Whether you have an extensive bedtime skin care routine or prefer to stick to the basics, night creams are essential products that should be in everyone's medicine cabinet.
When it comes to night creams, no two products are created equally, so we consulted a range of skin care pros to figure out what makes a great nighttime choice.
We also got their recommendations for night creams that deserve some space on your beauty shelf.
What to consider while shopping for night creams
While shopping for a night cream, it’s helpful to have a checklist of the following qualities to consider:
- Hydration benefits: “These creams are intended to hydrate and contain ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, ceramides or squalene to lock moisture into your skin,” Dr. Jennifer Sawaya, a board-certified dermatologist at U.S. Dermatology Partners Scottsdale, says.
- Anti-aging benefits: “A common ingredient is retinol, a form of vitamin A that is especially effective for anti-aging. Retinol can make the skin more sensitive to the sun, so only apply it at night,” Sawaya says. “Other anti-aging ingredients to look for include antioxidants, peptides and niacinamide, although these may also be used during the day.”
- You skin type: “It’s important to understand your skin type (i.e. sensitive, oily, dry, etc.) before choosing a night cream,” Dr. Noah Gratch, a board certified dermatologist of MDCS Dermatology, says.
Best night creams, according to experts
Finding a nighttime moisturizer that hydrates your acne-prone skin without clogging pores can be tricky, but Differin has always been known as a brand that’s up for the challenge. This particular moisturizer works overtime to soothe and hydrate dry skin while refining texture.
“It includes ceramides for skin barrier health, allantoin (which has anti-irritant properties), and niacinamide to reduce redness and inflammation. Irritation can be common when using certain acne treating agents and skin may become red/irritated simply from the acne, so the allantoin is a good fit,” Dr. Robert Anolik, a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology, says.
Boston-based dermatologist Ranella Hirsch is a fan of this budget-friendly night cream. “It’s hard to beat the price of this solid contender,” she says.
Anolik agrees and notes that the ingredients set this product apart from the competition.
“In addition to having ceramides for improving the natural skin barrier, it also contains peptides that may help stimulate collagen production. It’s also rich with hyaluronic acid that may attract and retain moisture in the skin,” he says.
Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Joshua Zeichner describes this night cream as “the foundation” of a good skin care routine since it provides “both moisturizing and anti-wrinkle benefits.”
“It contains a dual molecular weight hyaluronic acid complex. The macro-molecular weight hyaluronic acid sits on the surface of the skin for superficial plumping, while the micro-molecular weight hyaluronic acid penetrates into the skin for deep hydration,” he says.
The non-comedogenic formula features a lightweight texture and provides enduring hydration.
This brightening face cream is a true multitasker that works to even skin tone, tackle discoloration and hydrate skin. It’s formulated with Roc’s Hexyl-R Complex technology and is hypoallergenic and paraben-free.
“I love that this one has active ingredients to help with anti-aging and has deep moisturizing abilities,” board-certified dermatologist Dr. Angela Lamb says.
This is particularly important because skin's natural repair processes are more active overnight.
"Night creams help provide nutrients and active ingredients that promote cell regeneration and repair damage caused by environmental stressors," Lamb says.
Hirsch is a fan of this moisturizer that's chock-full of nourishing ingredients.
"It's made with ceramides, niacinamide and glycerin, which are all really good for gentle soothing and good hydration," she says.
The moisturizer is also desirable for the ingredients it doesn't feature — oil, parabens, fragrance and alcohol — and for the fact that it restores skin's barrier after just one hour. Plus, it offers up to 48 hours of hydration.
Ideal for tackling fine lines and wrinkles, this night cream helps firm skin while addressing dryness and skin tone. One key ingredient, colloidal oatmeal, also helps calm complexions.
“This product is particularly good for dry skin," Lamb says.
Whether you're dealing with fine lines, wrinkles or dryness, you can repair your complexion with this multitasking formula.
"This moisturizer contains niacinamide (a form of vitamin B3) that helps to reduce inflammation and improve the skin barrier. It also includes ceramides, which are lipids that help to restore the skin’s natural barrier and retain moisture. Additionally, the inclusion of antioxidants helps to protect the skin from free radical damage," Anolik says.
This night cream is free of harmful ingredients such as parabens and phthalates and is also gluten-free and cruelty-free.
"It does double duty to hydrate while offering skin-firming benefits. It contains a specialized peptide that plumps the skin with brightening antioxidants and soothing linoleic acid to protect the skin barrier," Zeichner says.
When it comes to anti-aging night creams, this one is the crème de la crème.
“This product contains resveratrol, a wonderful antioxidant for wrinkles, and hyaluronic acid for moisture,” Lamb says.
The cream effortlessly addresses loss of firmness/elasticity, fine lines, wrinkles and dryness to pamper complexions.
Best night creams, according to editors
Shop TODAY’s senior editor Jess Bender relies on this cream when her skin needs an extra dose of hydration.
"On days where I don’t drink enough water (which is pretty often), you really can’t tell since this cream does such a good job rehydrating and brightening my skin," she says. "While the brand notes that you can slab it on in the morning and evening, it’s thick enough where it works better for me as a night cream. I also appreciate the brand’s commitment to bettering the environment and forming thoughtful partnerships with organizations that build ethical ecosystems and recycling initiatives."
Shop TODAY associate editor Kamari Stewart has been digging this customizable skin care brand for the past few months.
“The quiz to customize your formula asks detailed questions so they can really target everything you need. I opted for a lighter weight moisturizer because I have more oily/combo skin and it’s great for both morning and night!” she says.
The cream addresses your complexion’s unique needs and offers up to eight hours of hydration while firming skin.
Shop TODAY commerce writer Emma Stessman has been hooked on this night cream from Scarlett Johansson's skin care line, The Outset, ever since the brand sent her a handful of products to try.
"I have been truly impressed by them all. You really never know what you're going to get with celebrity skin care brands, but this night cream was a standout," she says. "I have very dry skin and I always notice an increase in flakiness when the weather gets colder, but I don't have as many issues when I'm using this cream at night. It's ultra-rich and moisturizing and you really only need a little to feel the effects. I also have sensitive skin, so I love how gentle the formula is."
If you're looking to really treat your skin, this high-end option has impressed Shop TODAY commerce writer Danielle Murphy.
"It feels so, so good on my skin. I like to use it at night because it’s pretty thick and feels like it’s trapping all of my prior skin care so that it absorbs better. My skin feels so soft, even by morning," she says.
The anti-wrinkle cream is formulated to target fine lines and wrinkles along with other visible signs of aging while providing 24 hours of hydration.
Why are night creams important?
Have you ever stopped to wonder why we apply night cream? For most of us, it’s an automatic part of our bedtime routine, similar to brushing our teeth. But Zeichner says there’s a scientific explanation behind the practice.
“The skin undergoes circadian rhythms, where specific activities occur preferentially in the morning, while others occur in the evening. We know that skin hydration starts to decline in the afternoon and continues into the evening, so there’s actually a biologic reason to apply a moisturizer before bed,” he says.
Hirsch says the term “night cream” can apply to a number of products, ranging from those with “thicker bases” to those “with many active ingredients.”
“The overall idea of using something rich at night, whether it is marketed as such or not, is a good one. At night, the skin does some reparative work. Allowing gentle ingredients that keep skin well moisturized is wise,” she says.
Your skin goes through a lot during the day, so night creams have to work hard to help it repair while you catch some zzz’s.
“Night creams help skin recover from the stressors of the prior day, calm irritation, and maximize overnight hydration,” Dr. Brendan Camp, board certified dermatologist at MDCS Dermatology, says.
How we chose
Your skin deserves the best, so we consulted a range of skin care professionals to curate this list of night creams for a variety of skin types and budgets. The Shop TODAY team also tests products on a regular basis, so we shared a few of our own recommendations to round out the list.
Meet the experts
- Dr. Robert Anolik, MD is a board-certified dermatologist and a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology.
- Dr. Brendan Camp, MD is a double board-certified dermatologist at MDCS Dermatology.
- Dr. Noah Gratch is a board certified dermatologist of MDCS Dermatology.
- Dr. Ranella Hirsch, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist in Boston.
- Dr. Angela Lamb, MD is a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City.
- Dr. Jennifer Sawaya is a board-certified dermatologist at U.S. Dermatology Partners Scottsdale.
- Dr. Joshua Zeichner, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City and Associate Professor of Dermatology and the Director of Cosmetic & Clinical Research in Dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital.
