Presenting: THE FILE’s Beauty Sleep Awards. In honour of sleep, we took it upon ourselves to tirelessly vet products that claim to aid sleep in any way, shape or form. So tirelessly, in fact, we stayed up late with pen and notepad swatching lotions and burning candles and spritzing pillows all in the name of Sleep Week  (an irony that is not lost on us for a moment). Here at THE FILE, it was all in a hard day’s work and a good night’s sleep. The verdict? It was totally worth it for we’ve found a round-up of products that not only make our skin beam but that also taught us to incorporate nurturing rituals into our PM routines. Stay tuned over the course of the week for the full reviews. And of course, sweet dreams to you all.

When I received a bottle of UMA Oils Pure Rest Wellness Oil my initial thought was, “Uma Thurman’s an entrepreneur now! Good for her!” I quickly discovered my enthusiasm was entirely misguided, but for a few wonderful minutes I thought fondly about that blonde goddess of a woman and resolved to watch The Truth About Cats and Dogs again soon.

The Uma for which UMA Oils is named sounds like quite the goddess too, however. Founder Shrankhla Holecek’s family have been farming and making oils for five generations and her beloved aunt Uma was a part of that tradition.

 “My aunt taught me that true beauty is found in simplicity, integrity and equilibrium,” says Holecek, who strives to honour her Aunt Uma with a brand that “celebrates her generous spirit” and “celebrates the Uma in each of us – our ability to find peace amidst chaos, to balance our complex ambitions with our most fundamental emotions.”

 UMA Oils seems like an incredible company with a great philosophy on beauty, wellness, female empowerment and the environment. Women make up more than 50% of their workforce, they have achieved gender salary parity, and all products are 100% natural and organic from farm-to-table. The Uma estate is centuries old and has supplied oils to Indian royalty as well as to top beauty brands such as Tom Ford and Estee Lauder.

Pure Rest Wellness Oil is a perfect product for Sleep Week. It’s been created specifically to naturally calm restless bodies and brains before bedtime and I’ve found it a welcome addition to my pre-sleep routine. Rubbing a few drops into my feet, temples and behind my ears after a shower and a cup of Jasmine tea is my new favourite thing, but I’ve also been using it in my diffuser and in baths.

Rich in jojoba and other botanicals whose names mean nothing to me (convolvulus pluricaulis and sida corfifolia to name two), Pure Rest beautifully combines Ayurveda with aromatherapy to aid relaxation and alleviate anxiety. It’s light, non-greasy and it absorbs into my skin better and faster than other oils, which helps because I get into bed almost immediately after applying it. Plus, I think I’m addicted to its smell, its earthy, delicious smell.

Here’s to Aunt Uma, I say. Even if she wasn’t in Pulp Fiction.

Words, Nadine von Cohen. Styling, Alicia Sciberras