Pillow Talk: DIZZIAK founder Loretta De Feo’s night-time routine

Can you sum up what you do in five words? 

Create effective products for everyone.

What makes DIZZIAK special to you? 

It’s the brand I desperately needed and wanted – effective, authentic, passionate, and honest.

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

6.5. I don’t like a lack of it, but I’m not obsessed with getting 8 hours every night either. 

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

Ideally, it would be 11 pm.  Really, I’m a solid 12.30 am. Imagine missing the greatest quiet or thinking hour in the day (10 pm-11 pm) though. 

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

I have this thing where I have to have at least half the amount of time I spent working for downtime too. So if I work for 9 hours, I’ll need a minimum of 4.5 for just me. 

What side of the bed do you sleep on? 

I was always left but I’ve just moved and it now makes more sense for me to be on the right.

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?

I’m a side sleeper. I’ve just bought a special pillow that keeps you in a ‘good’ side-sleeping position all night. I’m not sure how I feel about it yet as it’s not the most comfortable. 

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

I invested in good brushed and Egyptian cotton sheets and a heavy throw, but the most important purchase for me was my mattress. I sacrificed a holiday to buy it. I have two satin pillowcases as it helps protect your hair and skin at night but I hide these during the day, as I don’t really like the look of satin. 

Light sleeper or heavy sleeper? 

So light.

Morning bird or night owl? 

I’ve been a night owl all of my life and I’m fine with that because I’m sure it’s where the magical ideas present themselves. 

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

Around 10 pm, I’ll start watching a film or documentary or about 4-6 episodes of a series. I really come alive a night and all my good ideas start rolling in and thoughts I’ve had throughout the day start to make sense. Lighting is so important to me. I like an amber tone to all of my lamps – it really helps in helping me to relax and giving a warm temperature to my space. I still normally have to force myself to bed but I’ve been like that since I was young.

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

Not usually. I like to read around 7/8ish. I’m currently reading The Consolations of Philosophy by Alain De Botton. It’s been on my bookshelf for years and I’m only just getting around to it. 

What can’t you go to sleep without doing? 

Checking under my bed for any potential intruders.

Do you always take off your makeup before sleeping?

Even if I’m at Glastonbury and I’m getting back to my tent at 7 am; it’s always coming off. 

Favourite way to remove your makeup? 

Micellar water and then cleanser.

What products/items are on your bedside table 

A bottle of water (always), an alarm clock that I’ve had since I was 15 (I need this as backup) , Dr. Pawpaw Overnight Lip Mask, cuticle oil, DIZZIAK Body Conditioner, Aromatherapy Associates Deep Relax rollerball, a lamp on each side and Clarins Eau Dynamisante fragrance. 

Do you sleep with your phone next to you? 

Yes, ‘Golden Brown’ by The Stranglers is my current 1st alarm clock. It’s always on silent though. 

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

If I’ve gone out, it’s the same but quicker and I’ll probably leave things lying around. 

What’s the weirdest thing next to your bed? 

A whiskey decanter that I’ve put dried flowers in. It’s actually a bit chintzy for me, but it’s still there. 

Can you walk me through your nighttime skincare routine? 

I remove my makeup with Bioderma Micellar water, then I cleanse with CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser and pat dry. I apply Retinol to the face only, I’m currently using the La Roche-Posay one. Then I apply DIZZIAK Body Conditioner to my hands, neck, legs, and feet.

Favourite products to use before bed? 

The Body Conditioner because it smells incredible and sinks in fast. Also, Vaseline or whatever other lip balms I have near – I would not be able to sleep without applying it. 

What do you do if you can’t sleep? 

Firstly, I don’t panic – I know that I can deal with being tired. I always know when I’m not going to be able to sleep so I’ll avoid getting into bed until it’s really late and then have background noise on low as I find that silence makes insomnia worse. I’ll then make sure I get up early the next morning so that it’s less likely to happen the following night.