Because my main skincare goal is to look like a glazed donut, I’m a big believer in night creams. My daytime moisturizers are fantastic, I’ll slather on hydrating serums from dusk till dawn, but there’s nothing quite like going to bed with the thickest creams possible working their magic. If you don’t have dry skin, though, nighttime moisturizers can still be for you. Some night creams contain ingredients that are best used when you’re not in the sunlight, like retinol. While we may have been seduced by the delicate art of slugging, using a night cream can produce similar effects, with more nuanced ingredients. To break down everything you need to know about night creams, we spoke with dermatologists Dr. Karan Lal and Dr. Omar Ibrahimi.
Think of it as sending your skin on a spa weekend. “Night creams are all about repair and restoration,” says Dr. Ibrahimi. During the day, we put our skin through a lot, either by exposing ourselves to the sun or by being in a city whose pollution can wreak havoc. “We all need to let our skin heal and hydrate overnight,” says Dr. Lal. A night cream gives our skin the necessary nourishment to soothe itself from the day’s activities.
What ingredients are good to use in a night cream?
While you might want to opt for a night cream that uses anti-aging ingredients like retinol, sometimes hydration is just as important. “Good moisturizers are key, like hyaluronic acid and ceramides. Exfoliants like AHA/BHA are great to take off dead skin. Retinol, vitamin C, and peptide growth factors are some other key ingredients that should be considered in a good night cream.”
How do you apply a night cream?
Just like a regular moisturizer! After you cleanse your face and treat it with serums, top everything off with your favorite night cream. In the morning, you’ll feel and look nourished and refreshed.
Here, find our 17 favorite night creams that will trick everyone into thinking you had a good night’s sleep.
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1
Best For All Skin Types
Toleriane Ultra Night Cream
Not ideal for very dry skin
If you’re dipping a toe into the night cream world, this product is a great start. It is gentle enough for sensitive skin since it’s fragrance-free and won’t clog your pores. The gel texture is lightweight, but the hydration is unbeatable.
2
Best For Tired Skin
Skin Renewing Night Cream
Not ideal for very dry skin
Give your skin a refresh while you sleep by opting for this nourishing night cream. It contains ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide to treat dryness, without clogging your pores.
3
Best For Oily Skin
Hydro Boost Water Gel
Hydration is vital for all skin types, even if you struggle with oiliness. This moisturizer is incredibly lightweight, thanks to its gel texture. If you’re worried about too much dewiness, this cream might work best for you.
4
Best For Nourished Skin
Revitalizing Supreme+ Night Intensive Restorative Creme
For intensive recovery, this investment cream might do the trick. It contains hyaluronic acid and hydrating oils to revitalize struggling skin. While it moisturizes, this cream also plumps, reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
5
Best For Dry Skin
Indigo Overnight Repair
For severely dry skin, this cream is heaven in a bottle. It uses hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and natural extracts to give the skin a deeply hydrating facial while you sleep. Your skin will feel nourished, soothed, and beautifully radiant when you wake up.
6
Best For Smooth Skin
Nourishing Night Cream
If you want skin that feels supple and smooth, this cream can help you achieve that. It contains natural extracts like cucumber and aloe, paired with hydrating shea butter and jojoba oil.
7
Best For Slugging
After Baume
With the stamp of approval from the National Eczema Association, this super thick cream is full of hydrating ingredients, without any irritants. It’s a great cream to wear as a top coat to your regular routine if you have any kind of damaged skin, like post-sunburn or if you live in very cold climates.
8
Best For An Investment
Triple Lipid Restore
For plumped, smooth texture, this cream uses incredible ingredients to add fullness and elasticity back to your skin. With lipids and vitamin E, this cream produces some of the most incredible bef0re-and-after photos you’ve ever seen.
9
Best For Fine Lines
Resist Barrier Repair Moisturizer
Not ideal for very dry skin
This lightweight cream uses retinol to dramatically reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles while you sleep. With ceramides, shea butter, and natural extracts, your skin will be doused in hydration and antioxidants that produce a lovely glow.
10
Best For A Budget
Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Anti-Aging Night Cream
May not be suited for very sensitive skin
Amazing ingredients in a product under $20? Say no more. This night cream contains wrinkle-battling retinol, squalane, glycolic acid, and shea butter. Just apply before bed and wake up to more refreshed, younger-looking skin.
For skin so dewy you can see it from space, this intensely hydrating cream is for you. It uses aloe vera, cica, and hyaluronic acid to deeply moisturize the skin. It also has a gel formula, so while it looks and feels deeply hydrating, it won’t clog your pores or take forever to sink in.
12
Best For Dull Skin
Confidence in Your Beauty Sleep Night Cream
This night cream targets the most common signs of aging while giving hydration and nourishment. Using hydrating oils, salicylic acid, and lactic acid, this cream reduces fine lines, lack of volume, and dehydration all in one.
13
Best For Wrinkles
Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer
May not be suited for sensitive skin
If you want to dramatically reduce wrinkles without the help of injectables, this retinol-infused night cream will get the job done. This cream also contains B3, which helps reduce the appearance of dark spots and hyperpigmentation.
14
Best For Stressed Skin
Lotus Anti-Aging Night Moisturizer
Using natural extracts like lotus and peach leaf extract, this night cream is basically a weekend spa retreat in a jar. It hydrates dull, exhausted skin without causing any breakouts or clogging pores.
15
Best For Sagging Skin
Ultra Repair Firming Collagen Cream
This cream uses collagen to plump sagging, tired skin. It also helps reduce the look of fine lines and wrinkles while imparting huge amounts of nourishing hydration. It’s an excellent product for anyone with a damaged skin barrier due to excessive exfoliation.
16
Best Retinol Night Cream
Resurgence Retinol Youth Renewal Night Cream
For fans of retinol, this night cream combines the best of this anti-aging ingredient with plenty of moisture to combat side-effects. This night cream also contains niacinamide, which helps hydrate, reduce hyperpigmentation, and repair the skin barrier.
17
Best For Plumped Skin
Plum Plump Hyaluronic Cream
Not ideal for very dry skin
For a plump, dewy look, this gel-formula moisturizer is practically a time machine. It contains hyaluronic and polyglutamic acids, which help lock in the skin’s moisture, leading to less water loss and more hydration.
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