Pulling up to the hydration station.
My skin typically gets super dry during the night. Something about the pumped-up heat, rubbing my face on my pillow, and going hours without drinking anything has always resulted in me waking up the next morning with tight, unhappy skin. But things changed when I learned this beauty secret: All you need to avoid late-night skin stressors are night creams. The thick moisturizers are chock-full of ingredients that hydrate deeply and correct skin imperfections all throughout your unconscious hours. Slather them on before bed and it’s like sleeping in a spa.
There’s no reason to be ashamed if you didn’t know the secret to super-hydrated skin. I didn’t even know about the wonder and magic of night creams until Frank Ocean taught me. "I need the night cream because when I wake up I feel very beautiful, moisturized, and ready to have people making eye contact with me, ready to look above my eyebrow, below the eyebrow,” Ocean told GQ back in 2019. “That’s the life hack right there." And it is. In his interview, Ocean even included tips, like getting a night cream that has retinol since it can make your skin sun-sensitive. Even though he’s not a beauty expert, given how dewy and smooth his face is, I’m inclined to believe Ocean knows what he’s talking about. And, TBH, I’d do anything he told me to.
So if you want deeply hydrated skin that moisturizes while you snooze at night, all you need to do is integrate a thick night cream into your beauty routine. Waking up has never looked and felt so good.
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Fenty Skin’s Brightening Overnight Gel ($40, Fenty Skin) works instantly to hydrate. In a study conducted by the brand, Fenty reported 100% of users found their skin softer, bouncier, and fresher after using the gel overnight. Say goodbye to looking as tired as you feel in the morning.
If you want to follow in Ocean’s footsteps, CeraVe’s Night Cream ($19, Ulta Beauty) has retinol in a time-release formula to keep your skin healthy and non-irritating all throughout your sleeping hours.
For those who don’t like thick moisturizers, you can still get the plump effect with Kiehl’s Midnight Face Oil ($52, Sephora). It includes a lavender essential oil to calm down not just your skin but also your senses before hitting the hay.
If you want hydration to be the main focus of your night cream, Mario Badescu’s Caviar Night Cream ($22, Mario Badescu) formula features collagen and cocoa butter to nourish your skin for hours on end.
The reviews are in, and TULA’s Night Cream ($24, Target) is a nearly five-star product. “Absolutely love this cream,” one reviewer wrote. “It’s perfect for day or night. It gives a natural shine/glow without making my face feel oily ... it’s very hydrating and a little goes a long way.” I don’t know about you, but that checks all of my boxes.
Your favorite drugstore brand e.l.f. also has its take on nighttime hydration with its Nourishing Night Cream ($16, CVS). You need only apply a small amount of this vitamin E-filled moisturizer to reap the glowing benefits.
For a moisturizer free of artificial fragrances with a clean formula to boot, try First Aid Beauty’s Ultra Repair Night Cream ($42, First Aid Beauty). It has a buttery-thick consistency so you can feel luxurious from the first application up until your alarm goes off.
To supercharge your skin and say goodbye to any dark spots, dry patches, and pimples, you’ll need Pafica’s Collagen Recovery Cream ($30, Walmart). Collagen is great for plumping skin, hydrating, and smoothing, and this product has it in spades.
Gorgeous, gorgeous girls use night creams. Gorgeous, gorgeous hydrate 24/7.
