Best Night Moisturizer Based On Your Skin Type (Ingredients To Look For & Avoid)

January 15, 2024

The right evening moisturizer can make all the difference when it comes to the look, feel, and overall health of your complexion. To help you find the ultimate formula for your needs, we’re covering the key things to know about choosing a night moisturizer for your skin type.

How to Identify Your Skin Type

Finding the best night moisturizer requires you to know your skin type. Doing so will allow you to pick a formula that works with your skin, rather than against it.

There is dry skin, which is skin that produces minimal amounts of sebum (AKA oil). You likely have this skin type if you are prone to flaking and rough patches, and if your skin tends to feel parched throughout the day.

On the opposite end of the spectrum is oily skin, which is characterized by skin that produces an excess of sebum all over the face. If you are prone to shine and have a complexion that feels greasy, you’re probably dealing with oily skin.

Combination skin sits between these two skin types. With this type, the complexion produces extra oil in certain areas of the face, but will be more dry in other spots. Most often, the T-zone (the forehead, nose, and chin) is the area where people with combination skin experience more oiliness.

If you have a complexion that is particularly prone to irritation, redness, itchiness, and other signs of aggravation, you likely have sensitive skin. Note that you can have sensitive skin that is also dry or oily.

Last but not least is mature skin, which generally refers to skin that is showing signs of aging, such as fine lines, wrinkles, and dark spots. Our skin produces less oil as we age, which means those with mature skin also often deal with dryness.

Role of Night Moisturizers

A good-quality night moisturizer will enhance your skin’s natural rejuvenation process as you sleep. It’s designed to add moisture back to your complexion and support repair, ensuring you wake up with supple, healthy skin. Compared to a daytime moisturizer, evening formulas often have richer consistencies to ensure your skin’s moisture levels are adequately replenished.

Ingredients to Look For Based on Skin Type

Once you’ve identified your skin type, it’s time to find your moisturizer. Here are the ingredients to look for when seeking the best night moisturizers for every skin type:

- Dry Skin: In order to give dry skin the moisture it needs, you’ll want to look for a richer cream formulated with deeply moisturizing ingredients, such as oils, butters, and ceramides. Hydrating humectants like glycerin and hyaluronic acid are also incredibly beneficial.

- Oily Skin: Oily skin needs a moisturizer made with ingredients that add moisture and hydration to the skin without feeling too heavy. Some excellent ingredients to look out for include lightweight oils (like jojoba and coriander seed oils), aloe, glycerin, and hyaluronic acid.

- Combination Skin: Much like oily skin, combination skin types will benefit from ingredients that balance hydration and moisture levels without suffocating the skin. Look for lightweight oils and humectants.

- Sensitive Skin: In addition to humectants and moisturizing ingredients like oils and ceramides, sensitive skin will greatly benefit from ingredients that soothe the complexion, such as aloe, centella asiatica, and green tea.

- Mature Skin: Since mature skin often lacks moisture, you’ll want to seek out formulas made with the ingredients we recommend for dry skin. Those with mature skin may also want formulas made with anti-aging ingredients, such as peptides and protective antioxidants.

Ingredients to Avoid

For all skin types, we recommend seeking out clean formulas that are free of potentially harmful ingredients. This includes phthalates, parabens, artificial fragrances, and dyes.

Additionally, consider what ingredients might not play well with your skin type. For example, those with sensitive skin will want to pass on formulas made with high concentrations of aggravating active ingredients, such as exfoliating acids or retinol.

What is the Best Moisturizer for Mature Skin?

As mentioned, the best moisturizer for mature skin types will deeply moisturize while addressing signs of aging. If you're looking for a clean, expertly formulated moisturizer, take a look at our Freedom Day & Night Moisturizer.

This formula is made with some of the most effective ingredients for reducing visible signs of aging and bringing that youthful bounce back to the complexion. This includes coriander seed oil, peptides, plant-based collagen, and glycerin. Alongside other potent ingredients, these moisturizers and anti-agers help stimulate collagen synthesis and boost firmness and elasticity for a strong, radiant complexion.