With the plethora of products, we know that it could be tough to find the best night cream for oily, oily to combination, and even oily and acne-prone skin types.We prepared a buying guide, with comments and insights from board-certified dermatologist Dr. Katrina Erika Habaluyas Luz, that outlines the things you need to know in order to get the best night cream for you!
Dr. Katrina Habaluyas Luz is the face behind Ask Your Derma. She is a board-certified dermatologist in Metro Manila. She is also an educator and digital creator on all things skin, hair, and nails. She is a Diplomate of the Philippine Dermatological Society and offers online video consultations. You can also catch her on her Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube channel.
Our recommendation articles are carefully researched and crafted by the mybest Philippines team of writers and editors. To stay true to our company’s mission and vision to help users’ selection process easier, we also collaborate with experts from various fields to ensure that our content stays factual and useful.
Buying guides reviewed by featured experts.
Products or services listed have been independently ranked by the mybest Editorial Team based on the points mentioned in our thoroughly researched buying guide as of 01-16-2023. Experts featured in this article did not participate in the selection and ranking process.
Day creams and night creams are formulated differently. Since day creams are meant to be used in the morning, they have a lightweight formulation and usually have SPF protection to shield your skin from the harmful UV rays of the sun.
Meanwhile, night creams are thicker and contain moisturizing ingredients to keep your skin supple and healthy. It works deep into your skin to keep you hydrated and repairs any damage, leaving you with plump and glowing skin the next day.
Here are some key points to consider:
For more detailed information, read through our buying guide below.
Make sure to check the ingredients that your night cream has to ensure that while it moisturizes your skin, it won’t irritate you or cause more oil production. Here are some ingredients that will be good for oily skin.
Retinol is made from vitamin A and penetrates your skin deeply to neutralize free radicals. It also has different forms such as retinal and retenoic acid. This also boosts collagen production, making your skin appear healthier by addressing fine lines, wrinkles, and the appearance of large pores.
It also reduces the tendency of cells and keratin to clump together so it doesn’t clog pores. This is especially helpful to those with both oily and acne-prone skin, since clogged pores are usually one of the main reasons why breakouts start.
Alpha-hydoxy acids (AHA) help stimulate collagen production, reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. They’re also able to lessen the effects of sun damage on your skin, making it great to have in night creams, since it’s sunny all year round in the Philippines. Common examples are glycolic acid and lactic acid.
On the other hand, beta-hydroxy acids or BHAs remove excess sebum off your face and fight bacteria that may cause acne. A popular example is salicylic acid. They have anti-inflammatory properties, too, so if you have acne-prone skin, it can help calm down the redness and irritation from pimples.
Both AHAs and BHAs are gentle exfoliators, meaning they remove dead skin on the surface of your face. They both deeply clean your skin and improve its overall texture and tone. With this ingredient in your night cream, you won’t just have bouncy hydrated skin, but also clean and clear complexion.
Vitamin E is a very popular ingredient in night creams, since it has a lot of benefits for your skin. It’s able to restore skin cells from sun damage and heal acne scars and blemishes. It also fights free radicals resulting from air pollution and other environmental factors.
Aside from having healing properties, vitamin E hydrates and strengthens your skin barrier, so no moisture can escape. This is very important since even those with oily skin still need to moisturize!
Some products with vitamin E may also have other vitamins and other natural ingredients like vitamin B3, vitamin C, and zinc gluconate, and other extracts like lilac extract and golden poppy extract. Other natural ingredients that you may encounter are collagen, seaweed, shea butter, and centella asiastica.
Hyaluronic acid is a great ingredient to have in night creams for oily skin as it is a moisturizing ingredient that's non-comedogenic, meaning it won't clog pores. It won't cause acne or overproduction of sebum, so your skin won't get irritated with this ingredient.
It works by drawing moisture from the humidity in the air and binding it to your skin, making sure you're hydrated. Because of this, it has a plumping effect on your skin, giving you a radiant and youthful glow.
Other similar ingredients to hyaluronic acid are niacinamide, biomimetic peptides, and ceramides. These ingredients also have anti-aging properties, so if you have mature skin, you may opt for products with these instead of hyaluronic acid.
Lathering on oil-based products is not a good idea because if you have oily skin, it’s best to avoid adding extra oil onto your face. Some oils may clog your pores, too, which can cause acne and worsen the condition of your skin. This is why it’s best to avoid night creams that include oils like coconut or mineral oil in their ingredients.
Using oil-based products may also leave behind a sticky or greasy feeling, which isn’t comfortable on the skin. It may take longer to set or dry, too, which can be annoying, especially if you’ve had a long day and just want a good night’s sleep.
Instead, you can use products with ingredients like guaiazulene, which is part of essential oils' formulations, and hexylresorcinol, which brightens your skin like many oils do. These are great alternatives if you want the benefits that many natural oils for skincare give.
From ₱999
Give some life to your skin with this hydrating and anti-aging night cream from CeraVe. This product contains biomimetic peptides, an anti-aging ingredient that helps improve skin regeneration, eliminating traces of fatigue.
It is also infused with hyaluronic acid, which will deeply nourish your skin, leaving it hydrated and supple. And it does this by working all night through its patented time-release MVE Delivery Technologyーso, you can wake up to rested and rejuvenated skin!
This night cream also strengthens your skin's natural protective barrier with ceramides, locking in hydration. For those with sensitive or acne-prone skin, this is a safe option for you, too, since it is non-comedogenic, non-irritating, and fragrance-free!
From ₱1,232.5
Get soft and radiant skin without any oiliness courtesy of Mario Badescu's Seaweed Night Cream. Using bladderwrack seaweed extract, this product delivers much-needed moisture to your skin without the use of any pore-clogging oils. It also keeps sebum production at bay while you sleep, making sure that you don't wake up with an oily or greasy face!
Thanks to the infusion of collagen and elastin components, with regular usage, you'll be able to get firmer skin and a brighter complexion! Even though this night cream is full of ingredients that hydrate and nourish skin, it has a lightweight formula, perfect for those who don't like the feeling of thick creams on their faces.
From ₱450
Retinol is known as the answer to various skin issues such as acne, enlarged pores, dark spots, and more. And this retinol cream contains 1% retinoid acid that binds with skin cell receptors, which improves cell turnover for healthier and clearer skin. It also helps fade hyperpigmentation, dark spots, and tightens pores.
This also makes it great for those dealing with acne. Keep in mind that there will be an adjustment period for your skin to adapt to the retinol, so you may experience some dryness or redness. For best results, on your first few applications, mix this retinol cream with your current moisturizer to dilute it before using it on your face.
From ₱1,496
Oily skin can cause acne, so it's important to get a night cream like this one that will help impede the formation of acne and heal your skin after breakouts. This gentle night cream will soothe inflammation and reduce skin damage using powerful antioxidants from guaiazulene, an ant-inflammatory ingredient that calms skin irritation from acne.
To give your skin moisture, it uses shea butter and centella asiastica to not only hydrate, but also to strengthen the skin's natural protective barrier. What's more, is that aside from addressing acne and oiliness, you can also use this cream to help heal sunburns and post-shaving inflammation with its superb healing properties!
From ₱2,673.9
If night creams intimidate you because of their thick consistency, then we have good news for you! This night cream from Clarins has a lightweight formula that’s suitable for those with normal to oily or combination skin. Plus, this night cream hydrates, revitalizes, and protects your skin.
It contains skin-friendly ingredients, too, like glycolic acid and lactic acid. These are AHAs that gently slough off dead skin cells to facilitate better cell turnover. It also has hyaluronic acid, which offers intense hydration and protection, so you can wake up to soft, smooth, and radiant skin everyday.
From ₱290.95
Moisturizing is still an important step for those with oily skin, so it's important that you don't skip it. If you're worried about getting oilier if you use moisturizers or night creams, this product has got you covered. It balances moisture and sebum levels in your skin. This will keep you hydrated without any greasiness.
Aside from giving your skin that perfect moisture balance, it will also purify and rejuvenate it, boosting its elasticity and giving you a healthy and supple complexion. This is possible with the help of hyaluronic acid, since it locks in moisture so you can enjoy the long-lasting effects of this night cream.
Specially formulated for those with acne-prone oily skin, this night cream contains acids like AHAs and salicylic acid to exfoliate the skin to remove the outermost layer of dead cells. Coupled with niacinamide, this cream also has anti-inflammatory properties for a clearer and more moisturized complexion.
It also has lilac extract that helps mattify skin to keep it from looking greasy. Plus, it has a cream-gel texture that feels lighter on the face compared to other products. So, if you suffer from acne, whiteheads, blackheads, and enlarged pores, this may be the answer to your skin concerns.
From ₱1,100.31
Dark marks and scars are common among those with acne-prone skin, but fortunately, Avène provides a solution to that with their night cream! Formulated with hexylresorcinol, an ingredient that reduces melanin production, this product lessens and prevents dark spots from forming, giving you a brighter skin tone instead.
It also has retinal, which has many benefits such as increasing collagen production and stimulating better skin cell renewal for softer and smoother skin. Moreover, this cream also uses patented SYNOVEATM HR to control excess sebum and X-PRESSINTM to refine skin texture for an overall better-looking complexion.
Vitamins are great not just for your body but for your skin as wellーand this is proven by this night cream. With its vitamin B3 content, it controls the build-up of excess sebum and evens out spotty and red complexions. Meanwhile, vitamin E makes sure its natural protective barrier stays strong for the hydration to stay locked in your skin.
It also has AHAs derived from natural plant extracts that speed up the skin's renewal process, creating even skin texture and tone by removing dead skin cells. After regular use, you will surely get blemish-free skin that's soft and supple no matter what time of the day it is.
From ₱1,021.25
Products with gel formulas are popular for those with oily skin because of their lightweight texture that doesn't feel heavy on the face. If you're one of those people, then consider getting this night cream. Even though it's lightweight, it has a powerful combination of ingredients that target various skin concerns.
With its vitamin C and vitamin E components, it lessens bacteria on your skin, which in turn, reduces acne and blemishes. It also has salicylic acid to exfoliate your skin and unclog pores. And finally, it contains lotus extract for oil production regulation. With this line-up of ingredients, you will surely win your battle against acne and oiliness!
Below are some of the most asked questions on the web answered by board-certified dermatologist Dr. Katrina Habaluyas Luz
The difference between night creams and moisturIzers is that night creams typically have an added active ingredient that targets to repair and/or replenish the skin, typically with the aim of reducing fine lines and wrinkles.
In general, night creams should be applied in the routine depending on the skin type and skin condition. It's typically either before or after a moisturizer. For instance, those with sensitive skin can start out by applying it after a moisturizer, while those with more resilient skin can do so before.
It depends. Best to check the ingredient list! Make sure that photounstable ingredients (e.g. retinoids) aren't incorporated into the product. If none are present then it can possibly be used in the day as well.
Getting soft and smooth skin is a process, and a good night cream for oily skin just won't cut it. To help you, check out our articles below for other skincare products that will help you achieve the clear glass skin of your dreams.
Author: Bianca Angela Dela Cruz
Editor: J. Cuizon
Our buying guide was carefully researched and crafted by the mybest team of writers and editors, in collaboration with the expert featured in this article. We used the buying guide as a basis for choosing and ranking the product recommendations, and we looked at reviews and ratings from different E-commerce sites like Lazada, Shopee, and more.
When you purchase products mentioned in the article, part of the sales may be returned to mybest.
The descriptions of each product is referenced from the content available from the manufacturer, e-commerce sites etc.
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