When it comes to skincare, if you’re not taking advantage of the restorative powers of night-time rest, you’re missing out.
While you sleep, your skin is healing. Dr Asha Chhaya, aesthetic doctor and women’s health expert at London-based WY Skin Clinic, told Gulf News: “The skin regenerates and repairs itself while we sleep. Without the stress of UV (ultraviolet) rays and pollution, the skin can focus on recovery, making night time the ideal time for skin rejuvenation.”
So, what if you could boost its efforts with some well-chosen skincare products?
We curated a list of the best night-time skincare essentials, based on recommendations by Dr Chhaya, and highly rated products on Amazon. Learn more about how you can boost your skin’s health by scrolling down. Pick your favourite products with a Prime membership to get them delivered to you as early as tomorrow.
1. Best Cleanser: CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser
Suitable for people with normal to dry skin types, CeraVe’s Hydrating Cleanser doesn’t disrupt the skin’s natural protective barrier or strip it of its natural moisture. In fact, it boosts hydration, thanks to three essential ceramides and hyaluronic acid. The formula also includes time-release technology for all-day hydration. It’s non-comedogenic, fragrance-free, and pH-balanced so it’s gentle enough to use every night, and won’t irritate the skin. Reviewers say a little goes a long way, and a one-litre bottle can last for months, even if your entire family is using it.
2. Best Gentle Cleanser: La Roche-Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Cleanser
Recommended by Dr Chhaya, La Roche-Posay’s popular cleanser is a good way to start your night-time skincare routine. Its gentle formula includes prebiotic thermal water, ceramide-3, niacinamide and glycerin, which cleanses the skin of dirt, make-up and impurities even as it maintains the skin’s natural moisture barrier and pH level. Over 29,000 reviewers give this product a 4.6-star rating, with many attesting to the fact that it leaves the skin feeling hydrated, without appearing greasy. Users with sensitive skin say it’s gentle enough for daily use.
3. Best Serum: The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5
Before you move on to a moisturiser, give your skin the best chance of hydrating and repairing itself, with The Ordinary’s Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 serum. This new and improved formula now includes a ceramide blend, which supports the skin’s barrier and keeps it protected. Other key ingredients include five forms of hyaluronic acid for immediate hydration to multiple layers of the skin, as well as pro-vitamin B5, which promotes suppleness and elasticity, while minimising the appearance of fine dry lines. The overall result is smoother, softer skin that feels hydrated and has a more youthful appearance.
4. Best Anti-Ageing Serum: Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronised Recovery Complex
For those looking to mitigate the signs of ageing, consider Estée Lauder’s Advanced Night Repair serum. Deep and fast-penetrating, this formula uses ‘night peptides’, a patented ingredient that harnesses 40 years of research by the brand. Combined with hyaluronic acid, the serum addresses loss of firmness and uneven skin tone, along with fine lines, wrinkles, and dullness. Reviewers say they’ve noticed a visible reduction in the size of their pores, and find its oil-free formula to be both hydrating and non-greasy.
4. Best Retinol Serum: Paula’s Choice 1% Retinol Treatment
A well-chosen retinol serum can help you slow down the signs of ageing, and help support your skin’s health. The retinol treatment by Paula’s Choice uses a high-strength one per cent retinol concentration, and a controlled-release delivery system to ensure that it’s fully absorbed into the skin, with an even, consistent penetration. It’s a lightweight serum that includes a blend of four peptides and stabilised vitamin C, to not just diminish the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines, and uneven skin tone, but also give it a youthful glow. Soothing licorice, oat and willow bark extracts also help calm redness and alleviate irritation. The brand recommends using the serum twice or three times a week to start. Don’t forget to use sunscreen in the day time! Since retinol promotes cellular turnover, it can leave your new skin cells more vulnerable to UV damage.
5. Best Moisturiser: CeraVe PM Moisturising Lotion
Dr Chhaya said: “A rich moisturiser like CeraVe PM Facial Moisturising Lotion… will help lock in moisture.” This rich, velvety lotion is packed with powerhouse ingredients like ceramide-3 for protecting the skin barrier, hyaluronic acid for attracting hydration to the skin’s surface and retaining moisture, and niacinamide to calm the skin and reduce redness. A patented time-release delivery system continually releases moisturising ingredients all night, for long-lasting hydration. Reviewers with dry skin say the cream stops their skin from flaking or feeling tight, and leaves it feeling soft and supple instead.
6. Best Gel Moisturiser: Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel
If thick and creamy moisturisers irritate your skin, then Neutrogena’s Hydro Boost is the right pick for you. This moisturiser goes on like a lightweight gel, but it’s packed with emollients and antioxidants. A complex of purified hyaluronic acid binds water and retains it for hours. You can even use it in the day time, since it features a broad spectrum sun protection factor (SPF) of 25 to protect the skin against sun damage and pollutants. The formula is oil-free and non-comedogenic, and suitable for all skin types. Reviewers say it absorbs quickly, leaving the skin feeling quenched and refreshed.
7. Best Mask: Laneige Water Sleeping Mask
A K-beauty bestseller, Laneige’s sleeping mask helps cocoon your face in nourishing ingredients. According to Dr Chhaya, a “hydrating mask like Laneige Water Sleeping Mask can provide an extra boost, ensuring you wake up with refreshed, rejuvenated skin”. This overnight mask is hypoallergenic and features a powerful probiotic-derived complex that helps reveal smoother, brighter skin and reduces the amount of dead skin cells. Squalane, a hydrating ingredient that’s extracted from sugar cane, boosts hydration and increases elasticity, while niacinamide and Saururus chinensis extract (an East Asian plant with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties) help the skin look more revitalised. Overall, it’s a power-packed mask with a lightweight consistency, which you can leave on at night and rinse off in the morning; use once or twice a week for optimal results.
How our skin behaves at night
Even though we’re fast asleep at night, our skin is active, working miracles as we rest.
Dr Chhaya explained: “During the night, your skin enters a restorative phase where cell turnover increases and the body's repair processes are most active. This is also when collagen production, which helps keep the skin firm and elastic, is at its highest. Blood flow to the skin increases, delivering essential nutrients and oxygen to help with healing.”
It’s why bed time is the best time to cultivate a skincare routine that offers long-lasting benefits. One way to think about it is – you could focus on protecting your skin during the day (with sunblock, moisturisers, antioxidants), and repairing it during the night (with growth factors, peptides, retinoids).
The best night-time skincare routine
When it comes to developing a soothing and restorative skincare routine for the night, where should you begin?
Dr Chhaya shares some advice: “A good night-time skincare routine should focus on cleansing, treating, and moisturising the skin to support its natural repair processes. You should start with a gentle cleanser to remove make-up, dirt, and impurities from the day. This is important as clean skin is better at absorbing treatments that follow. Next, apply a treatment like a serum rich in antioxidants or hyaluronic acid to hydrate and repair the skin. Finally, use a nourishing moisturiser to lock in moisture and protect the skin's barrier. Adding an eye cream can also help care for the delicate skin around the eyes, preventing fine lines and puffiness.”
Moreover, if you’re in the habit of using retinol creams or serums, it’s best to do so at night.
Our expert said: “Retinol, a vitamin A derivative, boosts cell turnover and collagen production, making it great for reducing fine lines, wrinkles, and pigmentation. However, retinol can make your skin more sensitive to sunlight, increasing the risk of sunburn and irritation. Using it at night minimises this risk and allows the retinol to work without interference from UV rays. Plus, night-time use aligns with the skin's natural repair cycle, making retinol even more effective.”
But even though the night offers ample opportunity to heal and repair all aspects of your skin, Dr Chhaya warns against doing things that could cause adverse effects. She said: “At night, it's important to avoid skincare practices that could disrupt the skin's repair process. Steer clear of harsh products or ingredients like strong exfoliants or alcohol-based toners, which can strip your skin of its natural oils and damage the skin barrier. Overloading your skin with too many products can also be harmful, leading to clogged pores or irritation. Also, you shouldn’t skip moisturiser, as your skin needs extra hydration at night to support its natural repair and regeneration.”
Find a balance, with products that suit your skin and address your particular concerns. A consistent night-time routine should produce results that, in the long run, will grant you a nourished, glowing complexion.
Our recommendations are independently chosen by Gulf News editors. If you decide to shop through links on our website, we may earn an affiliate commission, as we are part of Amazon Services LLC Associates Program.
