After a long working day filled with stress, and pressure, and perhaps tired and worn out by the few hours of sleep, it becomes essential to take out some time to take care of ourselves and our skin.
According to popular belief, the skin is one of the organs of our body that suffers the most because of stress and pollution, and for this reason, facial skin care is essential. Night cream should, therefore, be one of the main pillars of the daily routine dedicated to your well-being.
Right below, we had selected some of the best night creams for you.
Things to Consider Before Buying Night Creams
What Exactly Is Night Cream?
Night creams are cosmetic products designed for facial skincare at night. They are specially formulated to meet the needs of the skin during the night and have a great moisturizing function, as well as presenting additional properties to treat the skin in the best way.
To understand the importance of a night cream, you need to keep in mind a fundamental aspect. The requirements of our skin are not the same during the day as at night. Therefore, the creams have been developed for day or night use. This allows complete skincare, wholly adapted to the personal needs of each person.
Why Is It Advisable to Use Night Cream?
During the day, the skin is exposed to multiple external agents: sun rays, free radicals, contamination. These factors can cause damage to our skin which must then be repaired. This repair process takes place overnight. Our skin uses rest to regenerate and repair itself from any alterations.
Fernanda Pérez, an expert in dermatology, says that night creams promote this process of cell repair and renewal. In addition, he claims that they are more nutritious products, with a higher concentration of active ingredients and components with specific purposes.
What Is the Difference Between a Day Cream and A Night Cream?
The big difference between a day cream and a night cream lies in its function. The main role of day creams is to hydrate the skin and protect it from potentially harmful external agents. Instead, the goal of night creams is to repair and regenerate our skin during sleep.
Having completely different roles obviously translates into a somewhat different composition. Day creams usually contain moisturizing, anti-aging, and antioxidant compounds—for example, hyaluronic acid, vitamins C and E, or collagen. In addition, many of them incorporate variable factor sun protection.
What Types of Night Creams Are There?
As with most cosmetics, a wide variety of night creams exist today. The cosmetics sector is advancing, and more and more products are being developed with new and improved formulations. In the case of night creams, you will, therefore, find different types with different specific properties.
Of course, all night creams will have some functions in common, such as moisturizing, repairing, and regenerating the skin. For example, you will find night creams specially designed to fight the signs of aging and others with neutral formulas for sensitive skin.
In short, there are no distinct types of night creams. Each product adapts to specific characteristics. For example, the type of skin, the desired results, or the type of ingredients (natural or synthetic cosmetics). This explains the growing diversity of night creams available on the market.
When Should I Start Using Night Cream?
Each person has different skin, with specific characteristics and needs. As a general rule, dermatology experts recommend starting using night cream at around 30 years old. From this moment, the synthesis of collagen slows down, and elasticity decreases.
However, it is a general criterion that should not be taken literally. Always keep in mind the characteristics of each type of skin. For example, in the case of dry skin, it is recommended to use night cream around the age of 25. These skins are more prone to develop wrinkles at an early age.
In contrast, oily skin usually has a higher level of hydration, and signs of aging appear later. For this reason, the application of the night cream can be delayed up to about 35 years. Therefore, it is essential to adapt the use of the night cream to your needs and those of your skin.
How Is Night Cream Applied?
It may seem intuitive, but applying the cream overnight requires some technique. It is essential to perform the process correctly to get the desired results. The first step is to cleanse your face thoroughly so that the cream can act best. So, take a moderate amount of product in the palm of your hand.
With your fingers, distribute small amounts of cream all over your face. Then extend the product by making circular movements from the center outwards. It is recommended to start from the front, following the centerline of the face up to the chin. Finally, don’t forget also to moisturize the neck and décolleté.
What Side Effects Can a Night Cream Have?
Night creams are very safe cosmetics. Before being placed on the market, they are dermatologically tested to prevent unwanted reactions. Therefore, the side effects associated with night creams are practically nil. If such an inconvenience occurs, it would often be people with some skin disease.
Eye irritation is an example of a possible adverse reaction. Night creams are intended for facial use, and their contact with the eyes should be avoided. On the other hand, allergic or hypersensitivity reactions can also occur due to individual components. However, these are somewhat unusual situations.
What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Night Creams?
We now know that night creams offer many benefits to our skin, keeping it healthy on the outside and also on the inside. On some occasions, unwanted reactions may occur, although they are rare. The following table summarizes the advantages and disadvantages of using a night cream.
Advantages
- Deep hydration
- Nutrition of the skin
- Cell repair and regeneration
- Microcirculation improvement
Disadvantages
- Irritation on eye contact
- Allergic or hypersensitivity reactions
