If we believed everything the skincare industry tells us then, well, we’d have quite a few problems to work through, but that’s a subject for another story. Right now, I'm unpacking the idea of products for ‘day’ and ‘night’ – something marketing teams have been pushing for years in a thinly veiled attempt to double the skincare real estate on our dressing tables (and the numbers in their profit margin).
So, is night cream really a thing? Does your skin Jekyll and Hyde itself into a different being, with different needs, as soon as the clock strikes midnight? (Who am I kidding: bedtime is 10pm.)
Well, the answer isn’t quite as clear-cut as you might think. Investing in a dedicated night cream to sit alongside your daytime SPF moisturiser isn’t necessarily the key to clearer, brighter or better hydrated skin, but that doesn’t mean I'm outlawing the category altogether.
Generally speaking, a moisturiser lives to do just that: moisturise. But if you’re hoping to tackle a more involved issue – perhaps fine lines, pigmentation or a bout of the dreaded acne – a targeted nocturnal salve may well be beneficial.
Night Creams: The ELLE Top Five
- Best for acute issues: Klira The Special, was £59 now £44.25
- Best for retinol users: Medik8 Advanced Night Restore, was £59, now £44.25
- Best for brightening: Tula Bedtime Bright, £54
- Best for acne: Effaclar Duo+M Moisturiser, was £20, now £14
- Best for retinol: Beauty Pie Super Retinol+ Vitamin C Night Renewal Moisturiser, £18.50
BAs Daniel Isaacs, Director of Research at Medik8, explains, your skin behaves differently after dark, meaning its requirements are different. 'The skin has its own kind of circadian rhythm – 24-hour cycles, which describe the rhythmic changes in physiology and behaviour,' he explains. 'Regeneration of skin cells happens much more quickly at night than during the day, because in the daytime, fresh skin cells are more susceptible to UV damage, meaning less are produced.'
Transepidermal water loss (that is, the process of water evaporating from the skin) is higher at night too – according to Isaacs, by as much as 30% – so switching out your daytime moisturiser in favour of a richer alternative will ensure you wake up with plump skin, not pillow creases.
As facialist Katharine Mackenzie Paterson explains, today’s best night creams contain specific ingredients that should be used during the twilight hours. 'At night, actives such as retinol are able to work without the exposure to UV light, negating the risk of skin sensitisation.'
She considers a night cream more of an optional ‘support’ product: something to supercharge your routine when skin needs an extra boost. Ingredients to consider are 'retinol, all the exfoliating acids, and benzoyl peroxide,' depending on the concerns you’re hoping to treat.
Antioxidants are another great night-time partner, as they'll work to neutralise any free radicals left lingering on your skin from the day (yep, even after you've double-cleansed). And of course, heavy-hitting hydrators – from glycerin to avocado – are always welcome once evening arrives.
In short, if you’ve found a moisturiser you like, there's little reason not to use it day and night – especially if you're on a budget or sticking to a simple routine. (which in many cases, is the best move). But if you’re after something extra? See my verdict on the best night creams on the shelves now: there’s one for every skin type and concern.
The Best Night Cream For Every Skin Type
If you’re hoping to tackle a specific, tricky-to-treat issue, such as pigmentation or acute acne, I really advise turning away from the glittering shelves of Space NK and placing your trust in a dermatologist.
While in-person appointments are indeed costly, there is now a host of emerging brands that are making a professional prescription more accessible. Founded by Dr. Emma Craythorne, Klira is the latest offering to hit the market: and while it isn’t the lowest priced, it is the most thoroughly tailored, making it perfect for those with more complicated complexions.
Take the in-depth quiz online and send off a few images of your skin, and Dr. Craythorne’s dispensing team will create what she calls “your ultimate night cream”, with prescription-only actives including tretinoin and high-strength azelaic acid on the cards. As a committed user myself (you can read my in-depth review here) I can tell you: she’s nailed it.
Approved of by pretty-much everyone (it's Mackenzie Paterson's own top choice), Medik8's night cream is designed specifically to be used after a retinol serum (ideally, this retinol serum). Trust me: it'll even see you through the dreaded tretinoin purge with little trouble.
Gentle and restorative, it contains everything skin needs to stay hydrated and soothed while it renews itself, from barrier-boosting ceramides to regenerative peptides. An all-round success.
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I came to this brand via its now-viral (and genuinely brilliant) cooling eye balm, which is so good at soothing tired screen eyes I keep one permanently on my desk. Now, I'm adding this equally impressive night treatment to my rotation: with a modest dose of fruit acids (I'm super-sensitive and can use it with no issues) alongside vitamin C to brighten dullness and the brand's signature probiotics, it's an all-in-one power bank for depleted winter complexions.
4
Best night cream for acne
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo+M Moisturiser
Now 25% Off
When you've got easily congested skin, it can be tempting to wash it 37 times, slather on a spot treatment, then skip the moisturiser altogether. But acne-prone skin needs hydration too.
The key is consistency: wash with a gentle cleanser, then apply a simple hydrating lotion every morning and night. Working to specifically cull the acne-causing bacteria in the skin's microbiome, this new addition to La Roche-Posay's Effaclar line (which can be used both day and night) is ideal.
A note on product cocktailing: if you're experiencing a bout of breakouts, give this one a chance to work. Layering it over countless other serums, treatments and mists will not only interfere with the precise formulation, but might just upset your complexion further.
What's more, if your acne is acute and starting to cause upset (either physical or psychological), scroll back up to Dr. Emma Craythorne's Klira and let the derm team there steer you in the right direction.
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5
Best retinol night cream
Beauty Pie Super Retinol + Vitamin C Night Renewal Moisturiser
Now 19% Off
Beauty Pie has been focused on creating science-driven, forensically formulated active treatments for a while now, and they are, frankly, nailing it.
This one is a development of the brand's much-loved Super Retinol cream, building on the original formula with added vitamin C (encapsulated, so it can work alongside the retinol) and ferulic acid, which studies have shown can increase the efficacy of retinoids in the skin. If you're hoping to tackle wrinkles and dark spots more than acne, this is the one to go for.
Lumene is loved for its gentle, effective and generously priced night creams – and this recent addition to the family is one worth trying.
It's a suits-all formula with a focus on hydration, and is boosted with pre and probiotics to help feed your skin's microbiome, keeping things calm, balanced and resilient.
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7
Best night cream for a damaged skin barrier
Sarah Chapman R&R Glow Recovery Cream
A knackered skin barrier is the root of so many surface-level skin issues, from redness and irritation to dry, flaking patches and major dehydration.
The good news is, a good reparative cream can turn things around in a matter of days. From Sarah Chapman's new active-powered line, this ectoin and ceramide complex has seriously impressed me: it doesn't feel overly occlusive (good news for the acne prone) but brings down sensitivity and fixes dehydration with remarkable speed. Whether you've overdone it with the resurfacing acids or are simply struggling with the change in seasons, this one's a worthy investment.
I've been impressed with everything I've tried from Mantle: the buzzy Scandi start-up making products that mollify the most ravaged of skin barriers.
This overnight mask is simply brilliant: the gel-textured formula feels light but packs in serious moisture, with bakuchiol to brighten and niacinamide to strengthen. Use it a few nights a week, and you'll sail through the coldest of forecasts.
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Murad's latest launch really fills a gap in the market. Exasoothe is designed specifically for eczema-prone skin, which of course needs highly specialised treatment. The star of the trio, this ultra-rich cream combines shea butter with barrier-restoring sugars, niacinamide and colloidal oatmeal to soothe any itchy patches. It's not overly greasy, and can be used by the most sensitive of skins.
Dr. Sturm's skincare philosophy revolves around bringing down inflammation in the skin, which makes sense when you consider that inflammation is the precursor to so many skin issues.
As someone that's familiar with both acne and rosacea, I was never not going to love this one: anything that'll keep my complexion calm and contented gets top marks over here. But Sturm's cult cream does more than simply hydrate and soothe: the cocktail of peptides and antioxidants also plumps and firms lacklustre skin as time goes on.
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11
Best night cream for very dry skin
Omorovicza Rejuvenating Night Cream
Now 25% Off
Rich and indulgent, Omorovicza's night cream strikes just the right balance for dry skin. The brand's signature Hungarian thermal water forms the base, meaning you're getting a dose of inflammation-fighting, mineral-rich goodness every evening. What's more, peptides plump the skin surface brilliantly, while plum and jojoba seed oils smooth and soften.
While oily skin won't necessarily want to be marinating in a thick, occlusive cream over night, the witching hour is an ideal time to get some beneficial resurfacing in. Exuviance's cleverly formulated gel-cream contains a combination of poly-hydroxy acid and mandelic acid to take on excess sebum production, surface pigmentation and acne scarring in one fell swoop. Use it a couple of nights per week for best results.
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Revive's cult classic contains glycolic acid to exfoliate the skin surface, alongside the brand's central Epidermal Growth Factor, which was originally created to accelerate wound healing. In short, it'll accelerate turnover while helping your skin to heal itself, resulting in a complexion that looks brighter, plumper and generally happier.
Apply this one just two or three nights per week for the best results.
14
Best intensive night treatment
Noble Panacea The Exceptional Chronobiology Sleep Mask
Now 30% Off
Noble Panacea's hard-working night treatment contains a potent cocktail of active ingredients to truly supercharge your routine.
Negating the need for serum layering, each (recyclable) sachet contains postbiotics, poly-hydroxy acid, retinol, peptides and ceramides, all encapsulated and programmed to be released into the skin at the optimal moment. Essentially, it's skincare that works alongside your circadian rhythm, allowing you to reap the benefits of multiple ingredients without irritation.
Once you've worked through the eight single-dose sachets (this one is designed to be used once-weekly) send them back to the brand for recycling, and keep your outer packaging topped up with a refill pack.
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15
Best night cream for reactions and rosacea flares
Dermalogica Stabilizing Repair Cream
Dermalogica's recent launch is one that really surpassed my expectations. A redness-reducing SOS cream, it's loaded with natural extracts that genuinely quell irritation in a matter of minutes, be it rosacea flares or a reaction from a too-strong exfoliator. Don't reserve this one solely for evening: it's a calming comfort blanket for morning, noon and night.
