If you’ve started to see changes in your complexion with each passing birthday, you might also have noticed that the skin care products you relied on in your 20s have lost their magic touch. As you get older, the texture of your skin changes, and the products you use often need to evolve along with it. A great place to start? Adding a night cream formulated for mature skin to your arsenal.
But first, let’s talk about what we mean by products that are suitable for “mature skin” or “aging skin.” These terms are often thrown around to position products as anti-aging cure-alls, but that’s not how we’re using them. Here, “mature skin” simply refers to skin that has started to age—something that happens to all of us. Beginning in your 30s, then onward into your 40s, the collagen in your skin decreases (which can make your skin look thinner or saggier), Lindsey Zubritsky, MD, FAAD, a dermatologist at Premier Dermatology and Skin Cancer Center in Ocean Springs, Mississippi, tells SELF. When that happens, you might notice more visible fine lines and dark spots or a loss of firmness, Brendan Camp, MD, a dermatologist at MDCS Dermatology in New York, tells SELF.
The passage of time isn’t the only thing that contributes to signs of aging—genetics, the environment, and your lifestyle also factor in, Lauren Penzi, MD, a dermatologist at MDCS Dermatology in New York, tells SELF. For example, someone who regularly spends long periods of time in the sun without adequate protection may show earlier signs of sun damage than someone who slathers on sunscreen every day.
Night creams can’t reverse years of tanning or turn back the clock, but they can be beneficial for people whose skin is starting to show the effects of such things. To help you reap all the benefits, we spoke with dermatologists about the top products for aging or mature skin and which ingredients you should look for while shopping.
Our top picks
- Best Overall: SkinCeuticals Renew Overnight Dry
- Runner-Up: Summer Fridays Rich Cushion Cream Ultra Plumping Moisturizer
- Best Budget Pick: Olay Regenerist Retinol 24
- Best for Uneven Texture: Paula’s Choice Intensive Repair Cream
- Best for Dry Skin: La Roche-Posay’s Double Repair Moisturizer
- Best for Sensitive Skin: Beauty of Joseon Dynasty Cream
- Best Balm: Naturium Intense Overnight Sleeping Cream
- Best for Oily Skin: Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow AHA Night Treatment
- Best Brightening Formula: Caudalíe Vinoperfect Brightening Glycolic Night Cream
- Best for Acne-Prone Skin: Kiehl’s Expertly Clear Acne-Treating & Preventing Lotion
