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If you love the scent of lavender but haven’t found a lavender scented product that actually helps you fall asleep, I can relate. Over the course of my life, I’ve struggled with sleep and have experimented with natural sleep aids, including lavender products, only to find that they didn’t reliably help me fall asleep.
However, according to a study from the University of California, lavender has been linked to “improved sleep quality before the onset of insomnia or other sleep disorders.” Systematic review 2022. A Study from 2015 also concluded: “Lavender and sleep hygiene together, and sleep hygiene alone to a lesser extent, improved sleep quality in students with self-reported sleep problems.”
While I have always enjoyed the scent of lavender and have used various lavender products before bed, I have never 100% felt that the plant helped me sleep. That is, until I tried the Sleepy body lotion from Lush.
I first came across Sleepy Body Lotion in 2017 when a coworker gave me a sample she had received. I didn’t think much of it, assuming it would be just like all the other lavender lotions I had tried. That same night I was proven wrong. Not only did Sleepy smell better than any other lavender cream I had ever tried, it also helped me fall asleep faster.
Seven years later, I still use Sleepy and can’t sleep without it. Here’s why.
The scent of Sleepy
Sleepy combines lavender and tonka to create the perfect calming yet intoxicating combination. Tonka has a warm, creamy, slightly sweet and subtly spicy scent (similar to spices like cinnamon or nutmeg) that ultimately brings out the lavender. It’s not too sweet or too spicy though. It’s just right.
When applied to the skin, Sleepy has a lingering scent, but it’s not as strong as when it comes straight from the jar. I appreciate this because overly strong scents can be distracting when you’re trying to fall asleep. Additionally, Sleepy has a natural scent that’s not too synthetic, making it easy to blend into your bedroom environment.
“It instantly takes away the tension of the day and is one of the most comforting scents I’ve ever encountered,” wrote one reviewer. Another said, “Smells so good — I’m not normally a fan of lavender, but this just has the most beautiful soft floral scent.”
Sleepy on the skin
“Glycerin, cocoa butter, and almond oil work together to hydrate and lock in moisture to keep skin soft, supple, and comfortable all day or night,” Lush writes in the product description. I agree. I apply the muted purple Sleepy Body Lotion to my hands and forearms every night before bed and always wake up to soft, hydrated skin. It keeps my cuticles happy, too.
Other notable moisturizing ingredients include oat milk, organic jojoba oil and illipe butter, which nourish the skin and restore its vitality.
Texture-wise, Sleepy has the Goldilocks effect once again. It’s not too heavy, but it’s not too light either. It’s just right. “It’s super silky and doesn’t leave me feeling greasy or sweaty in the middle of the night like some other lotions do,” said one reviewer. As someone who can wake up sweaty when I use certain ultra-heavy lotions, I have to agree that Sleepy has never given me that problem.
Additional Benefits of Sleepy Body Lotion
Besides what I said, there is more to love about Sleepy lotion. Here are more reasons why I keep buying it:
- Lush is animal friendly.
- This product is made in Canada using only natural ingredients and safe synthetics.
- Sleepy is vegan (and so are about 95% of Lush’s year-round range)
- The body lotion is self-preserving, which means it does not contain any synthetic preservatives.
- Sleepy’s packaging is made from 100% recycled materials
- The packaging can also be recycled or returned (clean and empty) to a Lush store for $1 off your purchase. If you return five jars, you’ll receive a free new face mask. “The jars will be sent to our recycling partners in Vancouver and Toronto, where they will be recycled into new jars for our products,” Lush wrote, in response to a Frequently Asked Questions.
- I’ve had a 3.1 ounce jar of Sleepy since December (about 8 months) and have about a quarter of the jar left. I use a dime sized amount every night. However, if you use it all over your body, it may not last as long.
- Lush packaging includes a sticker that tells you which employee made your product and when. It also features an illustration of them!
Lush Sleepy Body Lotion Cons
While I personally have no negatives about Sleepy Body Lotion, I know that scent is very subjective. An aroma that one person likes may not have the same effect on another. For example: “I love this lotion and I love the idea of a lavender scent before bed, but for me the scent is way too strong and overwhelming,” wrote one reviewer. “I’ve used it multiple times and tonight I got up and had to wash it off [because] the smell bothered me so much. Don’t get me wrong, I like the smell, but it needs to be much more subtle, a quarter of what it is would still be strong enough.”
Please note that this lotion is not fragrance free. If you are sensitive to perfume, this lotion may not be suitable for you.
I also want to mention that I like the consistency of the Sleepy Body Lotion and don’t feel like it leaves a residue (even when I use my phone), but others find it greasy: “I got this as a gift and I honestly love it. It smells amazing and my skin feels so nice. My only issue though is that it leaves an oily residue once it absorbs into my skin. The residue is really greasy and can be irritating if you’re using your phone and the oil goes everywhere. Other than that I absolutely love it!!”
Overall, out of almost 1500 reviews, the Sleepy Body Lotion has 4.6 stars, so it seems like most people like the product. But again, everyone’s preferences are different.
The takeaway meal
If you love lavender but haven’t found a product that helps you fall asleep, try Sleepy. It smells amazing, hydrates the skin, has a dreamy texture and is the perfect bedtime scent. I can’t sleep without it and will always buy this body lotion again.
