The 10 Best Night Creams to Make the Most of Your Beauty Sleep (2025)

Lolis likes this overnight mask (a.k.a. a fancy night cream), saying that it "has a patented formula to maximize the skin's natural cycle of repair at night and "improves hydration barrier but also reduces redness—which is unique."

Key Ingredients: AAComplex, antioxidants, bush clover
Best for: Acne-prone, sensitive skin

Customer Review:

"I can’t say enough good things about this face cream—it’s an absolute game-changer! From the very first use, my skin felt softer, smoother, and so much more hydrated. It absorbs quickly without feeling greasy, which is a huge plus for me." —MJ Lacombe

Lolis also likes this moisturizer from Clinique. "This is an anti-aging cream with peptides to boost collagen production to enhance skin firmness, hyaluronic acid to increase hydration, and brightening agents to fade discoloration," says the derm. "But in my opinion, what sets this cream apart is its smart hydration technology, which adjusts moisture levels based on the skin’s real-time needs, ensuring a perfect balance between hydration and oil control. This prevents both excess dryness and unwanted greasiness."

Key Ingredients: CL1870 Peptide Complex™, hyaluronic acid
Best for: Dry skin, mature skin

Customer Review:

"I'm 72 years young I have very little wrinkles for my age good genes yet I can tell you I've been using Clinique products for over 50 years an this smart clinical repair is phenomenal skin is so very smooth and soft primer goes on incredibly easy no drag it's the best so far especially in humid summer weather will continue to use til fall and switch to moisture barrier surge this stuff really works for me" —Di

Featuring a unique "wrapping texture" that ensures optimal skin barrier function, this night cream also helps smooth the look of fine lines and brighten skin while you sleep. It's a favorite of supermodel Heidi Klum.

Key Ingredients: Antioxidants, vitamin E
Best for: Dry skin, mature skin

Customer Review:

"I’ve been using the Midnight Cream for about a month now. I use it day & night. My 66 year old face feels so well moisturized. I no longer wake up with dry skin and within the last few days noticed that my face feels firmer. I love the product and will reorder." —Angela

In addition to the traditional hydrating ingredients, this formula has 10 percent Bifidus Prebiotic, which helps support the good bacteria on your skin. In other words, it's also a winner for those looking to repair their skin barriers.

Key Ingredients: 10% Bifidus Prebiotic, hyaluronic acid, Triple Ceramide Complex
Best for: Normal, dry, combination, and oily skin types

Customer Review:

"I've been using the Genifique serum for years and decided to try this out. I'm very pleased with the results! I'll certainly be back to buy more when I run out." —KendallKate

If you've tried the original La Mer Moisturizing Cream, you already know it's an incredible night cream. This version is souped up with MRA-3, a retinol alternative that helps firm skin and diminish the look of fine lines while you sleep.

Key Ingredients: Miracle Broth, MRA-3 retinol alternative
Best for: Dry skin, mature skin

Customer Review:

"Perfectly beautiful, soft, youthful, and radiant…that is how my face feels everyday since adding this to my nightly routine. Worth every dollar!" —AriaBee

The texture of this night cream is like butter—thick and rich, but not so much that it feels cloying or will clog pores. Plus, it's formulated with all the things you want for more radiant, hydrated skin, without any unnecessary bells and whistles.

Key Ingredients: Hyaluroset™ Complex, niacinamide, bakuchiol
Best for: Normal, dry, combination, and oily skin types

Customer Review:

"My favorite nighttime moisturizer….and I have tried several !! It has improved the overall texture of my skin and feels much plumper and hydrated!!" —Calivibes11

This moisturizer does a little bit of everything, from boosting radiance thanks to the namesake super lotus to smoothing fine lines and reducing signs of fatigue.

Key Ingredients: Star fruit leaf extract, super lotus, vitamin E
Best for: Normal, dry, combination, and oily skin

Customer Review:

"This has absolutely improved my skin. I’ve noticed results the first week of using it. My skin feels soft and plump all day. Non greasy and no breakouts. I have found the holy grail." —stephygrrl

If you like a lighter-weight moisturizer, consider this gel cream from Dermalogica. It still has all the hydration benefits, thanks to ingredients like tamarind seed, which supports barrier function, but it feels light and refreshing on the skin. Plus, it has lavender and sandalwood to help lull you to sleep.

Key Ingredients: Tamarind seed, Persian silk tree, Wu-Zhu-Yu fruit extract
Best for: Dry skin, fine lines, wrinkles, dullness and uneven texture

Customer Review:

"The woman who gives me a facial used this product on me to help with hydration of my skin. She gave me a sample to try at home, and I went out and purchased this within 3 days. It is a real winner in the Dermalogica line of products. I love it!!" —Margaret

Packed with ceramides and fragrance-free, this overnight cream is ideal for those who experience sensitivity, redness, or even seasonal dryness. We also love that it comes with a matching spatula for clean application.

Key Ingredients: Japanese indigo extract, biomimetic ceramide blend, mondo grass root
Best for: Normal, dry, and combination skin

Customer Review:

"I have sensitive acne prone skin that has become very dry from the climate. I drink a ton of water but still had dry patches like crazy. This eczema certified product isn’t too heavy to create new acne but just heavy enough to calm my dry skin and red areas. It soothes and feels so nice. I use it at night and the little applicator is very nice to keep the lotion clean." —tuttifruitty

Made with a "bio retinol" derived from blue-green microalgae, this cream has firming effects you'll see in as little as two weeks. The soft texture is also surprisingly lightweight for a night cream, so it feels refreshing on skin, not thick or tacky.

Key Ingredients: Bio retinol, organic wild lavender, glycerin, squalane

Best for: Dry, stressed skin

Customer Review:

"When I use this night cream my face is so soft and my skin is always amazing in the morning! This night cream makes my usually dry flaky winter skin feel as soft and moisturized as my summer skin! I am very sensitive and I can use this cream! Its my new staple night cream!" —KC

There are a few reasons that additional skincare is important at nighttime. "Throughout the night, the skin undergoes a peak in transepidermal water loss (TEWL), meaning it becomes more permeable and prone to moisture depletion," explains Lolis. "To counteract this, night creams enriched with ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and glycerin function as both occlusives and humectants, effectively locking in hydration and reinforcing the epidermal barrier. This process is crucial in preventing irritation, inflammation, and environmental damage, ensuring the skin remains resilient and well-nourished by morning."

Your skin is also extra-active while you sleep. "The skin’s regenerative capacity peaks at night, with keratinocyte proliferation and DNA repair mechanisms reaching their highest levels during sleep, approximately three times faster than day time," explains the derm. "This makes nighttime the optimal period for introducing cell-regenerating actives, retinoids, peptides and growth factors and exfoliating agents."

• The 10 Best Ceramide Moisturizers for Baby-Soft Skin
• Here Are the 15 Best Moisturizers to Try If You Have Dry Skin
• The 10 Best Hyaluronic Acid Moisturizers for Major Hydration
• The 11 Best Moisturizers for Combination Skin, Ranked by Dermatologists

• Margarita Lolis, MD is a board-certified dermatologist at Schweiger Dermatology Group in Hackensack, New Jersey.