Day or Night Creams?
I often get asked the difference between Day Cream and Night Cream. To be honest I feel these two categories were probably created by some cosmetics brand to increase their product range and boost their sales. I remember the skincare advice in the 80’s was to leave your face bare so that the skin could breathe. Later came a fad about using night creams that were very light, to purport the previous theory. Nowadays it’s often the opposite. Like with many things in life, there are fashionable trends from the latest superfood and hygiene practices to house furnishings and accessories. Skincare has had its fair share of the limelight too.
Having experienced a range of skincare advice in my life, and following it at times, I’ve listed my personal observations and conclusions about the differences between day and night creams.
1. Depending upon your skin type your Day cream can be any consistency as long as you are happy with it.
2. Generally speaking, your Day cream should be light but with enough moisturising oils in it to last you a good six hours. Feel free to touch it up late afternoon when just like us, our skin seems to get a bit tired.
3. Night cream on the other hand can be very rich merely because you are unlikely to use make up or leave the house with it on.
4. Night cream should moisturise to the extent that you can still feel it on your skin in the morning.
5. Night cream should continue to improve the overall feel of your skin regardless of day or night.
6. Lastly, there isn’t a hard and fast rule for using Day or Night cream - in other words if you feel like using Night cream as your Day cream please feel free to do so, only you know your skin best.
How are the Day and Night Creams different from products on the shelves?
When I was formulating the Day and Night creams I wanted to get the best out of this product on behalf of my customers. They have a much lower percentage of water than is available in mainstream products – 55% in mine as opposed to up to 95% water in some of the best sellers, hence it is much richer so a little goes a long way. I wanted to use the ingredients that have a long lasting effect on the skin. I’ve chosen the ones that are most familiar to our bodies in terms of their chemical make up. Reason being, they are much better absorbed and therefore a more effective product for your skin.
What’s in the Night Cream?
It’s packed with a high quantity of oat oil and oat extracts, which are rich in phospholipids and Hylauronic acid. These chemicals occur naturally in our bodies but become depleted with life’s wear and tear. The ingredients of the cream help to replace natural oils and put moisture back into our bodies, which help the skin regain its elasticity. This cream also contains Spilanthes Acmella flower extract to help repair collagen thus supporting the skin from within, and Acmella Oleracea plant extract to counter fine lines – functioning a bit like Botox. This plant is grown in Brazil, parts of Africa and India. It’s commonly known as ‘Toothache plant’ because of its numbing properties, hence its use in skincare. Thus, the whole product is thoughtfully made to support facial skin as best as possible.
What’s in the Day Cream?
The day cream is much lighter than the night cream, although very moisturising. With a high concentration of shea butter, oat oils, vitamin E and keratin (both of which are useful antioxidants for the skin) this cream keeps your face hydrated, protected from the weather and nourished all day long.
As we slowly leave winter behind we still bemoan the short days but the upside of longer nights is more time for our skin to rest. It’s also a good time to nourish it and let it absorb all the best properties your cream has to offer.
Which one’s for me?
This all depends on your skin type, lifestyle and preference.
People with dry skin tend to stick to the Night cream for its intense moisture - it also works all day long repairing and protecting the skin from a hard day’s work whether you’re in the house or in the office. The Night cream is most often used in the winter too, when skin needs extra hydration.
Those with oily or combination skin tend to choose the Day cream as it’s lighter and therefore very readily absorbed by the skin. The moisture lasts all day leaving an adequate layer of protective healing properties. The Day cream is ideal for dry, hot or humid temperature as it doesn’t block pores - evening out the skin tone and giving the skin a light, healthy glow.
Whichever product you use on your face please also apply some on your neck too as it needs the same treatment even though we tend to ignore it. If your neck is getting sufficient attention it will also enhance your facial skin.
Enjoy your Day or Night cream!
