A good night cream should ideally do three things: repair, restore, and hydrate your skin. Also, unlike daytime moisturizers, which need to be non-greasy and lightweight enough to wear under makeup, night creams should be richer and thicker, or contain ingredients that aren't intended to be worn in the sun (such as retinol). The best drugstore night creams tick all these boxes, and best of all, they won't put a major dent in your wallet.
To choose the right one for you, think about your skin type and primary skin concerns. For example, if you're looking for something that will mildly exfoliate and resurface your skin as you sleep, look for a night cream with retinol or AHAs. Something with vitamin C would be ideal if you're targeting hyperpigmentation or an uneven-looking skin tone, while ceramides and/or hyaluronic acid should be your go-to ingredients if you're interested in strengthening your skin's barrier and attracting moisture, respectively.
Scroll on to shop six of the best affordable night creams that target all of the aforementioned skin concerns and more — all for less than $50 on Amazon.
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CeraVe's Skin Renewing Night Cream helps promote stronger, softer, more moisturized skin both immediately and over time — and who couldn't benefit from that? Enriched with barrier-strengthening ceramides, hydrating hyaluronic acid, firming peptides, and anti-inflammatory niacinamide, this fragrance-free night cream is a solid choice for just about any skin type. Not for nothing, over 12,000 Amazon shoppers left it a five-star review or rating after purchasing.
Another number-one best-seller on Amazon, this Burt's Bees Night Cream is designed for people with sensitive, irritation-prone skin. The hypoallergenic, fragrance-free formula uses gentle ingredients like aloe vera, sunflower seed oil, cotton flower extract, and shea butter to smooth and moisturize skin. What's more, it boasts the Seal of Acceptance from the National Eczema Association, so you can trust that it's an extra safe choice.
Housed in a massive, 14-ounce tub, Pond's Rejuveness face cream contains the AHA lactic acid, which is great for gently exfoliating your skin as you sleep. It helps promote a smoother texture and more even-looking skin tone, while collagen and glycerin offer firming and moisturizing benefits. This is another popular pick among Amazon reviewers, with one person referring to it as a "magical elixir."
Like the Burt's Bees night cream, this is another great choice for sensitive skin — but it's particularly well-suited to those dealing with redness and/or rosacea, since it contains the skin-calming anti-inflammatory licochalcone, which is an extract of licorice root. The refreshing gel-cream makes dry, irritated skin feel comfortable and soothed immediately upon application, and it's hypoallergenic, oil-free, and fragrance-free, to boot.
If you like to get your nightly dose of retinol in moisturizer form, go with this Olay Regenerist Retinol24 Night Moisturizer. This fragrance-free night cream is ideal for people looking to even out their skin's texture and tone, though retinol is also great for combatting breakouts, thanks to its pore-unclogging abilities. Just be sure to be diligent about daily sunscreen application when using products with retinol, since it can make your skin more sensitive to the sun.
As a bonus, this night cream also comes with a travel-sized pouch of the brand's best-selling Whip face moisturizer.
Neutrogena's Triple Age Repair Night Moisturizer contains the antioxidant vitamin C, which is great for brightening your skin (aka promoting a clearer, more even-looking complexion). Other key ingredients in here include shea butter, glycerin, and dimethicone for smoothness and moisture, while the brand's Hexinol technology provides more firming and skin-restoring benefits.
