Finding the right night cream can take some trial and error. Part of the journey is buying a product and testing it out on your skin to see if it works for you.
But if you need a place to start, Dr. Anna Guanche, board-certified dermatologist, author, and celebrity beauty expert based in Calabasas, California, recommends considering your skin type and goals when looking for a night cream.
Find your skin type
One of the easiest ways to find your skin type is through a wash test, where you wash your face and see how it reacts the rest of the day.
“If your skin feels tight after washing and you feel the need to use a moisturizer or hydrating serums throughout the day, your skin is likely dry. If your pores dilate with oil throughout the day, and there is shine on your forehead, nose, cheeks, and chin (T-zone), your skin is likely oily. If you have dry cheeks and an oily T-zone, your skin is likely combination skin, which is very common,” Guanche says.
Look for key ingredients
“It is important to review ingredients and know what you are applying on your skin,” Guanche says. “Hyaluronic acid and ceramides are great ingredients for moisture. Retinol is a great ingredient for anti-aging, as it increases cell turnover, builds collagen, and reduces pore size.
“Vitamin C is great for building collagen and for brightening — reducing excess pigmentation. And glycolic acid, an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA), is a great exfoliant to smooth out dead skin cells and, again, brighten the skin,” Guanche adds.
Do your research
It’s good to keep in mind that cosmetics are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), but they are regulated. This means the FDA will monitor some ingredients like color additives and prohibit the marketing of adulterated or misbranded cosmetics under the FD&C ActTrusted Source, but cosmetics otherwise don’t need FDA premarket approval.
Because of that, it’s a good idea to research the ingredients in a product before buying it. You can use online tools like INCI Decoder, which breaks down ingredients and what they do for your skin in an approachable way. You can also look at Environmental Working Group (EWG) ratings.
When you do find a product you like, you likely won’t see immediate results. With most skin care products, it’ll take time — about 6 to 8 weeks to start seeing a noticeable difference in the skin, as long as the product doesn’t cause an allergic reaction.
How to do a patch test
Once you’ve decided on a product, it’s best to do a patch test on a small patch of your skin to see how it will react to the ingredients before using it more widely.
To do this, apply a small amount of cream to a small patch of skin, such as your forearm, before going to bed. In the morning, check to see if there are any signs of an allergic reaction, such as a rash, redness, or irritation. If you notice any of these signs, stop using the product.