NIGHT SHIFT

A night moisturiser locks in hydration, assisting the skin’s natural repair system as you sleep. Rich, buttery or silky, these formulas are all good in bed.

NIGHT & DAY

You don’t need a night cream, but that doesn’t stop your skin from really, really wanting one. Sure, you could slather on a daytime moisturiser before bed but the quick absorption, which primes morning skin for SPF and makeup application can underdeliver in the wee hours. Because, it turns out, day and night creams are like night and day. Only a PM formula, like Omorovicza Rejuvenating Night Cream, $257 (3), is rich enough to protect the epidermis through sleep. Sisley Velvet Nourishing Cream, $265 (5), also has silky staying power.

BEAUTY SLEEP

A nighttime surge in melatonin and human growth hormone doubles or even triples cell turnover when we achieve deep sleep. A pre-bed routine is known to aid sleep quality and silky and exquisite night cream is the caviar on top. For a solid wind-down ritual follow Clarins’ advice and apply its Multi-Intensive Nuit Super Restorative Night Cream, $159 (7) with warm hands and light, draining presses three times each on the cheeks, forehead and each side of the neck.

PLUMP IT UP

One reason our skin might look dull and fatigued after sleep is transepidermal water loss, which peaks in the early hours of the morning. A good night cream seals in moisture but those which contain hyaluronic acid go even further by attracting atmospheric liquids to plump up skin from within. Our favourites for volume include 111Skin Nocturnal Eclipse Recovery Cream, $328 (1), and Tata Harper Crème Riche, $351 (2), which is certified as natural and cruelty-free.

RICH LIST

The reason we lose moisture at night also presents an opportunity for ingedients to work their nocturnal magic. That’s because circadian rhythms make the outermost layer of the epidermis more permeable at night. To cash in, use a night cream in tandem with active ingredients to seal them in. Estée Lauder Revitalizing Supreme+, $90 (4) double teams with the brand’s Advanced Night Repair. Meanwhile, Rationale #6 The Night Crème, $206 (6) is packed with enzymes and retinoids to help the skin repair itself.