in antioxidants.'

She says to stock up on strawberries, cantaloupe, citrus fruits, goji berries, yams and broccoli.

To strengthen collagen and elastin, Agapie recommends a glucosamine supplement. To reduce puffy eyes, up your intake of essential fatty acids as they absorb water and help to reduce swelling.

You can also maintain a clear, radiant complexion by what you do before you go to bed - and you can't slack off.

'Makeup needs to be removed properly every day,' says Lin.

The three-step process of cleansing, toning and moisturising should be followed, and can be done on the cheap.

Use a good toner to remove makeup nightly, as makeup residue is responsible for causing clogged pores and unsightly blackheads,  resulting in a less-than glowing face in the morning, he says.

A good quality, 99-100 per cent witch hazel product does the job just as well as  expensive toners, according to Lin.

The witch hazel should be diluted with a little essential oil to keep the pH balance of the skin even, and to soften the astringency. Rinse the face with tepid water only - using hot water will damage the tiny blood vessels - and pat (don't rub) the skin dry with a cotton towel.

Weekly facials can do wonders for clearing problem skin and preserving that youthful glow. But spending a lot of money on them is not always necessary.

Ingredients found at home can be used; natural yoghurt, avocado and honey suit all skin types.

For the body, Lin swears by natural almond oil to get that dewy look. Rub it all over after showering in the morning. 'It is light and fast-absorbing and its moisturising effects last all day, without the oiliness,' he says.

In the evening, treat yourself to an essential oil bath, but use high-quality oils only. Afterwards, use jojoba all over the body, which is thicker and acts like a moisturising glove for the whole body,  he says.

Beautiful hands and nails give a strong impression, as do poorly maintained ones.

While weekly manicures can be left  to the experts, some effortless at-home treatments can be done while snoozing.

Agapie suggests a hand hydrating massage every night before bed.

'Our hands have fewer oil glands than the skin on the rest of your body, therefore apply an intensive restorative lotion, such as vitamin E or hemp, to keep them well hydrated,' she says.

To double the effect, lather hands generously with moisturiser and wear clean cotton gloves at night.

Don't forget your soles. Discovery Bay  chiropodist Doug Horne  says keeping the body moisturised by drinking plenty of water is the key to good-looking skin, and this includes the skin on our feet.

'As the skin on the feet is much thicker than anywhere else on the body, this means that moisturising has to be a bit more heavy duty,' he says.

A rich cream containing vitamin E is sufficient and improves the condition, elasticity and suppleness of the skin, Horne says.

The night before a special occasion, soak your feet in a  peppermint footbath and use a pumice stone on the heels.

Heavily coat the feet in moisturising cream, slip on a pair of cotton socks and wear to bed. This allows the excess cream to soak into your feet, not the bedsheets.

But Horne warns to go easy on exfoliating. 'It's better to use pumice stone a little and often. Overly robust buffing will cause damage and make the skin painful and inflamed, which will in turn damage the skin and make it drier.'

Alternatively, Lin suggests soaking your feet in a honey water bath. Pour eight ounces of honey into a footbath with warm water and soak.

It's best to use distilled water; hard tap water will leave feet dry and counteract the honey's natural moisturising and antibacterial agents.

Then, of course, there are your locks. According to Central-based The Hairdressers director, Darrin Usher, the biggest hair faux pas in Hong Kong is confusing the sexy 'just got out of bed' look with the 'didn't have time to brush my hair' look.

People actually take time to style their hair to get a certain look, says Usher.

'If you're not washing or wetting your hair in the morning, at least give it a really good brush. This helps move the natural oils from the scalp throughout the hair so it won't look  quite so oily and will nourish the hair,' he says.



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