The Night Creams That Make You Look Like You Slept 9 Hours
There are a hundred night creams out there, but these are the five people actually finish and buy again. Here’s my honest take on each, including the one I’d skip and the one I’d splurge on.
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1. CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream
It’s really hard to go wrong at this price. I have had an issue with several of their products, especially the face wash, where it smells almost, and this sounds really weird, but like beer, which I guess is a fermentation smell.
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“After about 10 days, my skin looks better. It’s subtle, but better.”
I don’t know if you’ve ever had that, but I have, and I think other people have noticed this with some of their other products. But the ingredients in here are just amazing for the price. I think it’s definitely the stronger, better option than their regular cream, which is just not as thick. This one almost feels, dare I say, luxurious.
CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream
Drugstore ceramide-and-peptide night cream for barrier repair.
2. Olay Regenerist Night Recovery Cream
This is more expensive than the CeraVe, but my one issue with this when I’ve tested it is that it is not as thick as some people need. So if you’re in the summer, or you have very oily skin, this could be a good option. But some people, and myself included, do find it a little too thin.
Olay Regenerist Night Recovery Cream
Fragrance-free amino-peptide night cream for normal-to-dry skin.
3. Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Overnight Hydrating Mask
It’s funny. I remember growing up, and you would only find Kiehl’s in a health food store, and I was fascinated by the brand when I would see their rose water toner that had actual rose petals in it. So I have a soft spot for any Kiehl’s products. There’s no fluff, very little fragrance.
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“Some deep moisturizers irritate my sensitive skin, but I haven’t had that problem with this one.”
Some of their products are great, like their clay mask is wonderful. And this one I think is good. I think there are other ones on the list for slightly less that I would try first before moving on to this, but the fact that it doesn’t have any fragrance is one reason for some people that have a sensitivity to fragrance to buy it.
Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Overnight Hydrating Mask
Overnight hydration mask with 10.5% squalane, fragrance-free.
4. Laneige Water Sleeping Mask
I am obsessed with their lip mask. Their lip mask has completely transformed my lips. And I think this is equally amazing. They just know how to make masks. In terms of the sleeping mask, it’s not something to use every night. I think it is a good thing to rotate in a couple nights a week.
Laneige Water Sleeping Mask
K-beauty overnight hydration mask you layer over moisturizer.
5. Charlotte Tilbury Magic Night Cream
I think people have a love-hate relationship with this cream. Some people swear by it. Other people do report some sort of stinging or pilling. The ingredients are great, but you’re splurging a lot.
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“I think the marketing is much more magic than the cream itself.”
This is the splurge on this list. And when I start to get in that price range, I start to think about other brands. If I spend, let’s say, another fifty dollars, am I getting a whole other level of ingredients?
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Night Cream
Luxury plumping night cream with vitamin C and a retinol-style botanical complex.
None of these are going to transform your skin overnight (despite what the marketing says). But give any of them six weeks and you WILL notice a difference when you look in the mirror at 6 a.m. The real secret is picking one and actually using it every night.
Quick cheat sheet: tight budget? CeraVe or Olay. Dry skin? Kiehl’s. Oily? Laneige. Want retinol built in and don’t mind spending? Charlotte Tilbury. There’s no wrong answer. It just depends on your skin and what you’re willing to pay.
A cruelty-free mark means the brand is certified by PETA, Leaping Bunny, or both at the time of writing. A missing mark doesn’t mean a brand tests on animals; it just means the brand isn’t certified by these programs.
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