Ready, set, hydrate — the 17 best night creams for combating dryness
These are the best options for overnight hydration, recommended by experts and tried by NBC Select staff.
Skin Better Alpharet Overnight Cream
$undefined
$145.00
Want more from NBC Select? Sign up for our newsletter, The Selection, and shop smarter.
I asked our experts to share their favorite night creams for a range of skin types and gathered their recommendations below. I’ve also included options NBC Select staff love, and other top-rated night creams that align with expert guidance. Some of them, although not labeled as night creams, deliver a similar level of hydration. “It’s important to keep in mind that ‘night cream’ is a marketing term,” says Willis. “A product can act as a night cream without the label.”
Still, Willis says “it’s important to use a night cream created by chemists from a reputable brand that contains humectants, emollients and occlusives.” (More on those below.)
This overnight mask from Youth to the People comes recommended by Willis for those with non-sensitive, combination skin. It’s formulated with brightening ingredients like vitamin C and superberry complex, says the brand, as well as squalane and hyaluronic acid to lock in hydration and soften skin. For best results, the brand recommends applying a thin layer over your skin as the last step in your nighttime routine, and working it into your face until it’s fully absorbed.
This cream made the top 20 of our 100 best moisturizers list for its hydrating formula and lightweight texture. I especially love using this in the wintertime to avoid dry patches cropping up on my skin overnight — the formula includes squalane, glacial glycoprotein and ceramides, all of which are excellent for reinforcing the skin barrier. When I use this, I never have to worry about morning dryness on my face. Although the texture is creamy, I like that this moisturizer still feels lightweight when applied (which is great for oily, acne-prone skin like mine). I was also pleasantly surprised at how long the tub lasts; it looks smaller at first, but since a little goes such a long way, I can use one for months at a time.
This night cream from Cetaphil contains purified peptides as an alternative to retinol for those with sensitive skin, and is a favorite of NBC Select reporter Zoe Malin. “This is a creamy yet lightweight night cream that I use as my go to when my skin is in good condition,” she says. “I find it richer than the moisturizer I use during the day, and it leaves my skin soft and hydrated,” she says.
NBC Select editorial operations associate Jem Alabi likes to use this cream from Etude during the biting winter months. The panthenol-madecassoside blend in the formula helps heal irritated skin while strengthening the skin barrier, which is why she recommends this cream for anyone with acne who’s looking for something “soothing and restorative”. She likes the gentle, fragrance-free formula, and how it softens her skin “almost immediately.”
This cream from Cosrx is one of my favorite nighttime products. It uses ceramides and centella asiatica to balance and repair your skin’s barrier, and has a creamy yet lightweight texture that instantly moisturizes my skin after cleansing. Although it takes a little longer to absorb into my skin than other products, my face still feels hydrated after waking up hours later, even when the room in my air is dry from indoor heat.
Malin loves Neutrogena’s Hydro Boost products for their reliability, and suggests this pressed-serum moisturizer as a night cream. Its highly concentrated formula includes hyaluronic acid and antioxidants to restore the skin during sleep, according to the brand. “I have sensitive, often dry skin, and this product has never irritated it,” she says.
Described by former NBC Select senior commerce editor Lindsay Schneider as her “absolute forever tried and true,” this moisturizer is safe for all skin types, according to the brand. It’s formulated with teasel and ginger lily extracts to smooth fine lines while you sleep, and helps to brighten and tone skin to fight signs of interrupted or minimal sleep, says Clarins.
After receiving this balm from Ma:nyo, it quickly became one of my favorite nighttime products. It has macadamia nut-derived ceramides and humectants like panthenol to lock moisture in while also balancing the skin’s natural oil levels, according to the brand. Although the texture initially seems heavy, once massaged into the skin, it absorbs really well. Plus, it keeps my skin hydrated against the artificial air of my heater without leaving behind any excess grease or residue.
Recommended by Willis as an option for all skin types, this cream effectively treats fine lines, wrinkles, texture and uneven skin tone, according to the brand. Plus, “[this cream] combines retinoic acid, the active used in prescription retinoids, with an alpha hydroxy acid, with little-to-no irritation,” according to Willis.
This overnight cream from Naturium is very rich and formulated with triglycerides, squalane and glycerin, making it most effective for dry skin types, according to Willis. It should be used at least 2-3 times a week for maximum benefits, according to the brand, and it’s also vegan and fragrance-free, to reduce the chance of irritation for those with sensitive skin.
“CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion is an affordable and simple moisturizer that is soothing and helps maintain your protective skin barrier,” says Willis. “I would recommend this for oily-to-combination skin that isn’t prone to acne.” The lotion has an oil-free formula made of essential ceramides, hyaluronic acid and niacinamide to hydrate and soothe skin while sleeping, according to the brand.
While most night creams are formulated with hydrating ingredients, this option from Sunday Riley also targets dull skin with vitamin C to brighten your skin while you sleep, according to the brand. Other notable ingredients include lime pearl, a natural source of alpha-hydroxy acid, and bisabolol, an antioxidant known for its soothing properties, according to Sunday Riley. It also has a 4.7-star average rating from 403 reviews on Dermstore.
This night cream from K-beauty brand Peach & Lily uses antioxidant ingredients like berry and black ginseng extracts to firm and nourish skin, according to the brand. It’s also formulated with peptides to help reduce fine lines, and has a lightweight non-greasy formula, says Peach & Lily. The cream is also a top-rated best seller, with a 4.8-star average rating from 905 reviews on Peach & Lily.
Made for those with sensitive skin, this serum-in-cream moisturizer is formulated with ingredients like Japanese indigo and red sage root to calm irritation, and ceramides and hyaluronic acid for moisture and hydration, according to the brand. Along with calming and hydrating properties, this cream also uses mondo grass root to help cultivate good bacteria, says Tatcha, which improves the overall texture and tone of your skin. This cream is also a Tatcha bestseller, with a 4.4-star average rating from 1,375 reviews on Sephora.
When shopping for a night cream, consider factors like cost, ingredients, and your skin’s individual needs and sensitivities. To help you find the best night creams for your skin, I expand on some of our experts’ advice below:
Though both are designed to keep your skin’s moisture barrier healthy and intact, night creams and moisturizers have a few key differences. According to Mraz, while day creams are “generally designed to protect and to be light and compatible with makeup and sunscreen,” night creams are meant to “provide supercharged moisturizing and should have ingredients that aid in repair and regeneration.” Willis agrees, and adds that in comparison to daytime moisturizers, night creams “are typically richer and heavier in consistency and [contain] active ingredients in order to cause visible changes in the skin.”
Although you don’t necessarily need to use both a moisturizer and a night cream at once (especially if you have oily, acne-prone or sensitive skin), you do need to use at least one in your nightly routine. “Regardless of your skin type, it’s important to use a moisturizer to maintain the health of your skin barrier,” says Willis.
Night creams should be incorporated as the very last step in your skin care routine, says Willis. Mraz recommends applying night creams to clean, dry skin on your face, neck and décolletage, and after your lighter products (like toners, serums, etc.). “This will help seal in other activities prior to creating a barrier and provide potent moisture to the skin,” she says.
Due to the nonstop nature of cellular damage to your skin, Mraz recommends including a potent night cream (and a good night’s sleep) as a part of your daily wellness practice. “Skin care with the inclusion of night cream should be routine during all seasons, all 365 days of the year,” she says. However, Willis adds that, depending on your personal preference and skin needs, you may want to switch to a lighter moisturizer during the summertime.
At NBC Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
I’m an associate SEO reporter for NBC Select, covering skin care, wellness, home and kitchen, lifestyle and more, including stories on the best acne spot treatments and the best hyperpigmentation products. For this piece, I interviewed dermatologists and estheticians on the best night creams, including how to use them and tips on shopping for one of your own.
Catch up on NBC Select’s in-depth coverage of tech and tools, wellness and more, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok to stay up to date.
