Do You Really Need a Night Cream?

While our mother went to bed with freshly scrubbed faces, many of us now use night creams that come packed with everything from antioxidants and natural plant extracts to synthetic lipids and vitamins for radiant, youthful looking skin (read: remove wrinkles, fine lines, blemishes, sagging skin).

But do these creams really work, or are they just a conspiracy to get use buy another product with no proven benefits? After all, shouldn't your skin be allowed to "recover" after a day's worth of skincare and make-up products?

Save Your Skin

According to experts, using a night cream can actually help your skin recover faster. The key is that night and day creams do different jobs.

Night creams stimulate cell renewal and restore elasticity, while day cream protect skin from the ageing, darkening and damaging effects of pollution and the sun's UV rays. Both creams are formulated to keep skin moisturized, but night creams are more likely to be richer, with more anti-ageing and moisturizing ingredients.

Your Body Clock

Different biological processes happen when you are awake and when you are asleep. In the day, your body is bust using up its resources. But at night, your body seizes the chance to repair and restore itself. This applies to your skin as well.

Studies also show that your skin losses more water at night, and this drying effect is worse if you sleep with air-conditioning. That is why night creams tined to be more moisturizing to prevent dehydration and premature wrinkling.

Your skin's ability to absorb the active ingredients peaks at around 1 am, when skin cell production more than doubles. So, in theory, applying a skincare treatment via a night cream allows your skin to absorb more of the active ingredients when it is most receptive.

If you are keen on anti-ageing or whitening skincare, night creams are worth trying as they contain a higher concentration of antioxidants and whitening ingredients than day cream. This is because there is no need to include UV protection since it is used at night, which means scientists can stuff in higher concentrations of anti-ageing or whitening ingredients.

What Works For You

The night cream you selected depends on your skin type. For instance, if you have oily skin that is prone to blackheads and blemishes, a hydrating but oil-free formula is a good choice.

On the other hand, dry skin tends to suffer from fine lines and wrinkles, so it will benefit from a richer night cream. Meanwhile, if you have sensitive skin, go for a hypoallergenic formula with ingredients that strengthen the skin and the tiny blood capillaries.

Hot Tubs
Your decade-by-decade guide to the right night cream

20s
Consider a light but moisturizing night cream. It will help prevent breakouts and blemishes, since skin that isn't moisturized tends to produce more oil to protect from the sun.

Choose :
Ingredients such as alpha or beta hydroxy acids, which help exfoliate skin and make it look brighter; antioxidants such as vitamin A, C and E aid cell repair and protect skin from pollutants; botanicals such as aloe vera, chamomile and sea algae soothe and moisture; non-oily, non-comedogenic or non-acnegenic formulas don't clog the pores.

Grab :
Kenzoki Cosmic Cosmetic Cream
A super light and silky texture, it's made with Japanese angelica, bird wood extract and plant water to soothe and hydrate skin
Beaute de Kose Hydro Reservation Moisturizing Cream
This luxurious cream contains hydroxyproline to stimulate collagen formation, and glycosyl hesperidin to strengthen blood vessel walls.
Garnier Lift Night
Fortified with ginger, vitamin A, cherry, bilberry extracts, this cream helps protect skin's radiance and prevents sagging and wrinkles.
Biotherm Anti-rides Line Peel Nuit relaxing night wrinkle corrector
Together with a bio-relaxing complex, this cell-booster corrects wrinkles and helps skin renew itself.

30s
Laugh lines are showing up around the forehead, eyes and mouth. Skin is prone to dryness, and may suffer from sallowness, especially since skin cell renewal is slowing down.

Choose :
Products with anti-ageing and anti-sagging ingredients such as retinol, panthenol and copper result in collagen production and renewal; antioxidants and lipids boost skin's moisture absorption; oil-free products help to avoid breakouts; astringent-free products prevents dehydration.

Grab :
SK-II Facial Treatment Concentrate
Crammed with four times more SK-II Pitera, the brand's signature yeast extract ingredient smoothens dry skin, fine lines and wrinkles.
Beaute de Kose Sekkisei Cream
This cream is packed with ginseng and cordyceps sinensis extracts to improve skin tone and prevent dehydration
L'Oreal Paris Dermo-Expertise Revitalift Night Moisturer
It comes with the brand's patented Nanosome technology which carries Pro-Retinol. A deeper into skin to correct and smooth away fine lines. It's also enriched with Dermalastyl.R vegetable proteins from pea extract.
Lancome Blanc Expert Neuro White? Night Renovator
This cream gently sloughs off dead cells and helps skin maintain an optimal skin hydration level with its patented hydro-trap technology.

40s and beyond
Those laugh lines have become deeper, while skin starts to sag. With oestrogen levels fluctuating, your skin can become dry and may even suffer from breakouts. Moisturizing is now your top priority.

Choose :
Ingredients such as soy, wheat germ, wheat protein and honey help skin retain water, making it appear firm and plump; glycolic acid helps get rid of dead cells and impurities; plant-based emollients such as shea butter and apricot kernel oil up the moisturizing effect; cell-repairing antioxidants to help skin renew itself at night.

Guerlain Substantific Night Care
Loaded with active purifying ingredients, this rich penetrating cream leaves skin looking clear and feeling light.
Dior Capture Sculpture 10 Nuit
One of the newest anti-ageing treatments in Singapore, the star ingredient is the Enhancing Complex, which has a white willow extract loaded with polyphenols to restore skin to its optimum condition.
Olay Regenerist Perfecting Cream
Olay's exclusive Amino Peptide Complex regenerate skin's appearance with pentapeptide, a strand of amino acid which reduces wrinkles; vitamin B3, which enhances exfoliation; and green tea extract to fight free radicals.
Estee Lauder Resilience Lift Extreme Over Night? Ultra Firming Crèème
This intelligent cream infuses skin with deep hydration, and optimizes firming benefits while boosting repair mechanisms for radiant skin.By :Debra Tan

How to Lighten Your Skin With Vitamin C and Other Skin Whitening Home Remedies

Do you wish you could do a little skin whitening? Are you unhappy with your uneven or blotchy skin tone? I can tell you that you are not alone. For years I suffered the embarrassment of dark spots, and uneven skin color until I discovered skin whitening home remedies that actually work. As a child I spent untold hours in the blazing sun on the beaches of south Florida.

It's no wonder I need a skin whitening solution. Little did I know that the beautiful bronze tan I enjoyed in my youth, would have such undesirable effects on my skin as I aged. For years I refused to even wear a bathing suit, until by accident I discovered a natural solution that has had such a profound rejuvenating effect on my skin that I am once again combing the beaches at will (although with an SPF 15 sunblock on for protection).

Your skin issues may not be caused by the sun as mine were but all skin discoloration has a few things in common. Skin pigmentation is caused by a substance in our skin known as Melanin. The amount of Melanin produced by the skin determines the skin's darkness.

Darker skinned people produce more Melanin than lighter skinned people. The majority of skin discoloration problems are caused either by sun exposure or hormones. Some other causes may include damage by rashes or wounds. Sun discoloration typically occurs on areas of the body that get the most sun exposure such as the face,back of the hands, forearms and chest. They may take the form of brown spots, blotches or freckles. These spots are often referred to as Liver spots but in fact are caused by sun exposure.

Traditional topical skin whitening treatments have included such harsh chemicals as hydroquinone (shown to cause leukemia in lab animals) and treatments containing Mercury. Both of which, while being somewhat effective can have severe side effects. Other more common treatments include the Alpha Hydroxy acids, Kojic acid & Azaelic acid. These harsh acids are used to remove abnormal layers of the skin and inhibit melatonin production.

While these substances can be somewhat effective in removing unwanted pigmentation they must be applied by professionals to avoid potential severe side effects. Lazer treatments & Cryosurgery are two of the more recent & expensive skin whitening treatments available. These methods use controlled destruction of skin cells but results are difficult to control and may not work consistently on different skin tones.

Speaking from experience I can tell you that I have tried many of these myself, with little lasting relief. It was not until I tried the topical use of vitamin C in the form of L-ascorbic acid and ascorbyl glucosamine that I achieved the results I was after, I was elated!By Erin Merriweather

Home Remedies for Skin Whitening

Confidence, as most women would say, is closely related to the complexion of the skin. For certain women, this means lighter skin bears greater confidence. However, not everyone has a noticeably light complexion, and most certainly not everyone has the money to achieve this. For that reason, it is important for everyone to know about home remedies for skin whitening. These natural home remedies can be immediately done at home without any expensive materials or ingredients to purchase.

• Lactic Acid

One of the most renowned products that people use in order to get lighter skin is the use of lactic acid. For those who do not know, lactic acid is a substance that is commonly found in dairy products. Yogurt is known by many to contain a lot of lactic acid; when this is applied on the skin for about ten minutes to at least thirty minutes, the skin will be expected to become lighter and more vibrant. However, this product also tends to dry the skin, so it is important to exfoliate after. Another way on how to get lighter skin using dairy products is buttermilk, which is another source of lactic acid. To make use of this, simply mix it with a spoon of oatmeal, and then one must apply it on his or her face as a scrub.

• Lemon Juice

Since time immemorial, the next ingredient has been widely used as a natural whitening agent. As another easy home remedy for skin whitening is using lemon juice may also be used to get a lighter complexion. Just like lactic acid, another acid known as citric acid contained in lemon juice may also serve as a whitening agent. To use, one must squeeze a small amount of it on a cotton ball. Then, this dabbed cotton ball must then be dabbed all over the skin just before going to sleep. However, there is a very crucial precaution when using lemon juice. When one is using this agent, he or she must take care not to stay long outside. Prolonged exposure to the rays of the sun may severely burn the skin, because this agent leaves the skin significantly sensitive. Also, just like after using lactic acid, a moisturizer must be applied on the skin because this consequently leaves the skin dry.

• Papaya

One of the most popular ingredients known to man as a whitening solution is papaya. How to get lighter skin is the only thing left to worry about. However, not many are aware that buying papaya soap is actually just the same as applying a mash of papaya on their skin. The natural compound known as papain is a very potent whitening ingredient. The mash must be applied on the skin for at least ten to twenty minutes, and after rinsing it off one must continue to apply a moisturizer to keep the skin lush.
Sometimes, the best way on how to get lighter skin is by prevention and maintenance. One must take utmost care of his or her skin so that it can look healthy and beautiful all the time.

By Vana Bianca