This Drugstore Night Cream Measurably Firms Skin While You Sleep (2024)

The key to maximizing your beauty sleep? Adding a night cream to your evening skincare routine, dermatologists say. "Night is the best time to treat skin and repair concerns such as water loss, skin aging and dark spots," says Howard Sobel, M.D., clinical attending dermatologist and dermatologic surgeon at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City and founder of Sobel Skin. "This uninterrupted state is the optimum time for ‘rest and repair’ since you don’t have to protect skin against daily assaults such as UV damage, blue light exposure and pollutants, and skin is free of makeup and other pore-clogging residue that disrupts the repair process."

To find out which night creams really work, Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab scientists, who have decades of experience rigorously testing night creams, assess efficacy both in the Lab using technical instruments that can measure skin hydration and changes in wrinkles and dark spots, as well as on consumers at home, who evaluate them on ease of use and cosmetic factors.

In the Beauty Lab's most recent night cream test, over 11,200 data points were tallied to find the number one formulas, below. For more top-tested creams, check out our guide to the best neck-firming creams that actually work.

The winner of the GH Beauty Lab's most recent night cream test, Olay's light formula featuring gold-standard anti-aging ingredients retinol, niacinamide and peptides outperformed the rest at making skin look brighter and feel softer. It increased skin firmness by 27% according to measurements with the Lab’s Cutometer device, which measures skin laxity.

A tester favorite, an impressive 100% of users agreed it made skin feel softer, although a handful said it didn't soak in quickly. “This seemed to work as well as my prescription retinoid,” a tester marveled. “My face was firmer and smoother when I woke up each morning,” a second said.

RELATED: Our Beauty Lab Pros Put Olay's Regenerist Retinol24 Entire Line to the Test

Smooth on this "creamy" Clarins formula to wake up to more hydrated skin. In GH Beauty Lab Corneometer testing, it raised skin moisture levels by 37% over six hours, one of the highest measurements in the Lab's most recent test. Though it didn't perform as well at reducing wrinkles, the night cream upped skin firmness by 29% over four weeks in Lab Cutometer readings. It also ranked at the top among users for not causing redness or irritation.

"It made my skin so soft and hydrated that I stopped using my daytime product," a tester noted. Another said: "Family and friends told me I looked younger and more rested and wanted to know what I was doing differently."

RELATED: 13 Best Face Moisturizers for Dry Skin, According to Testing

Counteract dull skin and much more with this indulgent Dior night cream, made with exotic plant extracts. Although it's a splurge, it excelled in GH Beauty Lab testing at brightening, hydrating, smoothing and firming. In calculations with the Corneometer and Cutometer respectively, it boosted skin moisturization by 35% in six hours and firmness by 33% in four weeks of use. Visia Complexion Analyzer measures found it reduced wrinkles by 7% in the same time period.

It's pricey, but testers also gave it the best score for brightening skin and improving tone. "After a week or so, I noticed my skin seemed brighter when I looked in the mirror in the morning," one marveled. Another agreed: "In the morning, my skin looked much more radiant and plump, like baby skin."

SkinBetter Science's night treatment, a GH Beauty Award-winner, is supercharged with age-fighting actives including retinol, glycolic and lactic acids, and peptides to smooth skin's surface. GH Beauty Lab testing with the Cutometer machine showed that it increased skin firmness by 28% in four weeks. It also earned the top score for smoothing texture in Visia Complexion Analyzer measurements, however it was not very hydrating compared to other formulas.

Testers gave it high marks for absorbing quickly. Two reported that their "fine lines were diminished." Another echoed that it "minimized some fine forehead lines."

This Origins mask, applied like a night cream as a last step in your skincare routine, was a winner in the GH Beauty Lab's overnight masks test. In Lab moisturization measurements with the Corneometer machine, it improved skin hydration by 36% over a course of six hours.

Ingredients such as glycerin and hyaluronic acid help moisturize skin and niacinamide can improve skin discoloration and elasticity. "I really noticed a difference the next morning in my super dehydrated skin when I used it; it felt soothed and much softer," says our expert who is a personal fan of the product. The thick formula may be too heavy for oily skin, though.

This Philosophy formula, packed with skin-softening, nourishing hyaluronic acid, glycerin and squalane, was a GH Beauty Lab night cream test winner thanks to strong moisturization without irritation. It raised hydration by 34% over six hours, and it upped firmness by 29% in four weeks in Lab assessment.

The cream rated best for smoothing texture and being gentle on skin; it also earned high marks for firming. Almost 100% of testers said the fragrance-free formulation didn’t irritate or cause redness, however some said it didn't soak in quickly. “My skin looked better after the first night,” one remarked.

A GH Seal star, Mary Kay's night cream hydrates and fights top signs of aging, like deep lines and uneven skin tone. And even though it’s formulated with powerful retinol, it’s still gentle enough if you have sensitive skin. Data revealed that when applied nightly, the overnight treatment effectively smooths wrinkles and improves skin tone, while leaving skin moisturized for up to 10 hours. While the scent is subtle, it does have a slight medicinal aroma.

RELATED: 10 Best Retinols for Sensitive Skin, Tested by Experts

Formulated with retinyl palmitate, a powerful, proven anti-ager, No7’s night cream was highly effective at addressing several mature skin concerns in GH Beauty Lab testing. The formula reduced wrinkles by 13% and increased firmness 34% over four weeks per measurements with the Visia Complexion Analyzer and Cutometer, respectively. It also raised skin moisturization by 32% in six hours, however it didn't perform as well at fading dark spots.

Testers gave it high marks for not causing irritation, absorbing quickly and having an appealing texture that wasn't too sticky or greasy. "It made my skin look younger and supple," a user reported.

A GH Beauty Lab test winner, Caudalie's cream delivered real moisturization results in evaluations — boosting skin hydration by 43% in just six hours and was best at smoothing texture. It’s formulated with plant-derived ingredients like moisturizing grapeseed oil and resveratrol, a free-radical fighting antioxidant.

Six testers reported how “smooth” the cream felt as it went on and made their faces feel. “It moisturized my skin into the morning,” one raved. “I woke up looking refreshed,” another said. They also gave it perfect marks for not being greasy or irritating, and while many found the herbal scent "pleasant", a few said it was "off-putting".

Tighten sagging skin with Algenist’s dense balm, made with fortifying ceramides and fatty acids. It was the strongest of all night creams evaluated at firming skin and evening out skin tone over four weeks of use, according to Lab assessments.

Cutometer calculations showed that it boosted skin elasticity and firmness by 33% over four weeks, and hydration increased by 28% in six hours in Corneometer readings. Two testers reported that it faded their dark spots, but some found the thick texture didn't absorb fast. “I could really tell a difference in my skin — it was more firm and moist 24/7,” another raved.

When searching for a night cream, consider both your skin type and goals, then look for ingredients tailored to your complexion like the ones below, recommended by Dr. Sobel and Tonya McLeod, M.D., a dermatologist in Charlotte, North Carolina:

✔️ For glowing skin, brightening acids (like glycolic, lactic and azelaic), retinol, vitamin C and niacinamide will help stimulate skin cell turnover, promoting radiance.
✔️ For aging skin, shop for night creams with proven anti-agers like peptides, retinol, epidermal growth factors and hydroxy acids (like glycolic) to help smooth wrinkles. Also look for protective antioxidants (such as vitamin C, vitamin E, coenzyme Q10 and niacinamide).
✔️ For dark spots and hyperpigmentation, choose products with brightening vitamin C, retinol, niacinamide, licorice root extract or glycolic, kojic, lactic, azelaic and ferulic acids to help brighten and even skin tone.
✔️ For dry skin, seek out a richer formula like a cream or balm and look for hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid, ceramides, squalane, aloe and plant butters (i.e. shea) and oils (i.e. coconut) to replenish moisture.
✔️ For oily, combination or acne-prone skin, look for a lighter formula such as a lotion or gel in a formula that contains balancing and oil-reducing acids like salicylic, glycolic, azelaic and lactic; retinol can also help minimize breakouts.
✔️ For sensitive skin, try calming ingredients like allantoin, oat extract, glycerin, bisabolol and cucumber extract, which soothe skin without irritating. Avoid fragrance, acids and alcohol, which can irritate reactive skin.

A night cream really is different than your typical daytime face moisturizer. "Whereas regular moisturizers focus on improving the natural moisture barrier of the skin only, night creams contain active ingredients that assist with improving the skin beyond adding moisture," explains Dr. McLeod. Night creams are packed with effective skincare ingredients and powerful anti-agers that aim to address skin concerns like lines, wrinkles and hyperpigmentation, leading to a more hydrated, youthful-looking complexion over time.

While these creams can hydrate and brighten your skin, they work best in tandem with a good night's sleep, the body's natural repair process. "Growth hormone, produced during deep sleep, plays a role in protein synthesis, which helps our bodies heal damage to cells, including skin," explains Christopher Winter, M.D., a sleep medicine specialist in Charlottesville, Virginia.

For optimal results, apply a night cream during your evening routine after makeup removal, face cleansing and any other treatments, such as serums and eye cream, Dr. Sobel advises. It may seem like more is better when it comes to night cream, but there's no need to slather it on as if you're icing a cake: "Smooth a pea-sized amount all over the face in a thin layer," Dr. McLeod recommends.

And don't forget sun safety: "When using a night cream with strong actives such as retinol and alpha hydroxy acids that can sensitize skin, be diligent about applying a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or more during the day," says GH Beauty Lab Chemist Danusia Wnek. "Keep night cream bottles and jars tightly closed to keep the product fresh and avoid accelerated degradation of the ingredients."

GH Beauty Lab Senior Chemist Danusia Wnek conducted the most recent night cream test, utilizing both lab instrumentation and consumer feedback to recommend the best products on the market. She also provided expert commentary for this story.

GH Beauty Director April Franzino worked with Wnek to report the GH Beauty Lab's testing data and expert insights in this article. She has over 15 years of experience researching, writing and editing skincare-related content and is an expert in all face and body skincare product categories, including night creams.

GH Beauty Lab Reviews Analyst Chiara Butler has a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Columbia University and years of experience as a cosmetic chemist formulating skincare products for a variety of beauty brands. She reviewed this article for accuracy.

Additional reporting and writing by Nicole Saporita