Best Night Cream for Dry Skin: By the end of a long day, completing a multistep skin-care routine might be the last thing you want to do but after washing your face, there are some compelling reasons to go for a night cream. Likewise to dermatologist Dr. Michele Green, “Nighttime is the restorative time for your skin, so you should give your skin the extra TLC by using a night cream.” In addition, she says night creams “different address worries than daytime moisturizers.
They offer intense hydration and concentrated ingredients to match signs of aging and other issues.” We heard alike things from Dr. Noelani González, the director of cosmetic dermatology at Mount Sinai West, who points out that night creams tend to remain thicker than daytime moisturizers, use exfoliators to improve skin texture, and contain more hydration to replenish moisture lost during the day. They also contain retinol, which shouldn’t be used during the day.
We asked 11 dermatologists and facialists for their recommendations: the night creams that are worth the money, the ones that fight acne, and the ones that might help slow down early signs of aging. Here are the best pick
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Dry Skin Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel Moisturizer
Gel cream | Hyaluronic acid
“This is one of my all-time favourites and can be tolerated by those with very sensitive skin,” says dermatologist Dr. Anna Karp of the Skin Institute New York. “It textures cool on contact and contains hyaluronic acid, which provides additional moisturization. Similarly mentions how the gel formula helps the cream absorb quickly into the skin.
This cream is a cult favourite among dermatologists, appearing on our lists of the best moisturisers for dry skin, best moisturisers for mature skin, and best moisturisers for oily skin. Craiglow describes it as a “truly versatile” (and reasonably priced) night cream that would suit a wide range of skin types, including sensitive skin, due to its fragrance-free and gentle formulation.
Best overall Night Cream
Ceramides, peptides, and hyaluronic acid
González and Dr. Debra Jaliman, associate professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai’s Icahn School of Medicine, recommend this drugstore CeraVe night cream, which Jaliman claims performs as well as much more expensive options.
Dr. Britt Craiglow praises the ceramides and hyaluronic acid in it for their excellent hydration properties and says the niacinamide is a trusted redness reducer that also helps “replenish the skin’s barrier.” Facialist Jordana Mattioli names the cream a favorite, too. “For ordinary to combination skin, this cream has a nongreasy texture with brightening niacinamide and skin restoring ceramides,”
Best night Cream for Sensitive skin
Rice protein peptides, vitamin E, niacinamide
Despite having a much thinner texture than many other heavy-duty creams, Dr. Georgina Ferzli of Sadick Dermatology in New York City praises this EltaMD moisturiser for being “hydrating and soothing.” She notes that it contains “antioxidant and rice protein peptides to promote collagen renewal,” but warns that while it is “noncomedogenic,” the inclusion of the antioxidant vitamin E can easily cause acne if you are prone to breakouts. “I lean towards to recommend this product for patients with sensitive, non-acne-prone skin who are looking for a rejuvenating moisturiser,” says the dermatologist.
Best night cream for acne-prone skin
Colloidal oatmeal, niacinamide, sodium hyaluronate | Cream
Finding a moisturizer that resolve heal it instead of contributing to the problem can be challenging, thanks to how finicky acne-prone skin can be. And if you’re using acne-preventing solid topicals, you’ll need an intense moisturizer to match.
According to Ferzli, this night cream is paraben-free and noncomedogenic, which means it’s “safe for sensitive skin and acne-prone skin.” And, as previously stated, it is water-based, which is the best option for those suffering from acne. “It’s thick without being obstructive, hydrating, and applies almost whipped and fluffy.”
Best night cream for dehydrated skin
TFC8, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B5, rice protein hydrolyzed | Lightweight cream
Augustinus Bader’s The Cream, which arises in two formulas, one for normal to oily skin and one for dry skin remains recommended by Zimmerman for “the laziest nights when you don’t have time to slather on a million serums, but you still want all the anti-aging benefits.” It’s a high-tech product with high-tech claims: “It taps into epigenetics, which activates the body’s stem cells to regenerate and repair the skin while you sleep,” Zimmerman says.
Conclusion
Joanna Czech, an esthetician, is also a fan, calling it “super-repairing” and noting that it “stimulates skin’s natural rejuvenation.” The price tag is great, but as Rio previously stated, it’s a highly sought-after cream. The Cut’s previous beauty director, Kathleen Hou, wrote that when she try the cream, it made her skin look “healthier, sort of like there was a good bra holding things up beneath it.”