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Got oily skin? A dermatologist shares 6 ingredients you should look for in a night cream

If you have oily skin, you need to ensure these 6 ingredients are a part of your night cream.
Vitamin E capsules
While using night cream, add Vitamin E capsules do the magic for your skin. Image courtesy: Shutterstock
Published by Shreya Gupta
Published On: 9 Oct 2020, 05:13 pm IST
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Due to the constant exposure to heat, dust and pollution, our skin goes through a lot—even more so if it’s oily. Hence, there’s no doubt that it requires you to recuperate from all the stress. The primary time for this recovery to take place is during the night. No wonder then that including a night cream for oily skin in your skincare routine is important. 

A good night cream will not only hydrate your skin but also boost blood circulation. Apart from aiding the repair of your skin, it makes your skin look and feel younger. Hence, choosing the right kind of night cream for your skin is extremely important to ensure that it can target the issues you want to resolve.

We’re pretty sure you already know how tough it is to choose a product for oily skin. Someone with an oily skin type simply has to be more careful. If you apply a night cream without much research into it, it might just clog your pores and result in more breakouts. 

In order to help you choose a night cream that will suit your skin, we contacted Dr Manjul Agarwal, Senior Consultant, Dermatology, Fortis Hospital, New Delhi. According to her, these are the 6 things that you need to look out for in a night cream for oily skin:

1. It should be a water-based product

Make sure your night cream is water-based and not oil-based. Water-based creams are light on the skin and don’t make your skin greasy. On the other hand, the consistency of oil-based night cream will be too thick. It might result in your skin becoming greasy which can clog your pores resulting in acne.

2. It should have retinol

Dr Agarwal emphasises on the benefits of retinol which is from the vitamin A family. Retinol is great for the skin, whether you want to reduce the appearance of blemishes or prevent acne or delay the signs of ageing. This one ingredient can help you solve all your skin issues!

retinol
The ‘R’ word is getting famous and there’s a reason for it. Image courtesy: Shutterstock
3. Or salicylic acid

“Also known as beta-hydroxy acid, it is very useful in treating acne. Moreover, it aids better penetration of other ingredients in the product, leading to better results,” says Dr Agarwal.

She also suggests that the amount of salicylic acid in the product should be 1% or less. So, look for these tiny details before making any purchase.

4. Even glycolic acid works well for people with oily skin

Great for treating pigmentation and melasma, it is also an effective anti-acne ingredient. Glycolic acid works wonders on oily skin by reducing oil production. However, Dr Agarwal points out that a good night cream shouldn’t consist of more than 6% of it.

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5. Azelaic acid is a good bet too

Azelaic acid is known for treating blemishes and dark spots. Hence, it would be super beneficial to pick a night cream that has this ingredient. Again, it shouldn’t constitute more than 10% to 20% of the total product.

6. Hyaluronic acid can work like a charm in a night cream for oily skin

Hyaluronic acid is known to make the skin more plump and youthful. Moreover, it is also a great anti-ageing ingredient which reduces the visibility of fine lines and wrinkles. If you are someone above the age of 40 years, you should definitely search for this ingredient in your night cream.

Nighttime skincare routine
Pamper your skin at home to see amazing results in the morning. Image courtesy: Shutterstock
So, what will suit you the best?

“If you have oily and acne-prone skin, retinol and salicylic acid are a must in your product. If you want to deal with the issues of blemishes, all the ingredients mentioned are essential. But, if your target is to delay the signs of ageing, retinol and hyaluronic acid are the ingredients you should look for in your right cream,” says Dr Agarwal.

Also, read: This quick guide to winter skincare for oily skin will make you soft and supple

A word of caution…

Dr Agarwal says, “While using a night cream is important and has many benefits, you shouldn’t apply too much of it. A thin layer is more than enough. Any extra product on your skin can lead to irritation and offers no additional benefits.”

Dr Agarwal also advises applying the cream for 7 to 10 days to see if the product is suiting your skin. Once the risk of any allergy and reaction has been ruled out, go ahead and make a permanent place for it in your nighttime routine.

“Do not apply it on the area around your eyes. Moreover, avoid applying it when your face is wet. This can irritate your skin,” concludes Dr Agarwal.
So, now you know the ingredients you need to be looking out for in your night cream! Keep these in mind when you’re making the next purchase.

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About the Author

Finding nirvana in good food, Shreya also loves reading books and is a die-hard Potterhead. Confident and motivated she's fun to be with. Plus food. Always. ...Read More

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