Pillow Talk: Influencer Lucy Moon’s night-time routine

Known for her chill, cosy videos about all things lifestyle, content creator, Lucy Moon, has spent her formative years on the internet. Having started making YouTube videos back in 2010, Lucy has cultivated a loyal fan base who keep coming back for her chatty weekly vlog series, ‘168 Hours’, and her considered approach to cruelty-free beauty and sustainable fashion. We caught up with Lucy from her East London home about all things sleep, and her non-negotiable skincare routine…

Sum up what you do in five words?

Online creator, internet big sister!

On a scale of 1 – 10, how much do you love your sleep?

10 out of 10. It’s actually not a joke, I can sleep for England.

What time would you ideally like to go to bed, as opposed to what time you really end up in bed? 

When my boyfriend is home, we go to sleep around 11, but when I’m left to my own devices my bedtime is more like 12:30. I try to fight it but I’m a night owl at heart.

What’s your usual reason for going to bed late? Work… scrolling through Instagram? 

Usually, I get caught up on TikTok, but sometimes I’ll be watching a film or reading a book I can’t put down – the last novel that kept me up late was Luster by Raven Leilani. It takes more than 45 minutes for me to get anywhere in London, so if I’ve been to a gig or for dinner with a friend, I’ll nearly always get home and into bed late (the skincare still gets done though!)

What side of the bed do you sleep on?

Reluctantly, the right side. My boyfriend has claimed the left side since we started dating and I’ve learned to work with it.

What kind of sleeping position do you normally find yourself in? Do you sleep on your back, or are you more of a fetal position kind of person?

Recently I fall asleep on my front with one leg bent – like a hip stretch? I don’t wake up like that though, it’s probably not great for my breathing.

What is your bed setup? Silk/bamboo sheets or something more simple? 

Linen sheets, always! I recently upgraded my pillows too and I have zero regrets. Next is my duvet and a mattress topper. My Lumie light is next to the bed, along with my phone charger.

Light sleeper or heavy sleeper?

I’m a pretty heavy sleeper — I’m so grateful for that.

Morning bird or night owl? 

I’m a night owl.

How do you unwind before bed? Can you walk me through your routine….

After dinner, I make a cup of tea (if you’re not drinking Clipper’s ‘Sleep Easy Infusion’, get on that) and watch some tv — at the moment I’m catching up on Euphoria. After a few episodes, I do my skincare and teeth and then head to bed. Now I’m writing it out, I’m realising how simple it is!

Do you read before bed? If so, what can’t you get enough of at the moment? 

I’m a bit of an aspirational night-time reader; my books and kindle live on my bedside table but I’m much more likely to read on a weekend afternoon on the sofa. I’m currently reading Girl, Woman, Other; I’ve been meaning to pick it up for months.

What products/items are on your bedside table?

A bottle of This Works ‘Sleep Pillow Spray’, Palmer’s cocoa butter and Lucas’ Pawpaw ointment for my lips. I usually have a tub of Liz Earle body balm on there too, I think we’ve got through six since I first discovered it? It smells amazing.

What’s the weirdest thing next to your bed? 

So much of my jewellery on a small ceramic dish. I tell myself I’ll sort it out but the pile just gets bigger.

Do you sleep with your phone next to you?

Unfortunately, yes. The anxiety I feel when I don’t stops me from sleeping.

What can’t you go to sleep without doing? 

Wordle. It’s become the highlight of my day.

Do you always take off your makeup before sleeping? 

Yes, always! Even when I was drinking I would always remove my makeup and moisturise when I got home.

Favourite way to remove your makeup?

My foundation melts into my face within an hour of applying it, while my mascara never wants to leave my lashes so it takes a two-pronged approach to get everything off. I use a cleansing oil to dislodge everything, then a waterproof makeup remover on my eyes to shift any remaining product, and finally a milky cleanser to remove any remaining dirt, makeup and pollution.

How does your nighttime routine change on Friday / the weekend?

I’m usually out with friends on the weekend, so my night routine, once I’m home, is to get into bed as soon as possible! So usually I do a shorter skincare routine and then just brush my teeth.

Can you walk me through your nighttime skincare routine? 

I always wash my face with Glossier’s ‘Milky Jelly Cleanser’, it leaves my skin clean but not dry. Once my skin is clean, I apply a serum or treatment— at the moment I alternate between 10% azelaic acid and a lactic acid exfoliator. Finally, I moisturise – I’ve nearly finished the Honest Beauty ‘Hydrogel Cream’ I bought last month.

Favourite products to use before bed? 

The Aesop hand balm that lives in my bedside drawer smells unreal. My hands are always dry so a bit of cream before bed really helps.

What do you do if you can’t sleep?

I put on a guided sleep meditation from Headspace. They have a library full of them, they’re so helpful!