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Do you know that your body accelerates the skin's healing process when you are sleeping? Adding a night cream to your daily routine will support your body in that healing process, giving you quicker results. If you don't wear cosmetics to work but need a product to reverse your skin's issues, a night cream is your best bet.
Find out how to choose a night cream based on your skin type and condition from our buying guide below. We have recommendations for the best night creams available in the market from top brands like L'Oreal Paris, Garnier, CeraVe, and more. This article is medically reviewed by dermatologist Hitaishi Kaushik, so keep reading as she explains different skin conditions, suitable cream types for them, and more.
Dr. Hitaishi Kaushik pursued her Ph.D. in the field of dermatology and is currently working as a research associate in the dermatology lab at PGIMER.
mybest editing team consists of experienced members who have backgrounds in writing, editing, translation, and more. We are dedicated to researching what makes a product or service the best to users in India in order to create top-quality articles. From skincare, to kitchen appliances, and to DIY supplies, our mission is to find the best ones for you.
The expert oversees the Buying Guide only, and does not determine the products and services featured.
Dr Hitaishi Kaushik is working as a research associate in the dermatology lab at PGIMER, and she pursued her PhD in dermatology. She's done M.Sc. in medical biotechnology from PGI, Chandigarh. Also, she has won many awards at international conferences for her work on the effect of drugs on melanocytes in vitiligo.
Read our buying guide to learn how to choose a night cream based on your skin type, condition, and the ingredients you should look for.
Consider your skin type above all while you are shopping for night creams. They are available for dry, oily, combination, and sensitive skin. Read through to learn how to choose the right ingredients.
People with oily skin tend to stay away from all types of creams, even moisturizers. But you can buy night creams that don't add to your struggles. Some products only mention the skin concern they address and not the skin type, so read the package thoroughly before you buy.
You can also look for ingredients normally seen in cosmetics for oily skin like retinol, salicylic acid, and tea tree oil. Don't worry if you find oils in night creams intended for oily skin. The amount of it will be enough to bring about positive changes to your skin, but not high enough to make it oily, for example, jojoba oil.
If you are still not comfortable applying heavy night creams on your skin, go for gel or fluid-based ones. These types will always be light and gentle on your skin.
Frequent use of products that strip off excessive oil can lead to further sebum production to compensate for the loss of oil. Hence, light gel-based creams are quite essential to maintain adequate moisture levels in oily skin. Check for lactic acid or glycolic acid; these will not clog the pores and act as gentle exfoliators.
A moisturizing night cream will not be heavy but will still have the ingredients to soothe your skin. The most common and popular ingredients are hyaluronic acid, glycerin, aloe vera, shea butter, jojoba oil, and ceramides. Hyaluronic acid is a humectant that draws water from the surroundings and locks it in the cells.
Vitamin E is an antioxidant that fights the drying effects of free radicals, and ceramides prevent transepidermal water loss by forming a barrier. Both ingredients are anti-inflammatory and reduce irritation due to skin conditions like eczema, which causes inflamed, itchy, and cracked skin.
People with dry skin must look for a night cream that could gently exfoliate their skin (removes outer dead layer), including humectants and emollients. Humectants such as hyaluronic acid, glycerine help hydrate the skin, and emollients (or oils) like squalene smoothen the skin. So go for night creams with gentle exfoliators (like AHA, BHA, or PHA), humectants, and emollients for healthy skin.
The definition of combination skin is different for different people. Some say combination skin means it is dry during cold weather and oily during hot. Some argue that combination skin has dry and oily areas on the face. If you are with the second group, you will have to buy two types or just one intended for combination skin.
Look for green tea extract, grapeseed extract, jojoba oil, retinol, vitamin C, and hyaluronic acid. Combination skin night creams can hydrate your skin enough to promote the healing process and prevent excess oil production.
Our outer layer of the skin usually dies within few days, which is normally shed and replaced by new skin cells. However, if this outer dead layer is not removed, it could lead to clogged pores, leading to various skin issues such as acne. Hence, it becomes important to use exfoliators to remove this dead skin.
Mild exfoliators with alpha hydroxyl acids (AHA’s) like glycolic acid for sensitive skin and beta hydroxyl acids or BHAs such as salicylic acid for oily skin can gently remove the dead skin. Following exfoliation, don’t forget to moisturize your skin with light hydrating creams such as hyaluronic acid-based.
People with sensitive skin usually stay away from cosmetics. It could be as simple as the colors and fragrances added to it. Or it could be preservatives, thickeners, or emulsifiers. Don't worry if the fragrance is an essential oil or the thickener is plant-based, like xanthan gum. Take a look at some ingredients that can cause an allergic reaction.
A thickener and humectant called sorbitol and a silicone emollient called dimethicone can cause rashes and contact dermatitis on your skin. Another chemical called Triethanolamine works as a pH balancer but can cause eye problems and dry skin. Many products use safer alternatives to these harmful ingredients.
Parabens are used as preservatives. Their safer alternatives are sorbic acid, potassium sorbate, glycerin, benzoic acid, sodium benzoate, etc. Silicones like dimethicone can give the product a smooth appearance. Safe alternatives include coco-caprylate or caprate and butylene glycol dicaprylate or dicaprate.
Sensitive skin is more susceptible to skin issues like irritation, inflammation, redness, etc. People with such skin should avoid creams with heavy fragrances, essential oils, harsh exfoliants, artificial chemicals like avobenzone, oxybenzone, and alcohol.
Choose light-based hydrating night creams containing shea butter, beeswax, squalane, marshmallow extract, etc. Natural home remedies like cucumber, aloe vera, neem, or tea tree could be a better option too.
If you have normal skin, you can focus on correcting your other beauty concerns like wrinkles, acne, and dullness. Find out which ingredients work best for your beauty concerns from the sections below.
Acne flareups occur when the hair follicles on your skin get clogged with oil and dirt and get infected with bacteria. Applying a night cream for acne will help your skin heal while you are asleep. The ingredients should be anti-inflammatory, exfoliating, and antibacterial.
Some of them are alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs), beta-hydroxy acids (BHAs, tea tree oil, green tea extract, retinol, aloe vera, and vitamin E. You can even try gels and lightweight creams that don't clog pores or build-up sebum.
Since oily skin is more prone to open pores, the use of non-comedogenic night creams becomes imperative. Hyaluronic acid is one of the best-known non-comedogenic components most suitable for acne-prone skin. It is a light, non-greasy compound that easily gets absorbed by the skin, making it feel soft and hydrated. People with oily skin should avoid formulations containing petroleum, parabens, phthalates.
Night creams for wrinkles and fine lines are often marketed as anti-aging. The ingredients in those night creams boost collagen production (collagen is a protein that maintains the skin elasticity), hydrate, and exfoliate the skin to improve its elasticity and appearance. Retinol is the most popular choice for companies in anti-aging night creams.
Vitamins C and E improve collagen production and regulate oil production, while humectants like hyaluronic acid hydrate the skin and make it supple. Peptides can make your skin look firmer, and niacinamide, with its potent anti-oxidant properties, build new cells, lighten dark spots, and decrease wrinkles. Niacinamide can also calm inflammation on your skin.
Compounds such as peptides or vitamin A, vitamin C, beta carotene, vitamin E, retinol, niacinamide which boost collagen synthesis, can help relieve these signs of aging. Besides, they are also potent antioxidants that protect your skin from free radicle damage making your skin firm, soft and healthy.
Your skin may darken because of sun exposure and dirt buildup. Night creams have the capability to improve your skin complexion right from the first night of usage. Apply an hour before bed, so the product absorbs well into your skin.
You can find visible changes the next morning. But a dull complexion due to dead skin and dirt build-up can only go away if the night cream has exfoliants in it.
You can find skin brightening night creams with yogurt, vitamin C, glutathione, salicylic acid, etc., that bleaches and exfoliates your skin. Some natural skin brightening ingredients are saffron, turmeric, sandalwood, and lemon. Look for the natural ingredients mentioned in this article for a healthy and glowing skin.
Healthy skin tends to glow naturally. Judiciously using night creams and, in fact, a proper skincare regime according to your skin type could help increase collagen production, exfoliate dead skin, hydrate, and moisturise the skin, which could ultimately lead to healthy, rejuvenated skin.
A well-nourished skin looks bright and radiant. If required, compounds that reduce pigmentation include vitamin c, glycolic acid, retinol, lactic acid, azeliac acid, tetrahydro curcumin, tetrahydro piperin, niacinamide, and vitamin E that reduces pigmentation can also be used for brighter skin.
CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream is rich in ingredients that hydrate and rejuvenates your skin overnight. It uses the patented MVE technology that keeps your skin hydrated all night long by continuously releasing moisturizing ingredients. The niacinamide calms your skin while the peptides improve fatigues skin.
It has three essential ceramides that work with hyaluronic acid to restore the skin's natural barrier overnight. It is non-comedogenic, meaning it doesn't clog pores leading to acne. The product is suitable for all skin types and doesn't irritate your nose since it is fragrance-free.
L'Oreal Paris Revitalift has two active ingredients: retinol and tiger grass. The appearance of wrinkles and fine lines are the two signs of aging. Retinol is a popular ingredient in all anti-wrinkle and fine line products. It has tiger grass, which is a herb used in Chinese medicine to reduce signs of aging on the skin.
Revitalift is dermatologist tested for sensitive skin and is free from colors and parabens. The non-greasy, lightweight formula doesn't clog your hair follicles, so you don't have to worry about acne. Customer reviews show that the cream works well for all genders, and people noticed a visible improvement in their skin health overnight.
Plum renewed clarity night gel suits combination skin type. It has green tea extract, which is a natural antioxidant that eliminates dryness causing free radicals. The glycolic acid present in it removes dead skin cells bringing a visible glow to your skin. It has argan oil that regulates sebum production.
This is beneficial for people who have oily areas on their skin, like the nose and forehead. The green tea extract also clears acne and acne marks. Plum renewed clarity gel is free from parabens and SLS, and is suitable for all seasons.
If you are looking for a night cream that gives you results from day 1, this product is for you. Garnier Skin Naturals Light Complete has Vitamin C, lemon essence, and yoghurt bifidus as key ingredients. Vitamin C and lemon essence, along with WhiteSpeed serum, works together to whiten your skin, showing you visible results after the first night itself.
Yoghurt bifidus is a probiotic that protects the moisture barrier of your skin. It also repairs damages and reduces redness, irritation, and skin breakouts. It exfoliates dead skin cells, lightens dark spots too. The product is suitable for all skin types, especially combination skin.
ALPHA CHOICE Night Cream addresses almost all problems of your skin. It is suitable for all skin types and is a solution for problems like wrinkles, fine lines, suntan, dullness, and acne. Go for this product if you are noticing signs of premature aging.
It has retinol popular for its skin firming and anti-wrinkle properties, gotu kala, and jojoba oil, known for its soothing and calming effects, vitamin E that produces new skin cells and improves collagen production, and orange peel extract that keeps the skin from getting too dry or oily.
If you are not able to reap the anti-aging properties of retinol because you are sensitive to it, try Night Glow Night Repair Creme from Bella Vita Organic. Babchi oil present in this product works to reduce wrinkles and fine lines, while saffron and sandalwood brightens your skin and reduces blemishes and dark spots.
It has shea butter that soothes your dry skin and keeps it hydrated. It is an organic product with no parabens or sulfates. Customer reviews show that the product is non-sticky and doesn't leave any oily residue after applying. Some of them saw a visible reduction in tan and improved skin radiance after using it for a few days.
If you need a moisturizing night gel for your oily, acne-prone skin, this product will give you results. AcMist Moisturizing Cream Gel by Brinton is a cream gel with no oils in its ingredient list. The key ingredients are squalene, vitamin E, and aloe vera. Squalene is popular for its highly effective emollient and antioxidant properties.
Continuous usage of this product will remove skin pigmentation, lighten freckles, and reverses UV damage. This product is specially formulated to work on sensitive skin too. Customers who bought this product are vouching for its amazing effectiveness on their acne-prone and sensitive skin.
IZZORI Anti-Aging Night Cream has five bioactive ingredients: retinol, hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, green tea, jojoba oil. The retinol in it promotes collagen and elastin production, thus reducing wrinkles, fines lines, and evens out skin tone. Argan and almond oil, along with vitamins E, B, and C slows down skin aging and improves your complexion.
Apply all over your face and neck at least 30 minutes before going to bed and wash it off in the morning. It has shea butter known for its moisturizing properties and hyaluronic acid, which is a humectant that locks water in your skin, keeping your skin supple.
Another gel-based, lightweight cream for normal and oily skin. Oriental Botanics night gel has aloe vera, green tea, and cucumber as the key ingredients. It doesn't leave your skin sticky and greasy after applying. The product doesn't have harmful ingredients like parabens, phthalates, silicones, and SLS.
It has neem that treats acne with its antimicrobial properties, and olive oil and green tea reduce signs of premature aging with its antioxidant properties. Licorice helps in skin lightening, and papaya exfoliates and softens your skin.
WOW Skin Science's Pure Vitamin C night gel works to renew dry, dull, patchy, and aging skin. The active ingredients present in this product are vitamin C, aloe vera, green tea extract, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, and kakadu plum extract. All these work together to diminish blemishes, boost collagen production, and reduces signs of aging.
This gel-based product doesn't clog pores but refine and tones them. You can use this as a primer under your makeup too. Customer reviews show that it has a mild fragrance and is safe for all skin types. This night gel from WOW Skin Science is free from silicones, parabens, and colors.
Night creams can take care of your skin at night. What about the daytime? You need cleansers and face washes to remove dirt or makeup from your skin. Maybe frequent exposure to the sun has dulled your complexion.
Follow the links below to read out articles about the best face washes and cleansers for dry skin and whitening creams for your face. We also have recommendations for the best products in the market in our Top 10 section in every article.
There are expensive products that give you overnight results and affordable ones that can take up to four weeks to show your visible results. You can use ones that give overnight results if you have a wedding or a conference the next day where you need to present your radiant self. The affordable ones can stay in your cupboard for your daily beauty routine.
Always do a patch test of the products before applying them to your face, neck, or other visible areas. If you have oily skin, don't stay away from night creams; buy one that doesn't make your skin greasy.
Author - Arun F Xaviour
When you purchase products mentioned in the article, part of the sales may be returned to mybest.
The descriptions of each product is referenced from the content available from the manufacturer, e-commerce sites etc.
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