Night cream for dry skin: how to choose

In autumn and winter I get the same question every week: "My skin feels tight every evening. Which night cream should I choose?" Dry skin does not take a break at night, and that is exactly when you can give it extra care. In this guide I explain what makes a good night cream for dry skin, when a facial oil helps and how our products compare. Want to know more about how to apply a night cream? I wrote about that in Night cream: why your skin needs it and how to use it. Here I focus on choosing.

Short answer: for dry skin, choose a rich night cream with plant butters and oils high on the ingredient list, that absorbs without leaving a greasy layer. Apply it every evening as the last step of your routine. Is your skin very dry? Then add a few drops of facial oil. Our Organic Night Cream contains shea butter, is made with aloe vera instead of water and pairs well with our Organic Miracle Oil.

Why does dry skin need a different cream at night?

Dry skin makes little sebum and loses moisture faster. During the day it also deals with wind, cold, heating and make-up. In the evening, many people feel the result: skin that pulls, especially after cleansing.

At night your skin rests and works on its recovery. That makes the evening a good moment for a richer cream. A night cream does not have to sit under make-up or SPF, so it can be a little more nourishing than a day cream. It also has the whole night to absorb. In the morning you notice it: skin that feels softer and less tight.

What should you look for in a night cream for dry skin?

• Plant butters high on the list. Shea butter nourishes dry skin and helps keep moisture in overnight. The higher it is on the ingredient list, the more of it the cream contains.
• Oils with fatty acids. Oils such as jojoba, borage seed and sacha inchi oil help dry skin stay soft and supple.
• Moisture as a base. A cream needs a watery base. Look at what that is. In most creams it is water; in ours it is aloe vera juice.
• Calming plant extracts. Dry skin is often also a little irritated. Extracts such as calendula and chamomile are gentle choices.
• No greasy layer. A rich cream should still absorb. Then it also stays on your face, and not on your pillow.
• Sensitive skin too? Check the full list for things you react to, such as essential oils, and test first.

Night cream, facial oil or both?

A night cream and a facial oil do different things. The cream gives moisture and nourishment. An oil adds extra fats that help soften dry and rough patches. For skin that is only slightly dry, a good night cream is usually enough. For very dry skin, I often recommend combining them:

• Mix one or two drops of oil into your night cream in the palm of your hand.
• Or first apply the night cream and then press a drop of oil onto dry patches only.

Our Organic Miracle Oil has jojoba oil as its first ingredient, followed by St. John's wort oil, vitamin E and sesame oil, with extracts such as sea buckthorn and rosehip. It absorbs quickly and softens dry, rough and tight patches. Want to compare facial oils? Read Face oil for dry skin: how to choose or Which face oil suits your skin?

Which Abloom night cream suits dry skin?

We make one night cream: the Organic Night Cream. It is made with aloe vera instead of water: organic aloe vera juice is the first ingredient and shea butter the second. It also contains jojoba, borage seed and sacha inchi oil, sea buckthorn, vitamin E, calendula, chamomile and centella asiatica. The cream nourishes deeply without leaving a greasy layer, calms dry and tight skin and helps your skin feel softer in the morning.

Not sure about a 50 ml jar yet? Start with 15 ml.

Who is this night cream for?

The Night Cream suits dry and normal skin that feels tight in the evening, has dry patches or feels rough after a cold day. It is also a good choice for mature skin that feels drier and thinner than before; read more in Day cream for mature skin: how to choose.

Do you have combination or oily skin? Then use a thin layer. Is your skin sensitive? The cream contains essential oils, and that does not suit every skin. In Day cream for sensitive skin I explain how to test a new product calmly.

How do you use a night cream on dry skin?

1. Cleanse your skin thoroughly in the evening, with an oil first if you wear make-up or SPF, and then a mild cleanser.
2. Apply a toner, such as the Organic Hydrating Toner.
3. Using a serum? Apply a few drops and let them absorb.
4. Take a small amount of Night Cream and massage it into your face and neck with upward movements.
5. Very dry? Mix in a drop of Miracle Oil or press it onto dry patches.

In short

• Dry skin loses moisture faster and often feels tight in the evening.
• Choose a night cream with shea butter and plant oils high on the list that absorbs without a greasy layer.
• For very dry skin, combine your night cream with a few drops of facial oil.
• Use it every evening: regular care does more than a thick layer.

Read more

• Serum for dry skin: what it does and how to use it
• Day cream for mature skin: how to choose
• Night cream: why your skin needs it and how to use it
• Dry skin: tips and a routine that suits it

Not sure what your skin needs? Take our free skincare test, or ask our skin specialist through the chat on our website.

Love,
Barbara Baars
Skin Specialist