3 Natural Homemade Night Creams For Youthful Skin

Skin aging is a natural and inevitable process we all go through. However, premature skin aging due to pollution, UV rays, and stress is not. In the absence of a proper skincare regimen to combat these factors, your skin dries out, loses its elasticity and firmness, and wrinkles and age spots appear on the skin. Premature skin aging can be prevented and even reversed to an extent with proper skincare.

[pullquote]An ideal night cream contains, in varying proportions, fatty acids to moisturize, vitamin A and peptides to boost collagen production, and antioxidants to fight damage and reduce inflammation.[/pullquote]

Just as you apply sunscreen in the daytime to prevent UV damage, you need to apply a night cream to both repair the damage and provide nourishment. The human growth hormone secreted during sleep boosts collagen production and increases the regeneration of skin cells. You can help it further, with a homemade night cream containing vitamin A, C, and E, fatty acids like lauric acid, oleic acid, and linoleic acid, and antioxidants like beta-carotene and catechins.

1. Olive Oil Night Cream For Dry Skin

Benefits

• The moisturizing benefits of olive oil for the skin are well documented. It is a rich source of a monounsaturated fatty acid called oleic acid that reaches the inner layers of the skin. It also lightens acne scars.¹
• Vitamin E is a potent antioxidant that repairs UV damage, reduces inflammation, and removes spots from the skin.

Preparation

• Combine 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil, 1 tsp of coconut oil, and 1 tsp of beeswax in a small saucepan.
• Heat on low in a double boiler stirring occasionally, until the mixture starts melting.
• Take off heat, wait until it’s cool and whip into creamy soft texture.
• You can add the oil from a couple of vitamin E capsules into the mixture.
• Add a few drops of your favorite essential oil like ylang ylang, lavender, lemon, tea tree, or myrrh if you like.

Storage

• Store in a sterile container in a dry place.
• The oils will generally harden unless you’re in a very humid place.

Application

• Wash your face and pat dry before applying the cream.
• Rub in a circular motion, massaging the cream on your skin.
• Wash off the next morning with a gentle cleanser.

Precautions

• Some people who have oily skin may have breakouts from the cream.
• Use it for a few days to see how your skin responds.
• It usually works very well for people with dry skin.

2. White/Green Tea Night Cream For Extra-Dry Skin

Benefits

• Both green and white tea are abundant in antioxidants called catechins that are effective against skin-damaging free radicals. Free radicals are generated when your skin is exposed to the UV rays, which is one of the leading causes of premature aging, but also during normal metabolic processes. Catechins reduce inflammation and prevent skin cancer.²
• Almond oil moisturizes skin, prevents acne, fades scars, removes dark circles, and prevents wrinkles on skin.³
• Rosehip oil improves skin elasticity, tone, and texture and thereby removes fine lines, wrinkles, and brown spots. It’s especially effective during winter.⁴
• Coconut oil is antimicrobial and has deep moisturizing effects. It can even improve symptoms of an extremely dry skin condition called xerosis.⁵

Preparation

• To 25 oz of pure beeswax, add 1 oz almond oil, 1 oz coconut oil, 1 tsp of rose hip seed oil.
• Melt the mixture in a double boiler.
• Steep 1 packet of green or white tea in 1 cup of warm water for a few minutes. Pour this mixture to the double boiler and mix. If you are using a tea bag, open the bag and pour in the tea leaves too.
• Let the melted beeswax mixture cool for a couple of minutes.
• Strain it through a fine sieve.
• Whip this strained mixture using a hand blender until you reach a smooth, fluffy consistency.

Storage

• Store in a cool, dark place. Avoid refrigeration as it will harden the mixture.
• The cream has a long shelf life as it contains oils.
• It will last more than a month with daily application.

Application

• Wash face, pat dry, and apply on skin in circular motion, until it is absorbed completely.
• Wash it off with cold water and a gentle cleanser the next morning. Remember, harsh chemicals will strip away the benefits of the night cream.

3. Apple Night Cream For Aged Skin

Benefits

• Apples are a good source of vitamin C, which not only fights UV-related DNA damage but also enhances collagen production.⁶ These helps prevent and treat wrinkles and age spots. They also contain substantial malic acid, an alpha-hydroxy acid, which exfoliates the skin, moisturizes it deeply, and boosts collagen production.
• Rose water is known to hydrate the skin and reduce dark circles.

Preparation

• Cut an apple in 2 halves, de-seed, and cut into small cubes. Don’t peel off the skin.
• Blend these with 2 tsps olive oil or grapeseed oil or rose oil or almond oil until it reaches a smooth consistency.
• Pour it in a double boiler and mix until the mixture is warm.
• Remove from boiler and let it cool.
• After the mixture cools down, add 2 tsps rose water.
• You can add honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, or turmeric to this mixture if you are suffering from acne, as all these ingredients have anti-inflammatory properties.
• Go for green apples (if you can) as they have a high malic acid content.

Storage

• Put it in a sterile container and store it in your refrigerator.
• This mixture should last you for a week with daily application.

Application

• Wash face, pat dry, and apply the cream on your face.
• Let it dry for a good 10 minutes before getting into bed.
• Wash off the next morning with cool water and a gentle cleanser.

A Few Things To Keep In Mind

Since all the ingredients in these skin creams are natural, it is unlikely that your skin would react adversely. But to be on the safe side, do a patch test. Needless to say, if you are allergic to any of these, avoid using them. Also remember that these creams need to be washed off the next morning to avoid clogging skin pores. Some ingredients may also increase your sensitivity to UV rays, so do not use them as daytime moisturizer.