Give your delicate skin some extra love and care at night with the best night creams for acne-prone skin. The build-up of excess oil, dead skin cells, and bacteria in skin pores leads to acne. An effective skincare routine that keeps your skin clear and oil-free can help in curbing the occurrence of acne and breakouts.

Whether you have non-inflammatory acne or inflammatory acne, using a night cream for acne will help in treating them better. At night, the natural repair process of our skin is at its maximum. Ideally, skin care products work best during nighttime. For acne-prone skin, utmost care should be taken to maintain the natural barrier of the skin to keep impurities out. Look for night creams that have vitamin C, salicylic acid, retinol, niacinamide, or glycolic acid that work wonders for acne-prone skin. (1) 

Skin concerns like acne scars, dry patch and dehydrated skin requires extra TLC. Whether it's using products with gentle formula, rich creams, what your acne-prone skin really needs is a moisturizing formula. Apart from beauty sleep working like magic on your skin, you also need a daytime moisturizer to work on your natural moisture barrier. As per our expertise, we have listed below 15 of the best night creams for acne-prone skin that are free from artificial fragrance, alcohol, mineral oil, and other harmful preservatives to give you a clearer, healthier complexion.

• 1
  Most Luxe Formula

  TATCHA Indigo Overnight Repair

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Nothing comes close to the luxury formulation of TATCHA. Their indigo overnight repair cream is lightweight, fast absorbing, and delivers instant results. Infused with Japanese indigo, and red sage root, it instantly calms irritated skin and rescues your epidermis from redness, and dry patches. These ingredients also clean your pores to give you naturally glowing skin. It strengthens your skin barrier, and instantly puts your skin at ease. Take a pearl-sized amount and massage it in an upward motion every night before going to bed to see a drastic change.

2

Most Lightweight Formula

ELEMIS Superfood Midnight Facial

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Moisturizing oily skin just got simpler with ELEMIS' midnight facial night cream. The dense texture gets fully absorbed into your skin, allowing it to heal, and replenish overnight. Enriched with vitamin C, this cream leaves a tasty fragrance of cocoa butter on you. Infused with Omega 6, and 9 fatty acids, this enhances the appearance of your skin tone. An Amazon user penned, "Absorbs fully into freshly washed and dried skin and doesn't leave a film."

3

Best Overall

CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream

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Ceramides with hyaluronic acid are like a magic potion for acne-prone skin and CeraVe’s Skin Renewing Night Cream has both. (2)The rich, hydrating cream restores and revives tired skin overnight with its moisturizing and hydrating formula. The presence of niacinamide helps to calm the inflamed skin. Applying this cream at night helps in sealing the skin cells with moisture that strengthens the natural barrier and improves the skin elasticity, keeping fine lines and wrinkles at bay.

4

Best for Sensitive Skin

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream

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Acne and breakouts leave the skin feeling dry, flaky, and parched. The Ultra Repair Cream from First Aid Beauty is formulated to provide intense hydration to even the most dry skin. It has been clinically proven to provide skin hydration up to 169%. The light face and body cream is safe for sensitive skin including skin prone to acne, eczema, and other common skin issues. The creamy consistency provides relief from irritation and itching, nourishing the rough and distressed skin from within.

5

Most Hydrating

Differin Night Cream

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Hydration is the key to calming and soothing acne-prone skin. Differin’s Night Cream is powered with hyaluronic acid to hydrate dry and sensitive skin overnight. Hyaluronic acid is a well-known hydrating agent that helps in restoring skin’s moisture, keeping it looking plump. The creamy texture of this popular night cream also has ceramides and allantoin that improve the skin’s texture by locking in moisture and maintaining the skin’s hydration barrier. Apply this restorative night cream for acne at night and see it work its magic.

6

Most Rejuvenating

ACURE Radically Rejuvenating Whipped Night Cream

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Wake up to smoother and softer skin with this lightweight formula from ACURE. Supercharged with multi-peptides, vitamin C, ferulic acid, and glacial glycoproteins, the acne night cream replenishes moisture with intense hydration, brightening and rejuvenating the skin. Formulated to clear oily and acne-prone skin, it also protects against free radicals, minimizes sun damage, provides anti-aging support, and increases skin radiance. This hydrating night cream has hidden properties of turmeric provide antibacterial and anti-oxidant support, effectively helping acne-prone skin.

7

Best Vitamin C Cream

Mad Hippie Triple C Night Cream

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Vitamin C joins hands with other antioxidants and botanicals in this night cream from Mad Hippie to boost collagen production, improving the skin’s elasticity and texture. (3) This effective night cream for acne repairs our tired and dull skin, revealing a smooth and soft complexion. Say goodbye to fine lines, wrinkles, discoloration, and dark spots from acne-scarring with this hydrating, skin-brightening formula. The powerful antioxidants eliminate impurities and bacteria, minimizing the effects of acne and giving you clear skin. Moreover, this overnight cream helps in cell turnover that keeps your skin healthy.

8

Best for Oily Skin

Paula's Choice CLEAR Oil-Free Moisturizer

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The star ingredient niacinamide or vitamin B3 is an essential element in treating acne and its symptoms. Paula’s Choice CLEAR moisturizer uses its qualities to effectively minimize redness, swelling, and blemishes related to acne, improving the skin’s texture. (4) Niacinamide’s ability to control oil production help in preventing breakouts. The oil-free moisturizer is ideal for nighttime use as it does not leave any unwanted residue behind. It is formulated to repair the moisture barrier, minimize pores, and hydrate dry, flaky patches of skin. Put on this acne night cream before going to bed for non-greasy, clear, healthy skin.

9

Best for Fine Lines

Body Merry Breakthrough Night Cream

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Enjoy plump and youthful radiance with Body Merry Breakthrough night cream’s anti-aging and skin-tightening properties. It is infused with rich emollients, organic jojoba, vitamins B3, B5, and E, and Spirulina Maxima, all designed to provide moisture, improve uneven skin tone, and enhance the skin’s elasticity for a firmer and uplifted look. It’s time to let this anti-aging night cream erase the fatigue and damage from your skin, caused by a long, hectic day and reveal a smoother, brighter complexion. You will see a noticeable difference in just a few weeks with hydrated skin and firm skin.

10

Best for Skin Plumping

Naturium Intense Overnight Sleeping Cream

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Ladies, treat yourself to a nighttime facial with Naturium’s Intense Overnight Sleeping Cream which works continuously to hydrate and moisturize your skin while you get a good night’s sleep. Optimizing nighttime skin regeneration, it takes full advantage to provide you with an overnight glow. Thoroughly tested for safety and pH-regulated, the natural ingredients are infused with synthetic ingredients to deliver visibly hydrated and nourished skin. It is formulated with advanced hydrators, biocompatible emollients, and plant-derived triglycerides to smooth and soften the roughness caused by acne. Apart from restoring the skin barrier, this cream for combination skin soothes irritated skin and provides extra hydration.

11

Chlorophyll Clear Tea Tree Oil for Acne Cream

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Suitable for all skin types, the day and night moisturizer from Chlorophyll Clear is enriched with pure chlorophyll and tea tree oil to fight acne and breakouts. Tea tree oil has been an integral part of home remedies for acne treatment. (5) The anti-inflammatory properties found in chlorophyll and tea tree oils help in the treatment of inflammation and hyperpigmentation caused by acne. The acne night cream is infused with antioxidants and natural botanicals that enhance the skin's natural barrier, reduce signs of aging, and restores scarred, damaged skin to a healthier texture.

12

Clinique Repairwear Sculpting Night Cream

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Clinique's Repairwear Sculpting night cream promotes collagen production, providing a toned, firm look. The rich formula moisturizes and improves skin texture, delivering a visible sculpting appearance to the facial contours, especially along the jaws and cheek lines. The gel-cream texture gets absorbed into the skin fast, immediately getting to work repairing and reviving the skin cells. Suitable for all skin types including acne-prone skin, it gently operates to leave your skin feeling soft and youthful.

13

Rael Face Moisturizer, Miracle Clear Barrier Cream

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Put an end to acne, breakouts, clogged pores, and hyperpigmentation with Rael Face Moisturizer. This miracle night cream is formulated to defend the natural barrier of your skin, preventing future breakouts. Without leaving your skin feeling sticky and greasy, it gently moisturizes your skin to provide lasting hydration. Safe to use on all skin types, the lightweight cream performs fast action to calm and soothe distressed skin. Infused with succinic Acid, minerice enzyme complex, and vitamin B5, it clears existing blemishes, refining skin’s texture, and providing clarity and tone.

14

Geologie 0.2% Retinol Night Cream

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Our skin repairs and recovers itself at nighttime without any stress to disturb it. Retinol, a powerful acne-fighting component combines with niacinamide and hyaluronic acid to regulate oil production, combat the effects of acne, improve discoloration, and reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and scars. They join forces with our body’s natural recovery process to deeply revive and replenish the skin for a radiant appearance in the morning. It is a science-backed skincare product that helps you eliminate acne.

15

Intensive Bakuchiol Night Cream for Face

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This dermatologist-formulated night cream effectively moisturizes and nourishes acne-prone skin. Specifically formulated with vitamin C, bakuchiol, and salicylic acid to combat signs of acne, it hydrates the skin, restoring its natural balance. Bakuchiol, a plant-based alternative to retinol, minimizes fine lines and wrinkles and promotes skin elasticity. Experience an advanced skincare formula that works overnight to promote cell regeneration, and combat skin irritation, and overdrying.

The following are the things you should consider before buying a night cream for acne-prone skin:

• Soothing Ingredients: Choose night creams that have ingredients with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties for acne-prone skin. Hyaluronic acid, salicylic acid, niacinamide, ceramide, retinol, and vitamin C are some of the most effective ingredients that fight the effects of acne. (6) 
• Key Ingredients: Look for products with active ingredients like collodial oatmeal, jojoba oil, amino acids, retinol,peach leaf extract, licorice extract, fatty acid, amino peptide, melon oil, and turmeric extract. 
• Formulation: As acne is more prone to oily skin, look for an oil-free and non-comedogenic night cream. Lightweight creams with gel texture are ideal for oily and acne-prone skin.
• Ingredients to avoid: Acne-prone skin is hyper-sensitive and gets easily irritated. Utmost care should be taken to choose night creams free from harsh chemicals, artificial fragrances, and artificial preservatives that can stall cell turnover. 
• Customer reviews: When buying night creams for acne-prone skin online, always browse through the customer reviews to get an honest opinion. The reviews will give you an overview of its performance and quality.

Incorporate a night cream in your nighttime skincare routine to better fight the signs of acne. Follow these simple steps before applying the night cream:

• Cleanse your face off all the dirt and impurities accumulated throughout the day with a cleanser suitable for acne-prone or oily skin.
• Increase your skin’s sensitivity with a serum containing ingredients like glycolic acid, salicylic acid, or retinol.
• Applying a serum before ensures the moisture stays locked in after you apply the night cream. Our contributor Dr. Chaudhry, UK board-certified Dermatologist says, “You can apply night cream directly to your face. After cleansing and toning, gently massage a small amount of night cream onto your skin. Focus on areas of concern or dryness. Avoid the eye area if the night cream is not specifically formulated for that delicate skin.”

Whether you opt for a daytime moisturizer, an eye cream or an overnight formula, what you really need is a product that makes your skin soft and provides skin cell turnover.  Acne leaves behind terrible scars, dark spots, and dry, flaky skin. Following a proper skincare routine can help in managing acne. Nighttime skincare is more important in acne-prone skin as our skin switches to recovery mode during the night for intense repairing and regenerating. Incorporating a good night cream is beneficial for acne-prone skin. Our contributor Dr. Chaudhry states here the difference between moisturizers and night creams, saying,”Moisturizers are intended to hydrate and protect the skin throughout the day. Night creams are typically richer and formulated to provide extra nourishment and repair while you sleep. They often contain ingredients like retinol or peptides that promote skin renewal.” Our findings show that the best night creams for acne-prone skin have an oil-free and non-comedogenic formula that is deeply hydrating, promotes plumper skin, and improves the natural barrier of the skin.

The night creams for acne that have been discussed in this article are infused with all the power and strength to keep your acne at bay, preventing future breakouts.

Contributor: Dr. Chaudhry, UK board-certified Dermatologist, Scandinavian Biolabs