The latest product from Christchurch-based beauty brand Jeuneora will have you sleeping like a baby, says editor Trudi Brewer. Discover a (delicious chocolate) supplement that will do more than just give you sweet dreams.
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It's a thing; beauty sleep, and quite honestly, the closest thing to the fountain of youth. It's also inspired dozens of research papers that Dr Gayle Brewer, (no relation) a psychology expert at the University of Liverpool and a member of the British Psychological Society, endorses. She advocates a good night's sleep helps to keep you looking your best. "Judgement of attractiveness is often unconscious, but we all do it, and we can pick up on even small cues like whether someone looks tired or unhealthy. So did this spur Jeuneora to create their latest supplement named after every woman's wish, Beauty Sleep? Who knows, but this adaptogenic-fuelled hot chocolate super powder works. Not only does it help with a good night's sleep, but it also allows you to relax, maintain immune function, and maintain mood balance. According to Jeuneora's founder, Monique Kaminski, "When we face a stressor, our bodies go through general adaptation syndrome. A three-stage response of alarm, resistance and exhaustion," says Kaminski. "Adaptogens can help you stay in the resistance phase for longer, to avoid 'crashing'; and they also help with mood balance – another important factor when it comes to getting quality shut-eye." Read on to learn more.
What is it?
Hormones, stress, anxiety, and overindulging in stimulants like coffee late in the day or a wine-fuelled night out, guilty - all can affect how you sleep. When you are sleep-deprived, the body produces the stress-response hormone cortisol. Stacked with adaptogens, Beauty Sleep helps reduce cortisol levels and stress. The same goes when you're experiencing chronic fatigue; the body produces less cortisol, and adaptogens can increase cortisol levels to help the body regain balance. But back to the lack of sleep, it affects your mood and the look of your hair, and skin, while increasing weight gain. So what are adaptogens? They are active plant extracts found in herbs and mushrooms, and in this supplement, there's a blend of three, all used in traditional Chinese medicine, Reishi, Maitake and Shiitake, to boost immunity. These mushroom extracts are also rich in vitamins A and D, antioxidants, polysaccharides, amino acids, and beta-glucans.
Further enhanced by pistachio extract, which helps balance blood sugar levels, and blood pressure while keeping your cholesterol in check, this extract supports relaxation and healthy sleep patterns. Finally, the reason it tastes so good is fair trade cocoa. There are no fillers, binders or additives; it's vegan and cruelty-free. Finally, Beauty Sleep’s jar is made from 100 per cent recyclable, sugarcane plastic.
How to use it?
Add one scoop, mixed with hot water or your favourite milk (we love almond or coconut), stir and drink 30 minutes before bed.
Why do we like it?
First up, it's nice to shake it up when it comes to an after-dinner treat, and this is a healthy replacement for that tempting sugary craving. Pure cocoa leads to being flavanol-rich, boosts heart health, and lowers blood sugar - so that's a win. The team at BeautyEQ has tried Beauty Sleep for the past two weeks, each night, and it works for me. To quote our style director, Louise Hilsz, "It's the sweetest way to end the day, and it makes me go out like a light."
