Sleeping Masks VS Night Creams - What Is The Difference?

With the skin being the largest organ of the body, it protects us from any external threats that could damage our flesh. This proves how crucial it is for us to do skincare as another form of self-care to keep our body protected. In the beauty community, we always want to choose the best skincare products.  With a vast range of makeup products out there, it becomes more difficult to select what nighttime skincare products to use that are best for our skin to address any problem it may have.

Maybe you have asked the questions “what are sleeping masks,” “what is night cream?” and “what’s the difference between sleeping masks and night creams?” Knowing the difference between the two can be difficult since they would seem similar, but actually have different uses. Fear not, for this article will give you a detailed and comprehensive answer to help solve these protruding thoughts about these skincare essentials.

Sleeping masks, also known as overnight masks, are formulas that contain high concentrations of ingredients. Because of its high potency, these ingredients are designed to allow your face to absorb the sleeping mask cream quickly and effectively. It aims to provide you with intense nourishment and hydration.

These are typically used once to thrice a week, rather than a daily routine. It’s suggested to use this last in your whole skincare routine before bed. Ensure that your hands and face are clean before you apply the product, then gently spread it over your face. This is then left on your face overnight to allow the sleeping mask cream to be absorbed well, then rinsed in the morning. A tip to prevent your pillow from absorbing and being stained by it is to wait for about 30 minutes before going to bed, but if you don’t have the time to, you can simply place a towel over your pillowcase for protection and to rid your worry of any mess that may happen.

The best sleeping masks we have found are Laneige’s popular Water Sleeping Mask, which uses a gel-based solution of hydro-ionized mineral water and butylene glycol. It was made to target dullness, fine lines and wrinkles, and dryness of your skin to improve its overall tone and texture.

Another commendable product is Neutrogena’s Hydroboost Hydrating Overnight Mask, which contains hyaluronic acid for ultra-moisturizing. This is a budget-friendly yet effective product you can opt for that is safe for all skin types.

Night creams are usually a thick, creamy, and rich formula that is a highly hydrating moisturizer. These were made popular by Korean skincare routines as its penultimate step of its regimen. The ingredients of these are not as potent compared to sleeping masks since they are made to be used on a daily basis. Some of these include acids, like hyaluronic and glycolic, vitamins, and minerals that are effective in moisturizing. In most cases, night creams are not suitable to be used under the sun. What does night cream do? Well, it mostly focuses on overall nourishment and hydration to improve your complexion.

As mentioned, you can use night creams every day as the last part of your nighttime skincare routine. To apply, you would have to only apply a thin layer of the product over your face, but the amount would also depend on your needs, especially if you have drier or rougher skin than the average. In stark contrast to sleeping masks, you won’t have to wash it off in the morning.

One of the best night creams we have found is the CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream. Its formula, created by dermatologists, presents similar results to expensive night creams you 

would usually find. What makes its formula effective is the ceramides and hyaluronic acid, which is responsible for hydration, and the niacinamide, which reduces redness, brightens, and replenishes your skin.

Another great product is Cetaphil’s Rich Hydrating Night Cream, which is safe to use, especially for acne-prone skin. This is another recommendation by dermatologists as it doesn’t clog pores, and it is an affordable option if you’re on a budget.

Now that we have laid down what each of these skincare products are, what they do, and how to use them, it’s time to compare them and determine which is best for you. We’ve created a summary that details the difference between these two skincare products below.

Night creams are more lightweight than your average face masks. They are gentle to use on the face compared to face masks that have a thicker and richer potency of ingredients.

Because of its higher concentration of ingredients, face masks are suggested to be used once to thrice a week, while night creams can be used everyday as part of your nighttime skincare routine.

Since face masks are thick and will be absorbed by your skin for long, you would need to wash it off the following morning. Night creams, which only need to be applied lightly, would not need to be washed when you wake.

Other than that, there are ingredients in night creams that are not safe to be exposed to harsh UV rays, so you can’t wear it during the daytime. In comparison, face masks can be used under the sun but with sunscreen under the face mask layer for added protection.

With the variety of products out there, it truly becomes a challenge for us to choose which to buy, especially without much information about what each is. Luckily for you, hopefully you’ve learned a thing or two about the two skincare essentials we were able to tackle in this blog.

In determining which skincare products are best for you, whether you want to use sleeping masks or night creams, think about what would suit your needs the best. If you need a quick and strong product to improve your skin overnight, sleeping masks would be your way to go.

If you already have a daily skincare routine that you would want to revamp, then night creams would be a perfect add to the mixture. At the end of the day, it’s you who will be using the product, so you should be able to prioritize your convenience before anything. Good luck