TotalBeauty.com average reader rating: 6.8* Why: With "sadly disappointing" reviews, it's no wonder why this product is on our list. Multiple reviewers encountered bad reactions that made them "break out HORRIBLY" by "averaging three to four new breakouts per day." The product also created "red patches that really itch," says another reader. One reader says she even got "contact dermatitis (yes, huge red bumpy rashes) all over [her] neck and face." Another woman vents, "I hate this stuff. I got suckered into buying this, but never again. I have more than half of the tube remaining and I am thinking of throwing it away. I thought of using it on my feet but it is not even worth that." Bottom line, says one reader: "Ladies, don't waste your money."
TotalBeauty.com average reader rating: 6.6* Why: A night cream should leave your skin rejuvenated and improve its appearance. Unfortunately, women say this night cream doesn't deliver the results they are looking for. "This did nothing for me. I saw no difference at all. It was a total waste of time and money," says one reviewer. Another reports, "On the package it states that you won't see results for 14 days, but after two months, I still see nothing." Others agree, saying this night cream "will irritate sensitive skin especially around the eyes" and that it's "not good if you need something for nightly use." Basically, "you get what you pay for" -- which isn't much.
TotalBeauty.com average reader rating: 6.6* Why: Don't be fooled by its high price tag. "As soon as the rep put this on my skin, it started to burn," says one woman. "I couldn't get it off fast enough." Another reviewer says she "tried the product by itself, and also under moisturizer and the repair serum didn't seem to make any difference as to how hydrated [my] skin was." Some say, "it feels good going on" although they "never actually see results." One disappointed reader states, "I was better off splashing water on my face before applying my moisturizer." So "if you want to get rid of fine lines, look elsewhere."
TotalBeauty.com average reader rating: 5.8* Why: This night cream has reviewers buzzing over their utter hatred for it. One woman says, "It is the worst thing I have ever tried on my face." Another agrees, saying "it made my skin break out, was itchy, and made me look as though I had never exfoliated in my life. HORRIBLE!" Multiple readers find it a "huge waste of time and money" and found it made them "break out like crazy." One reviewer says "it feels like you're applying hand sanitizer to your face. Leaves your skin feeling tingly, then a slight burning sensation, and dries down to a tight-feeling mess on your face. Doesn't provide any moisture, and left my skin feeling deprived." Overall: "Terrible product!"
TotalBeauty.com average reader rating: 5.2* Why: When you think of a night creme, the words, "grainy, thick putty" and "greasy" shouldn't be the first to come to mind. Unfortunately, readers agree this product "is not really a creme at all" and "is very thick, very greasy." One woman says, "This creme has the consistency of melted butter as it solidifies. It was horrible on my face." Others say its strong scent is a turn-off: "It seems to have way too much lavender oil" and it's "hard to sleep with this strong odor." One woman simply "had to take it back to the store."
Before crawling under the sheets every night, you likely end your anti-aging skin care routine with a night cream in the high hopes of waking up to wrinkle-free, glowing skin.
So what happens when you wake up only to find red, blotchy patches or a wet, greasy sheen across your face?
Thankfully, thousands of readers have tested and reviewed hundreds of different night creams, and because we've faced a disappointing morning or two ourselves, we've compiled a list of the worst night creams ever. You know, so you can spend your money on the best.
Think you're too young to use a night cream or anti-aging skin care product? Not so fast. "Using a cream containing anti-aging ingredients like peptides, antioxidants, retinoids, and/or alpha hydroxy acids makes sense starting anytime from your late 20's to mid-30's, depending on how much damage your skin has already gotten from indoor or outdoor tanning, cigarette smoking, medical illnesses or stress," says anti-aging skin care expert Heidi Waldorf, M.D.
Please raise your hand if you don't suffer from stress ... yeah, that's what we thought.
If it's cost you're worried about, Waldorf assures us that there are excellent night creams at high and low price points. "Pick a product that works for your skin and your budget," she says. "You need to separate whether the higher price is due to packaging versus the quality and type of active ingredients and those in the base. For instance, ingredients like growth factors are complicated to produce and will increase the price. Other ingredients, like the antioxidant niacinamide, are more readily available," says the doctor.
Whether you choose a night cream for its moisturizing benefits or fine line reduction results, save yourself time and money by making sure it's not one of these.
