It’s been really fun discovering new brands this year and I have a new one to introduce today: This Works. I first heard about This Works from one of the PR firms I work with and I thought it might be a very niche brand for those with deep interest in natural skincare. However, I realized they are actually stocked by Sephora and very accessible to the general consumer. The focus of This Works is placing sleep as the most important step in your skincare routine. I think this is a really neat idea and tried out 3 products from their line!
About the Brand
We have all heard that the best way to improve skin is to drink lots of water and sleep. While you are sleeping, skin can repair itself. This Works is a British company with all of the products manufactured in the UK. Their products use natural fragrances and essential oils but not necessarily all ingredients are natural. I like that they do clinical studies to be able to substantiate their claims! There are 12 products available in the Canadian market available at Sephora.
This Works Sleep Plus+ Pillow Spray
As young professionals, sometimes work gets stressful and it hinders our ability to sleep. My boyfriend for example often takes a long time to fall asleep so I was very excited to try this at home. This pillow spray is motion activated so it continues to release fragrance throughout the night whenever you move. The scent comes from the natural blend of lavender, chamomile and vetiver which is the same as the original Deep Sleep pillow spray. But the fragrance is encapsulated and released continuously over 8 hours due to a motion activated technology. The product is not 100% natural but all of the fragrances come from natural oils and extracts.
I love how this pillow spray smells! It reminds me of a luxurious spa. The lavender is the main note but it’s not too over powering. There are quite a few other fragrances that round out the smell. The spray is a nice fine mist but it does slightly dampen your pillows temporarily. It’s hard to assess whether it’s helped me sleep faster or wake up more refreshed but I do really enjoy using this as part of my night time routine.
Retails $48 for 75mL
This Works Sleep Plus + Dream Body
To go with the pillow spray, I’ve also been testing out the Sleep Plus+ Dream Body lotion. It contains anti aging ingredients that activates while you sleep. The moisturizing aspect comes from the Hyaluronic Acid and Retinol. The fragrance is the same as the pillow spray so it’s nice to use it together. All of the ingredients are also encapsulated in the same motion activated technology.
Based on the description, I thought this would be a pretty thick cream. But actually the consistency is closer to a gel which spreads very easily. It is also slightly cooling to the touch and has an initial refreshing feel. The product dried down really quickly and it was not greasy at all. Although you only need a small amount as the consistency is very spreadable, I do think the packaging is quite small if you are using this all over the body. I finished the product within a month of receiving it. I’m not sure if I notice any “anti-aging” benefits but it does serve well as a body lotion.
Retails $48 for 75mL
This Works No Wrinkles Midnight Moisture
I recently turned 26 so I guess I should really start looking out for the early signs of ageing. This nourishing cream is designed just for that. The moisturizer is suppose to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. There is a persian silk tree extract to support detoxification, retinol to boost collagen production for anti-aging, hylauronic acid to moisturize, and other oils to nourish the skin. I love the packaging of this jar as it’s so unique and futuristic. The scent of this cream might not be everyone’s cup of tea. While I like it, my boyfriend says it smells sour and dirty. I can see where he comes from but this is the same scent that I’ve encountered in many spas and facials (it’s a vegetal type of smell). Because of the association, I feel immediately pampered whenever I use this.
The texture of this cream is quite thick so it’s best for those with dry skin or want a nourishing night cream. However, there are no issues of this settling into the skin. I like that water, shea butter and jojoba are the first three ingredients in this cream. The rest of the active ingredients such as retinol, hyaluronic acid, collagen peptide are quite a bit lower on the list. I haven’t noticed anti aging effects but I do like that my skin feels very smooth and plump when I wake up in the morning!
Retails $84 for 48mL
I really like the philosophy behind this brand and really enjoyed all 3 products even if I couldn’t substantiate some of the claims. If you have issues with sleeping, give the Sleep Plus range a try, sometimes placebo effect is all you need! The price tags are on the higher end so you can try the Beauty Sleep Kit for only $15 to see if you like the scent! In the Deep Sleep line up there is also a Bath Soak and a Trouble Shooter. Meanwhile for the No Wrinkles skincare, Sephora also stocks the Day cream, Eye Cream and a serum.
