Do I need a different night cream and day cream?

Not always — but often, yes. Day creams should be lightweight, sit well under sunscreen, and contain antioxidants for daytime free-radical protection. Night creams should be richer for overnight barrier repair and may contain retinol or peptides that work overnight without sun exposure. If your day cream is heavy, you may not need a separate night cream.

Can I use retinol every night?

Established retinol users with tolerant skin can. Retinol-naive users should start at 2–3 nights per week and build up over 6–8 weeks. Always pair with daily SPF — retinol increases photo-sensitivity.

What's the best night cream for women in their 40s?

A retinoid-active night cream is the strongest single intervention. Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night for the affordable tier; Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6 (used as a treatment, not a cream) for the clinical tier. For barrier repair on dry or compromised skin, Drunk Elephant Lala Retro.

Is the Two Dudes Night Cream worth it?

It's competent but not exceptional. The Glow's testing found the Two Dudes Night Cream is closer to a slightly-richer version of the brand's Day Cream than a meaningfully different overnight repair product. If you want both, you only need one — and the Day Cream is the stronger of the two. Read the full Two Dudes review at /reviews/two-dudes.html.

The best night cream in Australia.

A real night cream is a richer, repair-focused moisturiser used to support overnight skin recovery. A fake night cream is a day moisturiser in a darker jar. The five products below are real night creams.

Tested: April 2026 · The Glow editorial · 6-week test panel Editor: Jess Hartmann, Skincare Editor No paid placements

Skin recovery is most active overnight. Body temperature peaks, transepidermal water loss increases, and cell turnover accelerates. A real night cream supports this through richer occlusive and emollient ingredients than a daytime moisturiser, often paired with retinol or peptides that benefit from overnight wear without sun exposure. The five products below are formulated for this purpose, not relabelled day creams.

The ranking.

№ 01

Drunk Elephant

Lala Retro Whipped Cream

Six African oils (marula, mongongo, kalahari melon, baobab, ximenia, passionfruit) in a rich whipped texture. Built specifically for overnight barrier repair. Premium-priced ($110) and the strongest single-night-cream we've tested for compromised or post-procedure skin.

9.0/ 10 GLOW

№ 02

Olay

Regenerist Retinol 24 Night

Pure retinol with niacinamide buffering in a rich night-cream texture. The most accessible night-cream retinol available in Australia. $30 at Priceline. The Olay formulation outperforms most premium retinol night creams at one-third the price.

8.6/ 10 GLOW

№ 03

La Roche-Posay

Toleriane Double Repair

Ceramides, niacinamide, and prebiotics in an unfragranced barrier-repair formula. Useable AM or PM but particularly effective overnight. The pharmacy standard for sensitive-skin night wear. Sub-$40.

8.4/ 10 GLOW

№ 04

Kiehl's

Midnight Recovery Concentrate

Botanical oil treatment (squalane, evening primrose, lavender). Overnight oil treatment rather than a cream — apply over your moisturiser. The cult product in this category for a reason.

8.3/ 10 GLOW

№ 05

CeraVe

Skin Renewing Night Cream

Ceramides plus peptides in a rich texture. The affordable-pharmacy night cream that genuinely earns its label. Sub-$25. The best CeraVe product for users in their 30s and beyond.

8.0/ 10 GLOW

The full ranking, side by side.

Brand	Best for	Price	Score
Drunk Elephant Lala Retro	Best barrier-repair	$110	9.0
Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night	Best retinol night cream	$30	8.6
La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair	Best for sensitive	$38	8.4
Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate	Best overnight oil	$83	8.3
CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream	Best affordable-pharmacy	$23	8.0

How we tested.

Each night cream was used by two testers nightly for six weeks. Products were applied as the final step of the PM routine over an existing serum. Scores aggregate across barrier-repair effect (measured via TEWL strip on three testers), tolerance, texture, and meaningful differentiation from the same brand's day moisturiser.

Frequently asked questions.

Do I need a different night cream and day cream?: Not always — but often, yes. Day creams should be lightweight, sit well under sunscreen, and contain antioxidants for daytime free-radical protection. Night creams should be richer for overnight barrier repair and may contain retinol or peptides that work overnight without sun exposure. If your day cream is heavy, you may not need a separate night cream.
Can I use retinol every night?: Established retinol users with tolerant skin can. Retinol-naive users should start at 2–3 nights per week and build up over 6–8 weeks. Always pair with daily SPF — retinol increases photo-sensitivity.
What's the best night cream for women in their 40s?: A retinoid-active night cream is the strongest single intervention. Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night for the affordable tier; Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6 (used as a treatment, not a cream) for the clinical tier. For barrier repair on dry or compromised skin, Drunk Elephant Lala Retro.
Is the Two Dudes Night Cream worth it?: It's competent but not exceptional. The Glow's testing found the Two Dudes Night Cream is closer to a slightly-richer version of the brand's Day Cream than a meaningfully different overnight repair product. If you want both, you only need one — and the Day Cream is the stronger of the two. Read the full Two Dudes review at /reviews/two-dudes.html.