The world of cosmetics has thrived and evolved at a giant pace during the latest years. Nowadays, there is such a big offer of skincare products that sometimes it is tricky to choose the right ones for your skin.
Indeed, we have added cleansers, serums, toners, and nutricosmetics to what years ago was only a day and a night cream. But the truth is, unless all these products work extremely well, a day and a night cream should still be the most important part of your skin routine.
WHY TO USE A NIGHT CREAM
Do you know what circadian rhythm is? It refers to the body’s physiologic, metabolic, and behavioral rhythm. It affects all the organs, including the skin, which has its own circadian clock. The most significant rhythm change occurs at night while you sleep. At night your skin metabolism increases, cell turnover accelerates, and the tissues regenerate much faster. Moreover, while you sleep, your skin barrier doesn’t have to be constantly working to protect you from external stressors, and permeability increases. It means your skin absorbs the active ingredients much better during the night.
You can take advantage of all the restorative effects of the night by applying a rejuvenating night cream before hitting the sack.
And you may be asking yourself…why can’t I use a serum instead of a night cream? Using a serum at night is a great idea, and we highly recommend it, but you should apply your night cream afterward. If you don’t want to apply both, choose the night cream. Why? Because more skin permeability also means higher Transepidermal Water Loss (TWL) or loss of moisture, night creams are good to prevent TWL. Serums are very good for many reasons, but the cream is what locks your skin moisture while other products can’t.
You can read our article Serums vs Moisturizers to learn more about it.
HOW CHOOSE THE BEST NIGHT CREAM FOR YOUR SKIN
And here it comes the tricky part, how to choose the night cream that best suits your skin?
First thing to consider is your skin type and specific needs. Use an adapted cream according to your skin condition if needed.
If you don’t need any special care, choose your night cream considering the result you want to achieve and your skin sensitivity.
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To prevent skin aging or minimize the first signs of skin aging…
Choose a night cream with Antioxidants, Peptides, and Moisturizing ingredients.
Antioxidants will protect your skin cells from free radical damage.
Peptides have several benefits for the skin and can be easily absorbed. There are different types of peptides that can serve different purposes, from promoting skin protein formation to having a botox-like effect.
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For a potent rejuvenating effect…
Choose a cream with Antioxidants and moisturizing ingredients (ideally HA or Sodium Hyaluronate), plus Retinol and or AHAs to promote cell turnover and reduce wrinkles.
However, not everybody tolerates Retinol and AHAs every night. Using a potent rejuvenating cream containing these ingredients a couple of nights a week and a softer one the rest of the week is a clever choice to get the benefits and avoid irritation. Also, remember that Retinol and AHAs can be photosensitive if applied in the morning.
Having a restorative night sleep plus using the best possible skin care products for your unique skin is the perfect cocktail to wake up with a fresh and younger looking skin, full of vitality.
