12 best anti-ageing night creams to sleep your way to a youthful glow

Presented in a dazzling prism-shaped pot with a gold detailed lid, this is the largest version of Charlotte Tilbury’s cult-favourite magic night cream available. Lavishly thick, the elixir is almost a gel-like texture – which is so satisfying to apply, much like an extravagant serum, mask, and moisturiser hybrid. On its ingredient list are vitamin C, time-release retinol and peptides – a powerhouse formula for anti-ageing.

Its therapeutic scent comes courtesy of frangipani, making for a sweet and indulgent fragrance that we found calming upon winding down for bed. Enveloping skin in a softening layer, we felt as if we were slathering on rich, intense hydration. And the next morning? We saw glowy, plumped-up skin, and a welcome dewy effect that was most definitely new.

A brand-new product in a recyclable plastic pot – with the classic branding – Nivea’s latest night cream contains a combination of hyaluron and collagen, and aims to activate skin cells into producing their own hyaluronic acid and collagen.

A glossy cream that glided across our tester’s skin, this product settled as a nourishing veil before soaking in, and we awoke to silky-soft skin that looked surprisingly smoothed, firmed, and hydrated, particularly given the affordable price tag. We also noted how the additional enriching magnolia extract made for a gently sweet scent too.

The velvety feeling cream includes AHAs and retinol, while also being vegan-friendly. Smoothing onto our skin, we found that it absorbed quickly, and its antioxidant components made it extremely softening. Given its active ingredients, we did gradually build up use and noticed slight initial tingling but no major irritation.

Our tester also noticed the texture and tone of her skin looking and feeling smoother after first use, and even more radiant after one week. Testament to the powerful ingredients, we’d recommend this if you’re looking for a potent skincare product specifically targeting fine lines and wrinkles.

Technically an overnight mask, this anti-ageing number focuses on the effects of blue light, mirrored by its blue glass jar. Although you can apply a thick layer as a quick 10-minute treatment, we prefer sleeping with this pillowy soft product on for the whole night. Its skin renewal benefits come from low molecular weight hyaluronic acid and immortelle essential oil, a natural retinol alternative.

A glossy consistency somewhere between a mask and lotion, our tester reported it to be cooling and relaxing on the skin. Refreshing rather than overbearing, it even helped us fall asleep, and in the morning our skin was toned, brightened, smoothed, and soothed – a big drink for those dehydrated areas.

This formula contains the fancy-sounding liposome encapsulated retinol complex, which, in a nutshell, is a gentle vitamin A extract to work on improving fine lines minus any irritation usually associated with traditional retinol. Offering a wonderfully rich consistency, the cream has a relaxing floral scent and comes complete with an application spatula.

Instantly making skin feel calm, it smooths the complexion while soaking in fast. Our tester experienced deep nourishment in the form of plumped up skin, much less visible fine lines and a generally brighter tone. Particularly relaxing to apply because of its abundantly thick texture, a little goes a long way with this one.

The night cream to buy if you’re looking for a natural retinol alternative, this cream from Clarins combines sea holly extract and niacinamide to protect skin from stress and premature ageing. Presented in a glass jar, this glistening smooth cream felt lightweight on our tester’s skin and sunk in almost immediately. We were also pleased to discover that you can apply as much or as little as you want without the need for wiping excess product off. Gently nourishing because of its composition, the cream is calming on skin and, after some sleep, our tester’s complexion appeared soothed, quenched, and refreshed.

A gel-cream formula, this overnight treatment combines Elemis’s signature marine-based ingredients such as microalgae and padina pavonica, a brown alga found in the ocean. These aim to rebalance stressed areas of skin while we sleep, as the release of stress hormones causes a decrease in both collagen and hyaluronic acid production (our skin-friendly elements).

Also contributing to its inviting spa treatment scent, which is unbeatable in our opinion, we picked up on a blend of geranium, lavender, chamomile, eucalyptus, and peppermint. The cream reminded our tester of a freshening balm with a soft gel feel that was rich and comforting on the skin. Satisfyingly thick to apply, our tester’s face looked deeply moisturised, rehydrated and much less stressed after use.

A butter yellow-coloured night cream, this rich crème includes plant-based retinol alternatives, bakuchiol and edelweiss stem cell, as well as AHAs. Designed to fight signs of ageing, the product’s consistency is a silky cream gloss that glides onto skin. Satisfyingly smooth to apply – with a subtle uplifting scent – and quite lightweight for a night cream, our tester’s skin became more supple with use. It also managed to hydrate our tester’s often dry forehead, and we noticed our dark undereye circles appeared brighter, which was a welcome bonus.

Although not specifically named as such, this product works best at night, so the active ingredients (including hyaluronic acid and essential fatty acids) can soak into the skin most efficiently. Although it is undeniably a considerable investment, the packaging highlights its decadence. In a green glass jar with a gold lid, the piece de resistance is a tiny gold spoon for precise and clean portion control.

The refreshing botanical scent reminds us of summer flowers and reflects the natural floral ingredients. Buttery soft, it’s thick and creamy without being cloying, and glides across the face, neck and decolletage, before soaking straight in. Our tester’s skin became brightened and toned after use, with skin significantly hydrated, making those fine lines and wrinkles look much less obvious.

This cream comes in a recyclable pot and features a useful push-down release top to make the application feel cleaner. The formula includes several active ingredients such as niacinamide, elastin-boosting dipeptide and retinol – because of the powerful components, you may experience sensitivity with daily use. And as our tester’s skin is prone to that, we found applying the cream three times a week worked best.

The cream is a lightweight sheen on skin, and although it did tingle a little at first, due to the ingredient blend we saw impressive results, with our tester’s skin appearing firmer and brighter. We particularly noticed an improvement in frown lines and our tighter, less tired-looking forehead.

A brand-new launch from the New Zealand-born brand, this cream features plant-based hyaluronic acid and focuses on strengthening the skin’s healthy microbiome – its natural protective barrier. Its anti-ageing components come from balancing probiotic ingredients. A calming lilac shade, our tester enjoyed the soothing plant fragrance, and how it made their skincare regime feel even more relaxing. Satiny soft, the cream glides across the skin, absorbing with ease and leaving no excess. It felt gentle on the skin, providing nourishment that was visible in our hydrated, brightened complexion.

Part of the brand’s popular protect and perfect range, you’ll recognise the classic packaging on this one. This anti-ageing night cream includes retinyl palmitate, a mild enough retinoid for those of us with sensitive skin. Plus, peptides have been included to help boost the production of collagen and hyaluronic acid. The composition specifically focuses on free radicals generated by sun and stress, and we found it to have an inviting, clean scent. With a thick consistency that took time to soak into the skin, it did sit on the surface for a while, but its richness meant our tester’s skin felt soothed and nourished the next morning.