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What Moisturiser Should You Use and Why?

What's the difference between a day cream and a night cream? Learn how to choose the face cream best suited to your skin.

What's in the article?

Moisturiser for the Face

Face cream is one of the most important steps in any skincare routine, so it’s important to find the right one for you. Depending on your skin type or concerns, choose a cream that contains the right ingredients, whether it’s SPF for the daytime or regenerating ingredients that repair the skin while you’re asleep.

What Does Moisturiser Do?

  1. Hydration: Moisturisers replenish the skin’s moisture levels, preventing dryness and flakiness. Hydrated skin looks plumper, smoother, and more youthful. 
  2. Protection: Moisturisers create a barrier on the skin’s surface, protecting it from environmental damage like pollution and harsh weather. This barrier helps to lock in moisture and protect against irritation. 
  3. Repair: Moisturisers help in the skin’s natural repair processes. They help support regeneration, soothe irritation, and improve the skin’s overall texture and appearance. 
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Which Face Cream Is Best for Daily Use?

Choosing the right daily face cream can make a difference in your skincare routine. Here are some factors to consider when looking for a face cream that works for your skin:
Nivea Q10 face cream

SPF

A face cream with SPF is beneficial for protecting your skin from harmful UV rays, preventing premature ageing, and reducing the risk of sun-induced skin damage. Daily use of SPF can help keep your skin looking youthful and is an effortless way to protect your skin daily. 

Lightweight vs. Heavy Formulas in Face Creams

Lightweight Formulas: Ideal for normal to oily skin types. They absorb quickly and do not leave a greasy residue, making them perfect for daytime use under makeup.

Heavy Formulas: Best for dry or mature skin. These creams provide intense hydration, making them suitable for nighttime use or during colder months when the skin tends to be drier. 

Tips for choosing a Face Cream for Dry Skin

Dry skin requires extra care and hydration. Here are some ingredients and tips for choosing the right face cream to suit your skin: 

Some Ingredients to Look For: 

  1. Hyaluronic acid: This ingredient attracts and retains water in the upper layers of the skin, helping to maintain. It is suitable for all skin types and particularly for signs of ageing linked to dehydration, such as wrinkles.
  2. Glycerin: by attracting water to the skin's surface, glycerin improves the skin's ability to retain water, preventing dryness.
  3. Argan oil: long used by Moroccan women, argan oil contains omega 6 and 9 fatty acids, antioxidants and vitamin E to nourish the skin and promote regeneration.
  4. Shea butter: renowned for its nourishing, moisturising and emollient benefits, shea butter has soothing properties and softens dry skin. Rich in unsaturated fatty acids, it also helps to nourish and protect the skin’.

The NIVEA Cellular Expert Filler Intensive Anti-Age Night Care Cream is a great option for your evening routine if you have dehydration-related wrinkles: it includes both Hyaluronic Acid and Glycerin to help retain water in the upper layers of the skin and fill in wrinkles.

What Is the Difference Between a Day Cream and a Night Cream?

Day creams generally have a lighter texture and often contain SPF and antioxidants to help protect your skin from the sun and the effects of pollution.. Night creams are richer and focus on repairing the skin while you sleep, with ingredients like Dexpanthenol, Retinol and Peptides,to keep skin looking healthy and nourished.
Nivea Expert Lift Cellular face creams

Day Cream:

Designed to moisturise and protect the skin during the day, a day cream can also provide protection against harmful UV rays and the effects of pollution by adding sun filters and antioxidants. These creams typically have a lighter texture to allow for easy absorption and to avoid a greasy feel, making them suitable for use under makeup. If you are exposed to the sun, make sure you apply a sun cream with a high SPF regularly to maintain your protection throughout the day.

NIVEA Day Cream

Night Cream:

Tend to focus on repair, regeneration, and anti-ageing benefits. Often richer in texture with ingredients like Dexpanthenol, Retinol, Peptides, and hydrating agents to support regeneration during sleep. The skin's ability to repair and regenerate itself improves at night, so applying a cream in the evening is ideal for optimising the effects of the active ingredients that support these processes.
NIVEA Night Cream
Which Face Cream Is Best For Daily Use

Facts Overview

What is Face Cream?
Face cream is a skincare product made to hydrate and respond to specific skin concerns such as the signs of ageing, dryness or imperfections. 

What Moisturiser Should You Use?
When choosing your daily moisturiser, select one tailored to your skin type. For oily skin types, choose lightweight formulas that hydrate skin, while dry skin types will benefit from richer formulas. 

Specific Skin Concerns:
If you have a specific skin concern that you want to address such as hyperpigmentation, imperfections or dull complexion, use moisturisers containing, for example, Niacinamide to help regulate sebum production, Luminous630 to help fade dark spots or Vitamin C to improve your skin's radiance. 

Can I Use the Day Cream at Night?

It’s recommended to use both a day cream and night cream to address the specific needs of your skin throughout the day and during restorative sleep periods.  While day and night creams are intended to serve their own purposes, using a day cream at night can be a temporary solution in certain situations. 
  
While using a day cream at night can provide basic hydration, but it can lack specialised ingredients to support night-time repair like Dexpanthenol, Retinol and Peptides. Day creams also typically have a lighter texture that might not offer as much hydration as thicker night creams.

4 Step Day & Night Skincare Routines

How to use day and night cream - a simple and effective 4 step skincare routine:
woman using Nivea Expert Lift Cellular serum

Morning Routine:

  1. Cleansing: Apply a cleanser that suits your skin type and gently massage it into your skin using circular motions to remove dirt, oil, and impurities without causing irritation. Rinse with lukewarm water and pat your face dry with a clean towel. 
  2. Treatment: Apply a serum or treatment product targeting specific concerns (e.g., anti-ageing serum). Use a few drops of the serum on your fingertips and gently press it into your skin, focusing on areas that need the most attention. Allow the serum to fully absorb before moving on to the next step. 
  3. Moisturising: Use a moisturiser suited to skin type and concerns, ensuring it includes SPF for sun protection. Apply the moisturiser evenly over your face and neck, using gentle upward strokes to avoid tugging at your skin.  
  4. Eye cream: Use a small amount of eye cream on your ring finger, as this finger applies the least pressure. Apply a pea sized amount both morning and night to keep the delicate skin around your eyes hydrated, fresh, and youthful. 

Evening Routine:

  1. Cleansing: Remove any makeup and any impurities accumulated during the day with your cleanser. 
  2. Serum: Choose a serum that addresses your specific concerns (e.g., Hyaluronic Acid for hydration, Bakuchiol or Q10 for their anti-ageing effects).  
    The NIVEA Cellular Expert Filler Replumping Hyaluronic acid Serum utilises Hyaluronic Acid for both hydration and anti-ageing. Apply a few drops to your face and neck, pressing it gently into your skin. 
  3. Night Cream: After letting your serum sink in, take a richer night cream that is formulated to help your skin repair and rejuvenate overnight. Gently massage it in to help it absorb and promote circulation 
  4. Eye Cream: Dab a small amount gently on the skin under the eyes, focusing on areas of wrinkles and puffiness. 

    Consistency is key to seeing results in skincare. Adjust routines based on your individual skin needs and concerns. 
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Skincare from 30

As you enter your 30s, it is beneficial to introduce anti-ageing ingredients into your skincare routine to prevent premature signs of ageing. Key ingredients include:
young woman using Nivea Q10 eye cream
  1. Antioxidants: these are compounds which protect your skin from damage caused by free radicals, unstable molecules which can be generated by external factors such as the sun and pollution and which can accelerate the ageing of your skin.
     
  2. Vitamin C: vitamin C is an antioxidant which, by stimulating collagen production, can help to maintain the skin's firmness and elasticity, potentially helping to reduce the signs of ageing such as fine lines and wrinkles.

  3. Coenzyme Q10: Also with anti-oxidant properties, coenzyme Q10 plays an essential role in the production of cellular energy, promotes the natural production of collagen and elastin and contributes to the cell repair process.

  4. Sun filter: by protecting the skin from damage caused by UV rays, adding a sun filter to your day care is essential to help prevent the signs of premature ageing.
     
    Starting an anti-ageing regime in your twenties and thirties is the foundation for healthy-looking skin for years to come. This could help maintain collagen and elastin levels, which are essential for skin elasticity and firmness. Using a quality cream suited to your skin type could help you in the long term by providing the essential moisture your skin needs.

What Is a Good Face Cream After 40?

As you transition into your 40s, the focus shifts towards skincare products that specifically target Collagen and Elastin production, which naturally decline with age, both of which naturally decline over time. When choosing a face cream for your 40s, opt for formulations containing active ingredients such as:
  1. Hyaluronic acid: this moisturising ingredient attracts and retains moisture in the skin, effectively plumping it and helping to reduce the appearance of fine lines. Its light texture makes it suitable for all skin types, including oily skin, providing hydration without leaving a greasy feel.
  2. Folic acid: Folic acid works at a cellular level to strengthen support fibres and stimulate collagen production to plump skin and reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
  3. Retinol: Retinol works by binding to skin cell receptors, promoting cell renewal and growth. This process can improve skin texture, smooth fine lines and reduce the appearance of wrinkles. Initially, retinol can cause dryness, redness and irritation. We therefore recommend starting with a lower concentration and gradually increasing the amount applied. 

     
    The NIVEA Cellular Expert Filler, formulated with hyaluronic acid and folic acid, hydrates and plumps skin for firm, plump skin.
Starting an anti-ageing skincare routine in your 30s prepares the ground for younger-looking skin. In your 40s, use facial creams that stimulate the natural production of collagen and elastin. Regular use of these products, combined with sunscreen and a healthy lifestyle, will help you achieve radiant skin at any age.

NIVEA Cellular Range

Discover the NIVEA Cellular Range with Pure Folic Acid and Hyaluronic Acid, a great addition to your anti-ageing regimen. This range, which includes the NIVEA Cellular Expert Filler and NIVEA Cellular Expert Lift products, also contains other ingredients recognised for their properties. These ingredients can act at a cellular level, taking advantage of the skin's natural biology to promote renewal and regeneration.
NIVEA Cellular Range

Face Cream for Men

young man applying Nivea eye cream
For men, choosing the right face cream involves consideration of your skin type, specific concerns, and your daily skincare routine.  

Men generally have thicker, oilier skin due to higher testosterone levels, making them more prone to enlarged pores and acne. In contrast, women tend to have thinner skin that is more susceptible to dryness and sensitivity due to hormonal changes.  

Understanding these differences is helpful when selecting skincare products made for men's skin needs. Explore NIVEA’s range of Men's face creams to find one that suits you. 
Men’s Face Cream

Facial Care for Men Over 50

If you are a man looking for a daily moisturiser for your routine, the NIVEA Anti-Age Hyaluron Face Moisturising Cream SPF 15 is a ideal option. It offers sun protection along with anti-ageing benefits, ensuring your skin stays fresh and youthful. Suitable for all skin types, apply daily over face and neck areas.

For night-time use, you may want to try a serum to help target wrinkles. If you also have age spots, the Anti-Age Power 2 in 1 Serum with Hyaluronic Acid is formulated to reduce deep wrinkles and minimise the size of dark spots. Ultra-light and fast absorbing, the formula is designed for male skin needs. It is non-greasy, non-sticky, and easy to apply morning and night. 

Please note that these products can also be used on younger men. Everyone shows signs of ageing at a different age, so starting anti-ageing skincare as soon as the first signs appear can help keep skin looking younger for longer.

Summary

Choosing the right face cream and maintaining a regular skincare routine is essential for healthy-looking skin. Concentrate on ingredients that meet your specific needs, such as moisturising or reducing skin irregularities or imperfections. When finding the perfect products it's important to understand your skin type and concerns, and to be patient. In fact, it can take several weeks of regular use before you see significant results. Always protect your skin with sunscreen and adjust your routine if necessary to get the best results.

FAQs

What is the difference between men's and women's skincare products?

Men's skincare products are often formulated for thicker, oilier skin and may contain different active ingredients, sometimes in higher concentrations, to meet its specific needs. 

How often should I apply face cream?

It is generally recommended to apply a moisturising cream to the face twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening, as part of your skincare routine. Although it's possible to use the same cream morning and night, it's best to apply a lighter-formulated day cream in the morning and a more nourishing night cream in the evening.

How do I apply face cream correctly?

Apply a small amount to your face and neck, using gentle upward strokes. Avoid tugging or pulling on the skin.

Is it necessary to change face creams seasonally?

It can be beneficial to switch to a richer cream in winter for extra hydration and a lighter one in summer to avoid greasiness.

Can men use women's face cream?

Yes, although some men prefer to use products specifically formulated for men, adapted to their generally thicker, oilier skin, they can also use face creams for women to suit their particular needs.

Can face cream be used around the eyes?

Although certain facial creams can also be used around the eyes, it is generally recommended to use creams that have been specifically formulated to be lighter and less likely to irritate the delicate skin around the eyes.

Can face cream expire?

Yes, like all skincare products, face creams must be used within the recommended time after opening or before the expiry date, as the case may be. The use-by date after opening is given in months (M) on the packaging next to the open jar icon, while the expiry date is given next to the hourglass icon.

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