Best Night Creams for Glowing Skin In The Morning

Most dermatologists will agree that your bedtime skincare routine plays a key role in helping your skin repair and restore while you get your beauty sleep. And that is why a night cream made with gentle and effective ingredients is a cornerstone for a good regimen.

But before you run to your local drugstore to pick up a night cream, you must understand that when it comes to skincare, no one size fits all. That’s why we’ve put together this buying guide to help you find the best night cream for your specific needs and skin type.

What is a Night Cream and Why Do You Need It?

A night cream is unlike any other facial moisturizer. It has a thicker, more luxurious consistency than its day cream counterpart, which penetrates deep into the skin overnight, allowing it to recover from all the dirt, makeup, and free radicals that can lead to signs of premature aging.

Whether you have dry, oily, or combination skin, you should always read the label before buying a night cream to avoid any ingredients that could irritate your skin or cause breakouts. We know that retinol is great for anti-aging, vitamin C fights off free radicals and boosts collagen production, hyaluronic acid and ceramides protect your skin’s moisture barrier, whereas glycolic acids help with exfoliation. But not all of these potent ingredients will suit every skin type, so it’s important to consult a dermatologist to understand your skin needs.

How to Pick the Best Night Cream for Your Skin Type

With so many different formulations on the market, it can be hard to know which skincare products are worth buying. But the best night cream for you will depend on your skin type. If you have dry, textured skin, you need to invest in a night cream rich in hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and other moisturizing agents such as shea butter and glycerin.

People with oily, acne-prone skin will benefit from a lightweight night cream with non-comedogenic ingredients like salicylic acid that unclogs the pores, and retinol, a potent vitamin A derivative that exfoliates the skin and reduces acne.

If your skin is prone to redness or hyperpigmentation, look for a night cream that has a form of vitamin B3 called niacinamide in it. Dermatologists have used niacinamide to treat conditions like rosacea, acne scars, and pigment issues. This ingredient improves the skin barrier over time which is why a night cream with niacinamide should become a permanent fixture in your bedtime skincare routine.

If aging is your primary concern, your skincare routine should contain at least one product with retinol in it. This vitamin A derivative can be very irritating, which is why it is recommended to start with lower-strength retinol---ideally between 0.01% and 0.03%---and slowly build your way up as your skin adapts. Retinol is an excellent ingredient for boosting collagen production and reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It’s important to note that retinol night creams are only effective when used continuously (experts recommend using it only twice a week when starting out and slowly increasing the frequency to every other day). Consult your dermatologist before using a retinol night cream, and make sure to wear sunscreen the morning after.

Fragrance and essential oils are something to look out for in your night cream if you have sensitive skin. While these ingredients give a pleasant and luxurious smell to the product, they may irritate your skin overnight and cause redness or rashes. When experimenting with a night cream, we recommend doing a small patch test on your forearm to see if your skin has an allergic reaction to it.

How Did We Choose the Best Night Creams?

When it comes to skincare, we want nothing but the best for you. In our quest for the formulas, we’ve considered recommendations from board-certified dermatologists to understand how the ingredients in a night cream can affect different skin types.

We’ve curated a list of the best night creams to be more inclusive of different budgets and skin types. We go through hundreds of customer reviews to ensure that each product we recommend meets your expectations and offers the best value for money.

How Much Do Night Creams Cost?

One of the biggest myths about skincare is that products on the higher end of the price spectrum often have better ingredients and are hence more effective. Expensive night creams might have some proprietary ingredients that are rare and more costly, but for the most part, you’re paying for their packaging and marketing. This is why dermatologists don’t recommend splurging on skincare products. Instead, they advise sticking to the night creams that are proven to be effective but don’t necessarily have all the extra bells and whistles.

At the end of the day, what matters the most is consistency. If a $100 night cream is more likely to motivate you to follow your nighttime regimen, it can be worth the price tag. But if you’re looking for something equally effective and won’t break the bank, there are plenty of dermatologist-recommended drugstore options that cost as little as $10!

Night Cream FAQ

Q: What is the best time to apply night cream?
A: You can apply your night cream as soon as you’ve finished removing your makeup and cleansing. Start with a smaller quantity because night creams have a thicker consistency and can feel heavy on your skin, and slowly build up according to your skin needs.

Q: Should you use night cream every night?
A: If your night moisturizer has peptides and active ingredients like retinol, it’s not advisable to use it every night. A higher concentration of retinol in night creams can cause dryness and irritation over time if used too frequently.

Q: Is night cream and moisturizer the same?
A: A night cream has incredible moisturizing properties, but it’s not the same as a moisturizer. Night creams are formulated with special ingredients that slowly absorb into your skin, stimulating its natural cell renewal overnight.