When we sleep at night, our biological systems go into deep recovery mode, making it the optimum opportunity to nourish and repair our biggest organ – our skin – with one of the best anti-ageing night creams on the market.
Cells turn over much faster during the hours of 10pm to 6am and, while we sleep, our blood vessels dilate to allow the blood to flow freely to skin layers, flooding the cells with oxygen and nutrients. These precious hours enable a reboot and reset, so we wake looking refreshed and revitalised.
That’s the theory, anyway, but life can be stressful and sleep elusive, so, the cosmetics industry is here to give us a welcome leg-up. Specifically targeted anti-ageing night creams and masks are packed full of high-performing active ingredients for skin-plumping power, with the formulas tending to have a heavier consistency than their daytime counterparts.
When it came to finding the best anti-ageing night creams, I looked for those containing a heady blend of acids, vitamins and collagen peptides. Vitamin C, for example, is a powerful antioxidant, while retinol can reduce pigmentation. Hyaluronic acid is also a major component involved in repairing tissue, and omega oils are naturally occurring and hydrate skin. These all have been shown to help reverse the effects of ageing, benefiting and plumping the surface, and smoothing the skin with their exfoliating, softening powers. Read on to find out which formulas impressed me the most.
How I tested
Testing a whole host of anti-ageing night creams for at least three weeks, morning and night, I applied them to my entire face, neck and décolleté area. When reviewing, I paid close attention to the ingredients lists and whether any of the formulas made a visible difference to the appearance of fine lines.
Why you can trust us
Jane Druker is a beauty journalist who is an expert when it comes to mature skin, advising readers on the best eye creams and serums for that boost of anti-ageing goodness. Jane looks for brands and products that embrace the beauty of ageing, while also helping to soften the symptoms.
The best anti-ageing night creams for 2025 are:
IT Cosmetics confidence in your beauty sleep night cream
This brand is a winner in my book and I am addicted to its CC cream (£38, Spacenk.com). IT Cosmetics’ night cream, meanwhile, has a lightweight texture but still managed to penetrate my skin and locked in moisture, thanks to its super-hydrating formula. Infused with hyaluronic acid, it has nourishing ceramides to help repair and restore the natural skin barrier, and, after weeks of testing, I was left with a plumper, more hydrated look. The cream smells wonderful, too.
Buy now £50.00, Boots.com
L’Oreal Paris revitalift filler night cream
This ever-reliable high street brand never rests on its laurels when it comes to innovation, and its anti-ageing night cream is concentrated with hyaluronic acid, which acts as a super skin booster. Flooding the skin with moisture, the overall effect is fewer obvious wrinkles and a more rested-looking complexion. Does it make you look younger? Well, I did get a lot of compliments on my radiant new look, and I was asked: “Have you had work done?”
Buy now £13.39, Amazon.co.uk
Emma Hardie midas touch revitalizing cream
This hydrating and lifting treatment cream is pumped full of hyaluronic acid spheres to plump the skin. The cream is formulated with marine and botanical extracts that have powerful antioxidant properties, with both algae and edelweiss stem cells present, to tighten and smooth the skin. It also smells divine and, when it comes to applying the formula, it smooths on a treat. It has a really light consistency but actually is deeply moisturising on application, and I woke up the next day with baby-soft skin. I would highly recommend this cream for a fast-turnaround for those with dry, dehydrated skin.
Buy now £50.00, Spacenk.com
Dr Somji night recovery cream
Dr Somji of DrMediSpa is the medical aesthetician and wizard-like skincare expert behind this rich cream, which contains hyaluronic acid, retinol and squalane. These three powerful ingredients work to prevent moisture loss, and restore skin suppleness and flexibility, making you look radiant, plumped and with visibly less dry skin. This cream is unctuous and absorbed well – it will be particularly welcome during the winter months, when harsh temperatures and heating combine to give us dry, chapped skin. However, the tub is quite expensive for its size, which is why I have given it only three out of five stars. If you don’t mind the splurge, though, this product gets a thumbs up from me.
Buy now £85.00, Drsomjiskincare.com
SkinSense advanced overnight leave-on mask, 200ml
This award-winning, best-selling mask is beloved for its no-nonsense application and immediate results. Using lactic acid for gentle exfoliation and brightness, this has a visibly lifting effect in a light gel formula. Perfect for use as part of your daily skin routine or as a luxury treatment, it left my dehydrated skin feeling instantly revived, and I did wake up to brighter skin that felt lifted and firmed.
Buy now £76.00, Skinsense.co.uk
Weleda contouring night cream
This fabulously rich formula is chock-full of blue gentian and edelweiss that not only moisturises but helps reduce pigmentation spots, making it spot-on (see what I did there) for my more-mature skin. This cream is also intensely hydrating, reducing the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. The collagen+ active complex increases the skin’s moisture content, too, providing a brightened tone as well as nourished-looking, cashmere-touch skin.
Buy now £21.34, Amazon.co.uk
Spa Ceylon white rice overnight hydrating treatment
A powerful skin hydrating and rejuvenating formula blended with pure rice bran oil rich in naturally anti-oxidant and youth-giving properties, it enhances that glowy-skin look. It also contains natural nutrients, including avocado, coconut and aloe vera, which combine for a calming, enriching effect. It is, however, quite a thick cream, so it may not be to everyone’s taste.
Buy now £24.00, Spaceylon.co.uk
Zelens melatonin B12 overnight repair mask
This mask is a beauty first and I really rate the brand for doing something new, brilliant and aimed squarely at the well-travelled. The overnight repair mask is supercharged with melatonin – the natural molecule that helps with the timing of the circadian rhythm – and enriched with vitamin B12, which helps maximise the skin’s nocturnal natural repair. It’s not cheap but, as it’s a mask, it offers good value for money per wear. I’ve been impressed by this formula, and the dense white cream is completely scent-free, making it ideal for those who aren’t so partial to perfumed products.
Buy now £65.00, Zelens.com
Medik8 advanced night restore
Medik8’s signature night cream leaves the skin feeling plump and pillow-soft. Within just seven days, I saw a real difference, waking with less parched skin (central heating has a lot to answer for) and with a visibly nourished appearance. It has a wonderfully light, easy-to-apply texture and has been designed specifically to be used following vitamin A (retinol or retinal) in the evening – overall, a great option.
Buy now £47.85, Amazon.co.uk
The Organic Pharmacy double rose ultra face cream
Treat super-dry, textured skin to this rich, deeply moisturising cream, formulated with potent anti-ageing actives and thirst-quenching squalane. Deeply hydrating, it softened and calmed my skin, so, it could be particularly useful for those with sensitive red skin – this formula has been dermatologically tested, too. To top it of, it smells of blooming garden roses, which is heavenly.
Buy now £49.95, Theorganicpharmacy.com
Chanel le lift creme de nuit
Who wouldn’t want to find a chic Chanel product in their birthday swag? This makes a glorious gift for yourself or a loved one. It’s a rich, white cream that has that distinctive Chanel fragrance (if you know, you know) that’s present in all the brand’s creams. The packaging and scent wouldn’t warrant the splurge if the cream itself wasn’t so effective, however – my skin felt and looked baby-soft in a short 24 hours. This formula may be expensive but I think it’s worth it. Full of botanical ingredients and concentrates, it has nutrient-rich properties that nourished my skin – I would like one of these on my person at all times.
Buy now £122.00, Chanel.com
The verdict: Anti-ageing night creams
Do you really need a separate moisturiser for when you are getting shut-eye? Well, I would say a resounding yes after this review. After weeks of testing, my skin is indeed glowing, my pigmentation reduced (admittedly it is winter, so there’s not much sun to disturb my dermis) and my skin feels plumper, with fewer visible wrinkles. While several formulas impressed, the top spot goes to the IT Cosmetics night cream, thanks to its reliability and nourishing nature, which helps repair and restore the natural skin barrier, for a plumper, more hydrated look. If you’re looking for something a little more budget-friendly, L’Oreal’s revitalift filler night cream will set you back less than £15, and the results saw me receive several compliments.
Tackle fine lines, wrinkles and dullness, with the best anti-ageing serums
