9 Best Night Creams That Make Your Skin Dreams Come True
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The best night creams are bedtime essentials for their rich feel, supreme hydrating abilities, and plentiful benefits (think plumping, firming, brightening, and beyond). Even if you already have a trusty face moisturizer you like to slather on as part of your routine, night creams tend to be more hydrating and exclusively formulated to support the processes your skin undergoes overnight, such as natural repair and regeneration. So, skin-care lovers, you can rest easy knowing we did the hard work of rounding up the best night creams (and the occasional mask) on the market. Read on for recommendations and input from Allure editors and board-certified dermatologists alike.
Our Top Night Creams
- Best Overall: Kiehl's Ultra Facial Overnight Hydrating Face Mask with 10.5% Squalane, $45
- Best for Dry Skin: SkinCeuticals A.G.E. Interrupter Advanced, $185
- Best for Sensitive Skin: Chanel Le Lift Pro Crème Volume, $200
- Best for Barrier Support: Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair, $98
- Best for Mature Skin: Eighth Day The Intensive Moisturizer, $290
- Most Versatile: Sonsie Adapt Cream, $58
Best Overall: Kiehl's Ultra Facial Overnight Hydrating Face Mask with 10.5% Squalane
Why it’s worth it: She’s beauty, she’s grace, she’s Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Overnight Rehydrating Face Mask. This endlessly slatherable 2023 Best of Beauty Award winner is packed with nourishing ingredients like barrier-boosting squalane and ultra-hydrating glacial glycoprotein (found in sea glaciers!). Smooth it on as the final step of your nighttime routine for soft, plump skin by morning. And don’t let the “overnight” part fool you—you can dab on a little before your morning SPF for a dewy, all-day moisture boost if your skin really needs some TLC.
Tester feedback from Allure commerce editor Sarah Han
“Whipped deliciousness…that's how I'd describe this Kiehl's mask. My normally combo skin starts feeling tight the minute the temperatures drop below 60 degrees, which is precisely when I bring out my thicker creams to replenish my skin's moisture. It's so worth the 10 extra seconds of rubbing this mask in for the glowy, skin-softening results. Once it makes contact with the heat of your fingers, the semi-solid formula melts down more quickly than you'd think.” —Sarah Han
More to know
- Key ingredients: squalane, glacial glycoprotein
- Who it’s for: dry skin
- Fragrance-free: yes
Best for Dry Skin: SkinCeuticals A.G.E. Interrupter Advanced
Why it's worth it: In 2023, SkinCeuticals' A.G.E. Advanced Eye won the hearts of Allure editors and scored a Best of Beauty Award. And why exactly? Maybe it was its ability to encourage skin cell reproduction or its depuffing powers. Maybe it was the radiance-boosting formula or the anti-dark circle wizardry. Maybe, just maybe, it was all of the above (it was). A caffeine-infused, proprietary blend of optical diffusers is to thank.
David Kim, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City, counts himself among this cream's many fans. He previously explained that its formula "is packed with a lot of great ingredients such as Matrixyl 3000 (a blend of two different peptides, palmitoyl tripeptide-1 and palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7) and proxylane to help skin hold onto moisture, and caffeine to depuff the eyes." This eye cream also works well under makeup, so feel free to whip out your favorite concealer after applying it.
Tester feedback from Allure senior beauty editor Jesa Marie Calaor
“Many moisturizers sting my dry, sensitive skin—but not the A.G.E. Interrupter Advanced. It coddles my skin, comforting the extra-dry patches and leaving my complexion bouncy and bright.”—Jesa Marie Calaor, senior beauty editor
More to know
- Key ingredients: proxylane, peptides, glycyrrhetinic acid, caffeine, optical diffusers
- Who it's for: People with dark circles, mature skin
- Fragrance-free: yes
Best for Sensitive Skin: Chanel Le Lift Pro Crème Volume
Why it's worth it: Chanel's Le Lift Pro Crème Volume works to sculpt, plump, and smooth deep lines at all skin stages but particularly well on aging faces and in between aesthetic procedures. The formula employs a high concentration of Costa Rica-cultivated melipona enzymatic—a precious honey-sourced ingredient with antimicrobial, moisturizing, and soothing benefits—that’s safe for sensitive skin. With jojoba oil in the mix, it’s bliss for irritated skin. Chanel recommends using their signature "Le Lift protocol" before applying the cream: pinch your cheeks and jawline three times, then use your thumb and index finger to pinch along expression lines. Capisce?
Tester feedback from Allure social media director Kassidy Silva
"The Chanel Le Lift Pro Crème Volume moisturizer helps me hit glazed status every night before bed. With chronically dry skin—thank you eczema and psoriasis—it's my nightly staple to keep my skin supple and glowing."—Kassidy Silva, social media director
More to know
- Key ingredients: melipona enzyme, shea butter, jojoba seed oil
- Who it's for: people experiencing signs of aging and in between procedures
- Fragrance-free: yes
Best for Barrier Support: Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair
Why it's worth it: Estée Lauder's Advanced Night Repair is awake and working hard while you're getting your beauty rest. It melts right into your skin to provide hydration, plump, and reduce fine lines using the brand's exclusive night peptide (a rejuvenating compound that includes Tripeptide-32, squalane, and lactobacillus ferment), hyaluronic acid, and polyglutamic acid. Peptides serve as messengers between skin cells to encourage them to churn out more collagen, accelerate wound healing, and protect the barrier.
Tester feedback from former Allure beauty editor Paige Stables
"I've been using the decadent Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Overnight Treatment regularly for several months, and the multitasking formula (with hydrating hyaluronic acid, a firming peptide, and nourishing shea butter, among other hardworking ingredients) has simplified my evening routine. A thin layer of this cushiony cream is really all I need to wake up looking refreshed and glowing—even when eight hours of beauty sleep is out of the question."—Paige Stables, former beauty editor
More to know
- Key ingredients: hyaluronic acid, peptides, shea butter, polyglutamic acid
- Who it's for: everyone
- Fragrance-free: yes
Best for Mature Skin: Eighth Day The Intensive Moisturizer
Why it’s worth it: Whether your skin’s freaking out post-treatment or just needs some TLC, Eighth Day’s Intensive Moisturizer is the luxe fix you’ll actually feel good investing in. Fueled by the brand’s Peptide-Rich Plasma—a blend of 24 growth factors, peptides, and amino acids—it deeply soothes and hydrates without clogging pores or leaving skin shiny. Despite its powerhouse formula, the texture feels silky and lightweight, not heavy or greasy. Ceramides and sphingosine (a hard-to-source lipid) help lock in moisture for real barrier repair, no petrolatum shortcuts here. Is it pricey? Sure. But if you’re into science-backed skin care that actually heals and regenerates, it’s worth every drop.
Tester feedback from Allure editor in chief Jessica Cruel
“I first tried this cream when the founder handed me a lab sample at an event, like an illicit skin care dealer. Then, the product was top secret. What wasn’t a secret was the glow my skin had after making it my regular night cream. Some rich moisturizers cause my skin to break out in fine bumps. This whipped texture is lightweight but very hydrating. It doesn’t leave my pillow sticky yet I can still feel its effect come morning. A little goes a long way… pea size is all I really need."—Jessica Cruel, editor in chief
More to know
- Key ingredients: copper peptides, ceramides, sphingosine, antioxidants, polyphenols
- Who it’s for: Dry, sensitive, or post-treatment skin
- Fragrance-free: yes
Best Soothing: Sonsie Adapt Cream
Why it’s worth it: Sensitive skin, take note: Sonsie’s Adapt Cream might just be your new savior. This multitasking moisturizer calms redness, deeply hydrates, and leaves skin looking plump and smooth, all thanks to collagen-boosting peptides and a bacillus ferment blend that locks in lasting hydration. Its light green tint helps neutralize redness on contact and the silky texture sinks in instantly. Slather on a lighter layer in the morning to even out your complexion and prime your makeup—or, as we prefer, apply a thicker layer overnight to soothe intense dryness and irritation.
Tester feedback from Allure content director Kara McGrath
"For night creams, especially in the winter, I like something so thick and rich that I can still feel it on my skin when I wake up in the morning. This green-tinted, peptide-packed formula hits those marks, plus has soothing qualities that help tone down some of the redness in my complexion. Best of all, it's packaged in a compostable bio resin called Vivomer that, according to Sonsie's reps, will break down completely in about a year in a home compost and even more quickly in an industrial facility."—Kara McGrath, content director
More to know
- Key ingredients: peptides, bacillus ferment
- Who it’s for: those with dry, sensitive, and red skin
- Fragrance-free: yes
More night creams to consider
Best for Redness: Tatcha Indigo Overnight Repair
Why it's worth it: Jenny Liu, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and assistant professor at the University of Minnesota, vouches for Tatcha's Indigo Overnight Repair, which she describes as a "serum-in-moisturizer-form treatment that visibly calms irritation, strengthens the skin's barrier, and balances the microbiome for a healthy, hydrated glow." Its healing powers are derived from dryness-soothing Japanese indigo extract, moisture-locking hyaluronic acid and ceramides, and mondo grass root, a plant-based humectant.
More to know
- Key ingredients: indigo extract, hyaluronic acid, ceramides
- Who it's for: those seeking a quick-absorbing option
- Fragrance-free: yes
Best Retinol: Eau Thermale Avène RetrinAL 0.1 Intensive Cream
Why it's worth it: Eau Thermale Avène RetrinAL 0.1 Intensive Cream is a boon for beginners, especially if you have sensitive or dry skin (yes, you read that right), according to Mamina Turegano, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New Orleans, Louisiana. This nourishing repair cream is formulated with retinaldehyde, a retinoid that’s more potent (yet thought to be more gentle) than retinol, to promote cell turnover, elasticity, and collagen production. Because of the ingredient’s strength, Avène added its signature Thermal Spring Water to act as a soothing counterpart to any potential vitamin A-related irritation. Nonetheless, because vitamin A can make your skin a bit more prone to sun damage, this cream is ideal for nighttime use. And, don’t forget to use face sunscreen in the morning.
More to know
- Key ingredients: retinaldehyde, vitamin E, peptides
- Who it's for: first-time retinol users
- Fragrance-free: yes
Best Drugstore: CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion
Why it's worth it: Look, we don't claim to have every answer, but if we know one thing to be true, it's that you really can't go wrong with CeraVe—this PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion as proof. She's teeming with ceramides, she's non-comedogenic, and she's hyaluronic acid-rich—adding up to equal so, so gentle on sensitive skin. You'll appreciate the non-greasy finish that won't bug you as you drift off or leave icky oil stains on your pillowcase.
According to New York City board-certified dermatologist Dendy Engelman, MD, ceramides are key moisture-retention. “Environmental factors can disrupt the lipid layer of the skin, which locks in moisture and acts as a barrier against pollution and bacteria," Dr. Engelman told Allure. "Ceramides help to restore the skin's barrier by holding the cells together. As a result, skin feels smoother, plumper, and more moisturized."
More to know
- Key ingredients: ceramides, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide
- Who it's for: everyone
- Fragrance-free: yes
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the benefits of using a night cream?
Night creams boast many of the same benefits as your other face moisturizers but with extra emphasis on skin hydration. "We lose water in the skin at night, so nighttime is all about locking in moisture," Mona Gohara, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and the associate clinical professor of dermatology at the Yale School of Medicine, explains. South Florida-based board-certified dermatologist De Anne Harris Collier, MD, concurs, adding that research has shown that repair of DNA-damaged skin cells peaks, skin cells turn over more quickly, meaning increased rates of skin blood flow and skin permeability at night. "All the more reason to apply a great night cream to take advantage of the skin's innate repair system," she advises.
What ingredients should I look for in a night cream?
Because night creams are primarily charged with doling out major moisture, look for hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and glycerin. Beyond that, shop with your skin care concerns in mind. Plenty of night creams contain actives like retinoids (hi, CeraVe) that can benefit the changes maturing skin brings, like smoothing fine lines or fading sun spots. If your night cream isn't infused with an active, however, the moisturizing building blocks can still lock in your other active-ingredient serums, gels, and oils, says Dr. Gohara.
Meet the experts
- David Kim, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City
- De Anne Harris Collier, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Florida
- Jenny Liu, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and assistant professor at the University of Minnesota
- Jessica Wu, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Los Angeles
- Mamina Turegano, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New Orleans, Louisiana
- Mona Gohara, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Conneticut
How we test and review products
When Allure tests a product, our editors look at it from every angle in an effort to best serve you. We review ingredients, scrutinize brand claims, and, when necessary, examine peer-reviewed scientific and medical studies. In addition to testing each and every product that’s included in each and every review, we rely on experts who shape their fields, including dermatology, cosmetic chemistry, and medicine, to help us vet the ingredients and formulas.
For our list of the best night creams, we considered each product’s performance across five primary categories: product ingredients and efficacy, packaging, fragrance, texture, and product wear. Every product was determined to have excelled in each category by our editorial team, which is composed of in-house writers and editors as well as contributors—along with special consideration from dermatologists. To learn more information on our reporting and testing processes, read our complete reviews process and methodology page.
Our staff and testers
A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors—in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon—is essential to reaching that goal.
After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the "best" for people over 50 if the only testers we’ve solicited opinions from folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it’s never been tested on curls? We’re proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.
Craving more hydration? Of course, you are—quench your skin with more of our favorites:
- 18 Best Face Exfoliators for Glowing Skin
- 17 Best SkinCeuticals Products Your Skin Will Thank You For
- 15 Best Lip Oils for a Hydrating Punch of Shine and Color
Done reading? Now, watch Hailee Steinfeld's 10-minute beauty routine:
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