12 Night Creams That'll Actually Make a Difference In Your Skincare Routine (2024)

I'm a huge fan of this nighttime moisturizer for its anti-aging benefits and Dr. Westbay is as well. "This growth factor and peptide infused cream hits all the important anti-aging checkmarks for me," says Dr. Westbay. "Growth factors visibly improve the look of fine lines and wrinkles, improve skin tone and texture, and enhance skin smoothness," she says. And, according to Dr. Westbay, it "contains key hydrators and nourishing oils to increase skin’s moisture levels and prevent trans epidermal water loss for optimal overnight repair."

• Key ingredients: Growth factors, peptides, glycerin, argan oil, borage seed oil
• Fragrance-free? Yes
• Skin types: Combo, dry, sensitive

Glowing customer review: "I’ve been using this product for years on the recommendation of my dermatologist. I hope they never stop making it because I never want to stop using it!"

Exuviance's moisturizer is a favorite of dermatologist Rachel Westbay, MD, for nighttime use. "This cream packs a punch for anti-aging benefits and feels so luxurious yet isn’t ludicrously expensive. It contains MicroDiPeptide229, a micro-sized, multi-peptide complex created for optimal delivery into the skin's surface, where it supports the synthesis of all five of skin's natural building blocks: elastin, collagen, and triple hyaluronic acid," says Dr. Westbay. "It plumps and firms my skin and helps keep my cheekbones and jawline defined," she adds.

• Key ingredients: Peptides, PHAs, vitamin E
• Fragrance-free? No
• Skin types: Dry, combo

Glowing customer review: "For the past month, I have been using it as a before bedtime moisturizer, so in the morning I wake up and my skin is feeling smoother and glowing. Those little fine lines are definitely looking less noticeable. With all the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties along with Vitamin E that helps to smooth the skin and provide moisture, and glycerin, which is a hydrator and adds water to the skin, I am feeling rejuvenated and younger-looking, and people are noticing."

You may think of EltaMD primarily as a sunscreen brand, but they make really great skincare products too, including this nighttime moisturizer that's suitable for all skin types. It helps moisturize and repair your skin barrier while you sleep, and because it's oil-free and tested to be non-comedogenic, it's unlikely this formula will clog your pores or trigger breakouts. I've tested this one on-and-off for years (I always reach for it when my skin needs a reset) and it's never made my acne-prone skin irritated or bumpy—just soft and supple.

• Key ingredients: Ceramides, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid
• Fragrance-free? Yes
• Skin types: Oily, combo, dry, sensitive, acne-prone

Glowing customer review: "This is my favorite moisturizer before bed or even after I’m out in the sun and need something hydrating. It’s a great price for the quality."

Ideal for oily skin types, this nighttime moisturizer from CeraVe is ultra-hydrating but is oil-free and lightweight in texture so it doesn't break me out or make my skin feel greasy while testing. The formula is also gentle, so I can layer it with an AHA serum or retinol and I don't have any issues with irritation.

• Key ingredients: Ceramides, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid
• Fragrance-free? Yes
• Skin types: Oily, combo

Glowing customer review: "This is perfect for my combination skin! It works well with both my 2% salicylic acid and 10% lactic acid serums as long as I give them both time to sink in and do their thing (I alternate nights, don't use them both at once). I follow this up with a light oil to seal everything in. My skin feels soft, supple, and most importantly not greasy in the morning."

This nighttime moisturizer is a must-try for dry skin types. It's thick and balm-like (in my testing experience a little goes a loooong way) and contains plant-based squalane to lock in moisture and improve skin barrier function so you wake up with skin that's super soft and hydrated. This is also a great option for using during the cold winter months on ski trip to keep your skin protected from the elements.

• Key ingredients: Squalane
• Fragrance-free? Yes
• Skin types: Dry, sensitive

Glowing customer review: "This is the absolute best for dry skin. I rarely find a cream that leaves my skin feeling hydrated in the morning, and this one is it."

An excellent choice for sensitive skin types, this night cream helps soothe and repair damaged skin for a healthy glow. It's made without any potential skin irritants (like fragrance, dyes, or essential oils) and helps reduce sensitivity with soothing peptides, niacinamide, and La Roche-Posay's thermal spring water. I tested this while using Altreno (a prescription-strength retinoid for acne) and found it to be immensely helpful for minimizing redness and flaking.

• Key ingredients: Neurosensine, thermal spring water, niacinamide, glycerin, vitamin E
• Fragrance-free? Yes
• Skin types: Dry, sensitive

Glowing customer review: "I have very dry skin and this product really helps. It is a good cream as it isn't thick or greasy and it left my skin skin feeling moisturized and soft. Worth it!"

I recommend this night cream to anyone who is dealing with dark spots, whether they're from the sun or old breakouts. The hero ingredient is glycolic acid, an exfoliating acid that helps dissolve dead and damaged cells on the surface of the skin to fade hyperpigmentation. The result? Clearer, brighter, more even-toned skin.

• Key ingredients: Viniferine, glycolic acid, papaya enzymes
• Fragrance-free? No
• Skin types: Dry, combo

Glowing customer review: "This moisturizer feels good, and my skin feels hydrated and smooth. I have only been using this cream for less than a week, but so far, so good. I really like it."

If you're not already using a topical Rx treatment for your acne or an OTC serum with active acne ingredients (in which case a gentle, basic moisturizer is best), this night cream from Avene is a great choice. It's got retinal to regulate cell turnover, X-Pressin (a gentle exfoliant), and Synovea HR (an antioxidant that regulates sebum production)—these ingredients all work together to unclog pores, improve skin texture, and keep skin clear.

• Key ingredients: Retinal, X-Pressin, Synovea HR
• Fragrance-free? No
• Skin types: Acne-prone, oily
  

Glowing customer review: "I'm really loving this. It's a great product for treating adult blemishes and has definitely minimized the blackheads around my nose."

This retinol night cream is a must-try if you're experiencing signs of aging, like forehead wrinkles, fine lines around your mouth and/or eyes, dark spots, or sagging skin. It uses a combo of retinaldehyde (one of the strongest forms of OTC vitamin A) and peptides to stimulate collagen production and boost cell turnover for smoother, brighter skin. The formula feels really hydrating, but unlike other anti-aging night creams I've tested, it doesn't feel overly thick or pore-clogging on my skin which I love.

Cosmo beauty editor Beth Gillette is a fan of this one too. "My skin loooves this anti-aging powerhouse night-cream because it combines a whole lotta ingredients in one easy-to-use formula. It seriously plumped up my skin and smoothed my forehead (which, tbh, has been fab for staving off Botox appointments)," she says.

• Key ingredients: Retinaldehyde, peptides, antioxidants, argan oil
• Fragrance-free? Yes
• Skin types: Dry, oily, combo, acne-prone

Glowing customer review: "This is a really great quality night cream. It is the type of product that you will find at an aesthetician spa or office. My skin is clearer, brighter, and overall softer in the morning after using this. The pump is great and makes it easy to dispense the product."

I've tested countless celebrity beauty brands, and Scarlett Johansson's The Outset is definitely ones of my favorites. I really love the night cream. It's made with clean, plant-based ingredients (and nothing potentially questionable, like synthetic fragrance or parabens) that help support healthy skin and give it smooth, glowy look. I really like the texture too—it feels just heavy enough to really hydrate my skin while I sleep but there's no greasy residue.

• Key ingredients: Niacinamide, bakuchiol
• Fragrance-free? Yes
• Skin types: Normal, dry, combo, sensitive

Glowing customer review: "I love this for my combination skin. It’s not as silky as other brands but it feels smooth and moisturizing and doesn’t clog my pores. I wake up with hydrated skin that looks healthy and clear."

If you like to keep your nighttime routine quick and streamline, this multitasking night cream from Tula may just be the one-and-done product for you. It helps plump and hydrate skin, smooth the look of fine lines and rough texture, *and* brighten your skin tone, all thanks to a combo of probiotics, AHAs, and vitamin C. Basically, this night cream takes the place of your hydrator, chemical exfoliator, and brightener.

• Key ingredients: Probiotics, vitamin C, lactic acid, glycolic acid
• Fragrance-free: No
• Skin types: Dry, normal, combo

Glowing customer review: "As someone who’s taken years to heal their acne- prone skin I am cautious on what I apply, especially a thick, overnight moisturizer like this. That said, I had no issues with this—it's great for fall/winter months as our skin is less greasy. I apply mine overnight and can feel my plump skin in the morning after deep cleansing."

Night creams are often thicker and richer than creams you'd use in the day, which is fine if your skin is on the drier side, but potentially problematic (read: pore-clogging) if you're oily or acne-prone. The alternative? This ultra-lightweight gel-lotion that's formulated with aging skin and acne-prone skin in mind. It's uses vitamin C to brighten skin while you sleep along with niacinamide to minimize the look of pores and regulate excess oil production.

• Key ingredients: Vitamin C, niacinamide, green tea
• Fragrance-free? Yes
• Skin types: Combo, oily, acne-prone

Glowing customer review: "I am 33 and have oily skin with large pores. I am also dedicated to anti-aging, and was excited to find a product that balances oil control and help with anti-aging. It goes on smooth and light over my tretinoin every night, absorbs quickly, and my face isn't greasy when I wake up the next morning. I also have some mysterious allergies to topical products, and this does not make me react at all."

If you choose a formula that's suited to your skin's specific needs, then yes, a night cream really will work. Night cream may not be as important as other skincare products, like a good cleanser or sunscreen, but they can be incredibly effective when used as part of a comprehensive skincare routine.

"Your whole body—including your skin—enters repair mode at night," says dermatologist Amy Wechsler, MD. "In theory, a good night cream will help support the healing and rejuvenation processes that occur during sleep." Basically, by using a night cream before bed, you're optimizing your skin's renewal processes and setting yourself up for glowy skin come morning.

• Hyaluronic Acid: This is a powerful humectant that attracts and retains moisture, helping to keep your skin hydrated and plump.
• Glycerin: Another effective humectant that draws moisture into the skin and helps maintain and restore the skin barrier.
• Ceramides: These help restore the skin’s natural barrier, prevent moisture loss, and improve skin hydration.

Anti-aging and collagen-boosting ingredients:

• Retinol: One of the most effective ingredients for reducing fine lines and wrinkles thanks to its ability to stimulate collagen production and improve cell turnover
• Peptides: They help stimulate collagen production, making them great for firming and reducing fine lines.
• Bakuchiol: A plant-based alternative to retinol that offers similar anti-aging benefits without the irritation, making it a gentler option for sensitive skin.
• Growth factors: They allow your retinol and collagen-stimulating peptides to do the most they can by giving them the signals to amplify their effects.
• Alpha hydroxy and polyhydroxy acids: These acids remove dead skin cells and stimulate cellular turnover to regenerate, repair, and brighten skin.

Skin barrier repairing ingredients:

• Panthenol: It helps soothe, repair, and moisturize the skin, improving the skin's barrier function.
• Allantoin: A soothing, anti-irritant ingredient that helps to soften the skin and promote healing.

  Antioxidants:

• Vitamin E: Protects the skin from free radical damage while also moisturizing and soothing.
• Green tea extract: Helps protect the skin from environmental damage and has anti-inflammatory properties.
• Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10): Helps protect the skin from oxidative damage and promotes skin cell regeneration.

Opt for a fragrance-free formula.

Fragrance, whether it's synthetic or naturally-derived, can be potentially irritating when used in skincare products. People with sensitive skin should use a night cream that's fragrance-free and made few just a few ingredients, says Dr. Wechsler (she likes Chanel's La Solution 10).

Think about the texture.

Night creams are typically much richer and thicker than day creams, but Dr. Wechsler says that a heavier texture isn't essential for optimal performance. "Night creams don't need to be thicker than day creams—it really comes down to personal preference," says Dr. Wechsler. I have oily skin and like to layer my night cream with Rx treatments, so a more lightweight night cream is better for my routine. That said, if you have extreme dry skin or want to plump the look of fine lines, a thicker cream may be better for you.

Be cautious when it comes to exfoliating acids.

While chemical exfoliants like glycolic acid, lactic acid, and salicylic acid are beneficial in moderation, "high
concentrations (above 10 or 15 percent) can cause irritation, dryness, and sensitivity—especially in leave-on products like night creams," says Dr. Westbay.

• Rachel Westbay, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Marmur Medical in New York, NY. At the Mount Sinai Hospital, Dr. Westbay serves as clinical instructor and teaches the dermatology residents a wide array of cosmetic procedures.

• Amy Wechsler, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist and psychiatrist in New York, NY. Dr. Wechsler treats a wide range of dermatologic conditions, beginning with a careful evaluation of the patient’s psychological stressors and skin care concerns.