17 Best Night Creams of 2021
17 Night Creams That Will Make Your Skin-Care Routine Feel Like a Trip to the Spa
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Having a nighttime routine is important — it's how you signal to your body that it's time to wind down and go to bed. For us, we can't go to sleep without first completing our nightly skin-care regimen, and you shouldn't either. Whether you follow a quick and effective three-step routine or a complex eight-step routine, it should always end with a moisturizer or a night cream.
Night creams are moisturizers or creams formulated specifically for nightly use. This can be because they contain ingredients that are only intended for use in the p.m. (like retinol or AHAs) or are simply a thicker formula meant to absorb slowly while you rest. Night creams can target a variety of skin-care concerns — dryness, discoloration, wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, acne, and dullness — and work for all skin types, depending on the type you use.
Your skin enters repair mode while you sleep, which is why it's great to incorporate a night cream formulated to help you achieve your skin-care goals. After cleansing and applying your serums and treatments, moisturizer is like the icing on top of the cake.
Keep scrolling to shop the best night creams on the market.
It Cosmetics Confidence in Your Beauty Sleep Night Cream
For a night cream that's as bouncy as your mattress, try the It Cosmetics Confidence in Your Beauty Sleep Night Cream ($54). The lavender-tinted cream targets fine lines, wrinkles, dryness, dullness, and loss of firmness, and as a bonus, it's transfer-proof so it won't get on your pillowcase.
Versed Recovery Mode Advanced Night Cream
The Versed Recovery Mode Advanced Night Cream ($25) is formulated with fermented purple tea to protect against free radicals; green coffee extract, which has rejuvenating properties; and microalgae, which is good for collagen and elastin.
L'Occitane Immortelle Divine Cream
The L'Occitane Immortelle Divine Cream ($110) is like a trip to the spa wrapped in a jar. It's formulated with organic immortelle essential oil, which is great for treating wrinkles, loss of firmness, and uneven skin tone.
Pacifica Wake Up Beautiful Overnight Retinol Cream
Retinol helps boost cellular turnover, fighting discoloration, fine lines, and even acne, but it should only be used at night. The Pacifica Wake Up Beautiful Overnight Retinol Cream ($29) combines a retinoid, mushrooms for hydration, and quinoa to fight free radicals.
Fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Dream Night Cream
The Fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Dream Night Cream ($52) feels like a burst of water on the skin. It has a super-light, whipped consistency that covers the skin in a blanket of hydration.
InstaNatural Collagen Night Cream
The InstaNatural Collagen Night Cream ($19) is a bestseller on Amazon and has been reviewed by over 1,000 people for a rating of 4.4 out of five stars. In short: people can't recommend it enough. It helps lift and firm the appearance of skin as well as boost hydration.
Jones Road Miracle Cream
You may not see the words "night cream" written on the packaging of the Jones Road Miracle Cream ($38), but it lends itself to nighttime use. This is because the super-thick, luxurious formula is heavier than most face creams, but it will leave you glowing when you wake up in the morning.
Antipodes Culture Probiotic Night Recovery Water Cream
The feeling you get when you apply the Antipodes Culture Probiotic Night Recovery Water Cream ($50) can best be described as a drink of water for your skin. The light water cream formula, which contains hyaluronic acid and probiotics, is great for stressed skin.
CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream to Soften Skin
The CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream to Soften Skin ($20) helps restore your skin's moisture barrier while you sleep, thanks to hyaluronic acid and three essential ceramides.
No7 Protect & Perfect Intense Advanced Night Cream
Those with mature skin can benefit from the No7 Protect & Perfect Intense Advanced Night Cream ($20) — even those who are sensitive. The hypoallergenic and oil-free formula targets wrinkles, dryness, discoloration, and loss of firmness.
E.l.f. Nourishing Night Cream
For a budget-friendly buy, look no further than the E.l.f. Nourishing Night Cream ($12). Despite the thick consistency, it feels lightweight on the skin and is packed with hydrating ingredients like jojoba, cucumber, and shea butter.
Eve Lom Time Retreat Intensive Night Cream
While the Eve Lom Time Retreat Intensive Night Cream ($140) falls on the pricier side, it's truly a treat to use. The nourishing, thick face cream diminishes any signs of irritation and dryness upon contact with the skin and leaves you glowing.
First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Hydra-Firm Night Cream
The First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Hydra-Firm Night Cream ($40) is deeply hydrating but still suitable for acne-prone skin. Colloidal oatmeal in the cream helps soothe irritation and leaves skin feeling comforted.
Aveeno Positively Radiant Intensive Night Cream With Vitamin B3
The Aveeno Positively Radiant Intensive Night Cream With Vitamin B3 ($19) has been dermatologist-tested and is approved for all skin types. Vitamin B3 in the formula restores radiance while you sleep and allows you to wake up glowing.
Dermalogica Sound Sleep Cocoon
The Dermalogica Sound Sleep Cocoon ($84) is as dreamy as it sounds. The gel-cream texture coats your skin in a cocoon of soothing moisture while it improves dullness, fine lines, and inflammation.
Olay Regenerist Night Recovery Cream
Don't let the soft, velvety texture of the Olay Regenerist Night Recovery Cream ($30) fool you — this night cream gently exfoliates your skin while you sleep to target uneven skin tone.
Dr. Barbara Sturm Face Cream Rich
It may be a splurge, but you won't be disappointed with the Dr. Barbara Sturm Face Cream Rich ($230). It's rich in texture and ingredients, as it has the plant skullcap, which supports cellular turnover; vitamin E to fight inflammation; and a blend of natural oils like grape, avocado, and olive for hydration.
