#The Best Night Creams to Fake a Good Night’s Sleep

Top Product: No7 Lift and Luminate Night Cream | $27 | Ulta

We’ve all been there, you get a bad night’s sleep and it reads all over your face. Dull skin, raccoon eyes, and uneven patches are all culprits when a night without peaceful slumber hits. Lucky for us there are a few quality night creams to aid with each of those concerns. Here are the best of the bunch, based on my personal, anecdotal experience as well as that of my favorite beauty gurus.

The Best Night Cream: No7 Lift and Luminate

I have a close friend that used to work for No7’s parent company and gifted me a giant basket of their products ages ago for the holidays. All of my U.K. pals told me to use the Lift and Luminate triple-action night cream first and assured me I’d fall in love with it. Well, they were right. I still keep a tub of the stuff in my nightstand for when I’m having off days. This cream does everything you can think of: softens skin, evens tone, firms, and reduces fine lines. If you’ve got a big event coming up, start using this a few days or a week ahead of time and I can assure you’ll be glowing. No7 is known for top-notch skin care products, and Lift and Luminate is one of its best sellers for a reason.

Best Moisturizing Night Cream: CeraVe

Boy, am I lucky to have a dermatology expert as a best friend. I always snoop around to see what’s on her nightstand, and from what I can tell she’s CeraVe’s biggest fan. The company’s skin renewing night cream works with your body’s own way of repairing your skin while you sleep. And wouldn’t you know it, it was created by first-class dermatologists. Gently formulated, this night cream allows you to wake up with refreshed skin. The niacinamide helps calm irritation (if you have any) and the hyaluronic acid keeps your face dewy by maintaining moisture through the night. It’s gentle and great for sensitive faces, too. If you’re looking for a budget brand, this is the cream for you.

Best for Dry Skin: belif Aqua Bomb Sleeping Mask

I was testing this right before lockdown and absolutely loved it. My skin tends to get dry in patches, especially during winter, and the belif Aqua Bomb sleeping mask was ideal to spot treat those areas. Literally, a little dab’ll do ya. I’ve used this also as an under-eye solution from time to time to help bring some life back after a couple of late nights on deadline. The Aqua Bomb sleeping mask from belif is more like a jelly than a cream but it’s just as good. It does seem a bit pricey for a smaller tub, but I can tell you firsthand, you will get your money’s worth. Because you don’t need to slather on a ton of this, you’ll be absolutely radiant with even just a small smear. This is a clean beauty product and it even has a bit of a cooling aspect when applied.

Best Anti-Aging Night Cream: Fresh Lotus Youth Preserve

I bought this for my mom’s birthday last year. She’s in her 70s with sensitive fair skin and wanted something light to dazzle that epidermis. Seeing how delicate her skin is, I thought a certified clean beauty product was a perfect option. Fresh’s antioxidant-rich Lotus anti-aging night moisturizer was just what she was searching for. Obviously, it doesn’t erase wrinkles but it did sorta blanket them with a softness that left her beaming after just a few uses. Both the lotus and peach leaf extract help protect against free-radical damage and it lets off a subtle, relaxing scent too. Known for its first-class line of masks, moisturizers, and eye creams, Fresh’s Lotus night cream falls right in line with the rest of its offerings in terms of reliability and quality.

Best for Dull Skin: Dermalogica Sound Sleep Cocoon

Time to treat yourself and splurge on a top-rated bestseller, Dermalogica’s Sound Sleep Cocoon. Much like all the night creams on this list, the Sound Sleep Cocoon can help with dryness and fine lines but it really comes through for dullness and patchy textures. If you’ve been fatigued for a few days and it’s starting to show on your pretty mug, Dermalogica’s got you covered. ? Another clean beauty pick, it contains some of the best natural ingredients. Tamarind seed, Persian silk tree, and Wu-Zhu-Yu fruit extract may sound a little woo-woo, but together they’ll make your face glow once again. The “Cocoon” also works to jumpstart microcirculation which leads to the luminous look you’ve been trying to achieve.