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Wondering what products you should be incorporating into your nighttime beauty routine? We've got you covered. We talked to dermatologists to see what kind of skincare products you should be using based on your skin type. Whether you have normal, dry, oily, combination or sensitive skin, we've got what you need to create the best routine for you.
"Your nighttime skincare routine primarily serves two very important purposes: 1) Remove dirt, makeup, debris, and pollution from the skin and 2) to potentially repair damage that has been done to the skin throughout the day," Dr. Elyse Love, MD, FAAD, board-certified dermatologist and Ulta Beauty dermatology partner, told E! News. "It allows you to hit the reset button for your skin, and give yourself that added TLC that will work hard for you overnight while you're sleeping."
When looking for products to add to your nighttime skincare routine, it's important to keep your skin type in mind. Everyone's skin has different needs, and according to cosmetic dermatologist Dr. Michele Green, MD, your nighttime routine may have to be adjusted to get yours to its optimal state.
With the help of dermatologists, we've rounded up a few products you may want to add to your nighttime routine. Check those out below.
Dry Skin
Dry skin can be a result of genetics along with many other factors such as change in temperature, dehydration, harsh ingredients in other products you use, or skin/other medical conditions. According to Dr. Michele, "The best ingredients to treat dry skin are those that are skin-soothing and repair and lock in the moisture of your skin barrier. Hyaluronic acid, lactic acid, and ceramides are particularly effective in treating dry skin."
CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser
Dr. Michele recommends the CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser for dry skin types. "It is extremely affordable but also includes great ingredients like hyaluronic acid and ceramides, which are lipids that make up 40 percent of your outer skin layer and help create your skin barrier by keeping germs out and keeping moisture in," she said. "Hyaluronic acid similarly keeps in skin moisture while reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles."
Glow Recipe Plum Plump Hyaluronic Acid Serum
Glow Recipe's Plum Plump serum was made to be hydrating with ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, antioxidant-rich plums and silk proteins. It's a Sephora shopper favorite with over 1,000 five-star reviews. As one reviewer wrote, "I love how this product feels on my face! It instantly provides a ‘plump' to my skin and helps so much with dry skin - especially in the winter! I definitely use when I need an extra boost of hydration!"
Aquaphor Healing Ointment
An affordable product to incorporate into your nighttime routine if you have dry skin is a barrier cream. You may be familiar with this if you've heard about slugging.
As Heidi Prather, MD, board-certified dermatologist, told E! News, "If you have a dry skin, it's really important to seal your skin after all of your serums with a barrier cream. This can be any moisturizer that helps enhance the integrity of the skin from dehydrating overnight. It also seals in all of your other products to help them penetrate and perform better." Aquaphor is a product you can use to keep your products locked-in. You can also do this with Vaseline.
SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore 242
SkinCeuticals' Triple Lipid is a beauty lovers-fave and comes recommended by Dr. Heidi. "It's formulated with ceramides to protect the skin and has a soothing light lavender scent," she told E! News. This is one product for dry skin types that's worth the splurge.
Oily Skin
It you have oily skin, it's best to be gentle and avoid drying ingredients. "Although you might want to scrub away the excess sebum or use products containing alcohol to leave your face fresh and clean, these products actually backfire," Dr. Michele said. "Scrubs and alcohol-based cleansers may temporarily relieve the oiliness but eventually, your skin might produce even more oil to replace the lost moisture."
CeraVe SA Cleanser
For oily skin, Dr. Michele recommends trying products containing salicylic acid. As she told E! News, "Salicylic acid is a beta-hydroxy acid with anti-inflammatory properties, making it effective in eliminating oil and other contaminants on your skin without drying it out." One great product to incorporate into your nightly routine is CeraVe's top-rated SA Cleanser. It wad made to gently cleanse and exfoliate while softening and smoothing the skin.
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Deep Cleansing Foaming Cream Cleanser
For another cleanser option, Dr. Michele recommends the La Roche-Posay Effaclar Deep-Cleansing Foaming-Cream Cleanser. "This cleanser has salicylic acid along with other alpha hydroxy acids which deeply cleanses your pores, increases cell turnover, and gets rid of oiliness."
Tatcha The Water Cream Oil-Free Pore Minimizing Moisturizer
Tatcha's best-selling Water Cream moisturizer is an oil-free, anti-aging moisturizer that's perfect for those with oily skin. As one Sephora reviewer wrote, "I have acne prone skin and oily skin and this feels so good on my skin. My skin has cleared up and this is one of the products I use and I will never stop using it. My skin looks amazing."
Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Retinol Pro Power Serum
According to Dr. Elyse, retinol is the MVP nighttime ingredient because it's light sensitive and works to repair and rejuvenate the skin while you sleep. One product she recommends for normal to oily skin is the Neutrogena Repair Retinol Pro Serum. It's her go-to because it's "gentle, but works hard to target advanced skins of aging."
Combination Skin
Combination skin is a result of overactive sebaceous glands in your T-zone, which include your forehead, nose, and chin. According to Dr. Michele, some telltale signs that you may have combination skin include having enlarged pores in your T-zone area, an oily T-zone area but dry cheeks and jawline, and/or skin that gets extra oily in the summer but tends to be drier in the winter.
"Finding the right skincare products for your nighttime routine when you have a mixture of both oily and dry skin can be a challenge since you need to find the right balance that fits your skin," she said. "Be sure to avoid products that include fragrance, parabens, or essential oils since they may harm your skin and cause inflammation."
Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2 Percent BHA Liquid Exfoliant
One product Dr. Michele recommends is the Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant. "It is a gentle leave-on exfoliant that is super lightweight and works to clear your pores and minimize them while brightening and evening out your skin tone," she said. "Since this product contains BHAs, it also assists with excess oil production."
Kiehl's Since 1851 Ultra Facial Moisturizing Cream with Squalane
Kiehl's Since 1851 Ultra Facial Moisturizing Cream with Squalane is fragrance-free moisturizer that's a go-to for numerous Sephora shoppers with combination skin.
As one reviewer wrote, "I always love Kiehl's products because the formulas are always great quality and it always does what it says. I have combination skin and can get on the oily side so I was so glad that this cream doesn't make my skin even more oily. It just really hydrates my skin and makes my skin feel very soft!"
TruSkin Vitamin C Serum
TruSkin's highly-rated Vitamin C serum contains good for your skin ingredients like vitamin C, botanical hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, witch hazel and jojoba oil. According to Amazon reviewers with combination skin, this product is a must-have.
In fact one shopper wrote, "I've tried so many different kinds of moisturizers and oils that never helped much. I applied the Vitamin C serum morning and night. Despite pollution, exhaustion, jet lag, and humidity, my skin looked incredibly bright and continued to do so after my return trek home to dry winter air. I will definitely be using this serum in the future. I just ordered my second bottle so I don't run out during another upcoming trip. Highly recommend."
Sensitive Skin
"Sensitive skin can be extremely difficult and frustrating to deal with since it can take considerable time and effort to determine which products work for your skin, and what ingredients cause inflammation and irritation," Dr. Michele said.
Before you introduce any new products to your face, be sure to do a patch test on your forearm or behind your ear to ensure the product won't cause a reaction. When looking for products to incorporate to your nighttime routine, be sure to look for products without fragrance, parabens, phthalates, and non-comedogenic, which means it doesn't block pores.
Fresh Soy Makeup Removing Face Wash
For sensitive skin, Dr. Michele recommends the Fresh Soy Face Cleanser, which actually also works for all skin types. "It has amino acid-rich soy proteins, calming cucumber extract, and rosewater to soothe and soften your sensitive skin," she said. "It is also pH-balanced with your skin to ensure it doesn't strip your skin of its essential nutrients."
Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Night Cream
The Murad Retinol Cream is a perfect option for anyone with "incredibly" sensitive skin. According to Dr. Elyse, this products works wonders while you sleep by simultaneously reducing the appearance of fine lines, evening skin tone, and providing hydration. Keep in mind, while retinol is an "all-star nighttime ingredient," it's always important to start incorporating it into your routine slowly no matter your skin type. That's to prevent any immediate redness or irritation, she said. You can then gradually make it a staple as your skin becomes familiar with it.
Youth to the People Adaptogen Deep Moisture Cream with Ashwagandha & Reishi
Youth to the People's Adaptogen Deep Moisture Cream is one we swear by. It may not look particularly pretty, but it's fragrance-free, deeply moisturizing an gets the job done. It doesn't irritate the skin, but actually feels really soothing while you put it on. Can't recommend this enough!
Normal Skin
People with normal skin can use a wide variety of skincare products without needing to worry as much as someone with another skin type. "Even so, it is important to maintain a skincare routine and to use products that nourish and rejuvenate your skin," Dr. Michele said.
Tree of Life Anti-Aging Skincare Trio
This $20 anti-aging skincare trio from Amazon has over 38,700 five-star reviews. It comes with three serums that were made for your skincare routine including a vitamin C serum, a retinol serum and a hyaluronic acid. According to just one of the thousands of rave reviews, "The Tree of Life serums deliver what they promise. My skin has never looked this beautiful since before I began my menopausal years. My pores are shrinking, and my wrinkles are gently smoothing out. It is by far the very best skin care line on the market. My two daughters who are young moms have begun using Tree of Life products and several of my 'mature' friends have begun using this line as well. You will not regret it, I promise."
Looking for more must-have nighttime skincare products? Check out 11 Under $50 Retinol Creams & Serums That Reviewers Swear By.