Have you been wondering lately if your beauty routine could use an anti-aging upgrade? If those thoughts have been circling around in your head, consider this your sign to take action. Frustratingly, choosing the right products can be so overwhelming that some may give up rather than go through wasteful trial and error. Don’t worry; the boost you’re looking for will be easy when adding a night cream to your evening post-cleansing routine. All it takes is a little research on skincare ingredients, and we have all the helpful details to get you on the right track.

But Why Use a Night Cream Over My Regular Stuff?

A night cream isn’t intended to see daylight, so they tend not to have any SPF. But that’s a good thing because they’ll also contain powerful anti-aging ingredients, like retinol or Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), that can cause sensitivity to sunlight. They’re also a bit richer than your average moisturizer or day cream, which is fabulous because skin-reparative ingredients, like fatty acids and squalane, have time to work while you catch some Zs. And your skin won’t have a chance to become parched throughout the night.

Your regular daytime moisturizer wouldn’t necessarily have the right anti-aging ingredients that you need to see results. Therefore, if you’re serious about targeting signs of aging, it’s better to keep your photosensitive, heavier creams for the evening, and your lighter, SPF-loaded moisturizers for the morning.

How does one choose the best night cream to suit one’s needs? The differences can be vast, so to make it easy, we’re going over our seven favorites and what makes them so great.

The Best Retinol Night Cream

Let’s talk about retinol and glycolic acid. Retinol is a form of Vitamin A that effectively improves fine lines, wrinkles, and discoloration when used topically. Glycolic acid is a type of AHA, which gently exfoliates, revealing smoother and brighter skin over time. A night cream with both ingredients, like the IMAGE Skincare MD Restoring Retinol Creme with ADT Technology, gives your skin a one-two anti-aging punch.

This is powerful stuff, and you’ll want to use this cream only a few nights per week to not overwhelm the skin, and make sure to use sun protection during the day. The good thing is that this retinol cream is also formulated with highly moisturizing ingredients like shea butter and squalane, so you’ll be pampered while fighting and preventing signs of aging.

A Gentler Retinol Cream

If your skin is so sensitive that just thinking about trying new products causes a reaction, try using a night cream containing plant-derived retinol, like bareMinerals Ageless 10% Phyto-Retinol Night Concentrate. Phyto-retinol provides the fine line-fighting power of the best retinol night cream without the potential irritation to your delicate visage.

Hyaluronic acid, a humectant that helps skin retain moisture, and collagen-supporting peptides round out this fan-favorite formulation. And don’t sleep on (pun intended) bareMinerals’ commitment to making clean beauty products that are free of harmful ingredients. Your sensitive skin deserves high-quality anti-aging care too.

A Holistic-Minded Collagen Booster

Our bodies produce collagen naturally, and as we age, that production slows down, leading to skin that’s less plump than it once was. Fortunately, there are ways to get the collagen factory running again in more ways than one.

For a product that takes a holistic and scientific approach, we’re going across the pond for ELEMIS’ Pro-Collagen Night Cream. This cream uses nutrient-rich red and brown algae to stimulate collagen production throughout the night. And get even more skin-protecting, nourishing action with shea butter, jojoba oil, and other deliciously rich plant oils. This is a great choice if your skin tends to dry out overnight, as it’ll keep you hydrated for up to 12 hours!

The Best Night Cream for Dry Skin

Speaking of dry skin, we’ve got even more excellent picks. Dry skin is the primary culprit of aging skin, whether it’s from genetics or external factors like excessive sun exposure. Dry skin sufferers need a night cream that will help improve their skin’s moisture retention over time, thus turning back the hands of time.

bareMinerals Butter Drench Restorative Rich Cream uses intensely hydrating, clean ingredients to soothe dryness, plus dimethicone to support the skin’s barrier where moisture is usually lost. You get loads of rich moisture, yet it’s non-comedogenic, so it won’t clog your pores, making it also great for sensitive, acne-prone skin.  

If your dry skin is more a result of doing fun things over the weekend, and now it needs some rescuing, try Dr. Brandt’s Hydro Biotic Recovery Sleeping Mask. It works wonders to reduce redness and irritation with natural ingredients like lavender, rose oil, and tea extracts. It also contains prebiotics to protect the skin and help it retain its precious moisture. Use this night cream, drink a few glasses of water, and you’re all set for your next outing!

The Best Night Cream for Skin Repair

When you need intense, reparative anti-aging action, use a powerful cream that’s still mellow enough to be used every night. While you’ll have to work your way up from 1-2 nights per week to seven, IMAGE Skincare Ageless Total Repair Cream is the product of choice. Remember the all-important retinol and glycolic acid combo? You get both ingredients, plus moisture-retaining hyaluronic acid and antioxidants that fight free radical damage.

Or how about taking a more plant-based approach with Clarins Super Restorative Night Cream – All Skin Types? In addition to being richly moisturizing, this night cream contains unique plant ingredients that offer comparable anti-aging results. Extracts from the Madagascan harungana tree fight fine lines and wrinkles like retinol. And a wealth of other plant extracts brightens and evens tone, firms skin, and protects against environmental damage. This is how you go all in.

Final Essential Anti-Aging Tips

When using a night cream, first cleanse your skin and apply any optional serums. Then gently press a small amount of cream into the face, neck, and décolletage. Everyone experiences results differently, so consistency is key. Some people notice improvements in just a week!

So, what to do after you’ve finished your nighttime beauty routine? Make sure you get a good night’s sleep, of course. Or, if you’re a night owl, head to our Beauty Resource Center – Skin Care Advisor to continue learning about the latest in the best skincare products for every skin type. Sweet dreams!