Night creams

Night cream: overnight care for every skin type

A night cream is a face cream applied in the evening after cleansing, working through the whole night. Here you will find night creams that moisturise, nourish and restore skin, as well as anti-ageing lines for mature skin.

At night there is no sunlight or makeup to deal with, and the active ingredients reach the skin calmly. That is why night creams often have a richer texture than day creams and focus mostly on moisture and skin renewal. A good night cream turns the evening routine into a calm finish: the skin feels soft and fresh in the morning.

How to choose a night cream

• Skin type: dry skin suits a thicker, richer cream, normal and combination skin a lighter emulsion or gel cream.
• Age and needs: younger skin often needs just a moisturising cream; mature skin is served by lines for wrinkles, firmness and even tone.
• Same line: a night cream works best when cleanser and serum come from the same brand.
• Amount: a thin layer is enough; the cream absorbs while you sleep and leaves no marks on the pillow.
• Texture: a gel cream is light and suits summer, a rich cream suits winter, when the air is dry and skin wants more moisture.

In the daytime skin needs different care: see day cream, an eye cream for the eye area, and the full selection under face cream. Night creams are available from Filorga and Estee Lauder, among others.

Choosing by skin type and need

Dry skin wants nourishment most in the evening: a dense, balm-like cream leaves a soft layer on the skin that holds moisture through the night. The classic Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour balm plays that role, applied in a thin layer. Normal and combination skin suit a lighter solution: a gel cream is airy and absorbs quickly, so the skin does not feel heavy.

Care for young and more sensitive skin is simpler and soothing. A soothing moisturising cream for young skin from Dermalogica fits this. If your skin needs gentle smoothing in the evening, take a look at the skin smoothing cream from the same Dermalogica range.

Anti-ageing night creams

Mature skin appreciates an evening cream that focuses on wrinkles, firmness and tone. The range includes the Filorga Time-Filler anti-wrinkle cream and the Elizabeth Arden Prevage anti-ageing cream. For normal to combination skin there is the Clarins Multi Active Night anti-ageing cream.

For skin that cares about tone and pigment spots there is the Shiseido White Lucent brightening cream for reducing pigmentation. You can add a product like that to the evening routine when you want a more even-looking tone.

Building the evening routine

Night cream is the last step of the routine, but it works better when the earlier steps are in place. Start with cleansing, add a serum if you like, and finish with the cream.

• Cleanse: remove makeup and the day’s dirt with gentle face cleansing.
• Soften: a softening lotion prepares the skin, for example the Shiseido Treatment Softener.
• Add a serum: a serum gives targeted care such as hydration or anti-ageing.
• Seal with cream: a thin layer of cream over the face and neck finishes the care.
• Weekly mask: a face mask makes the evening a small pause.

Fresh skin for the morning

Night is the time when the body restores itself, and the evening cream is part of that ritual. If you apply the cream at the same time every day, it becomes a signal: the day is over, time to slow down. In the morning the skin is soft and fresh.

For simple hydration, look at the L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Hydrating cream. If you want morning and evening care in one set, the Revitalift Laser Duo holds a day cream and a night cream together. For deeper hydration, also take a look at the Collistar Idro-Attiva cream.

Gift ideas

A night cream is a personal, thoughtful gift because it is made for a calm evening. If you do not know the recipient’s skin type, choose a hydrating cream that suits most people. A mature person will enjoy an anti-ageing line, a younger one a light, soothing cream. Put a mask or a serum beside the cream and you have a small evening care set.

Frequently asked questions