GEL CREAMS VS. NIGHT CREAMS

Gel cream or night cream? We’re putting confusion to rest.

JULES C on MAY 19, 2019

There may be some confusion between gel creams and night creams (or sleeping packs/masks), especially with the abundance of options available in the K-beauty world. Thankfully, the two are easy to differentiate. Gel creams are lighter moisturizers ideal for daytime use. Night creams/sleeping packs are usually richer or heavier than a gel cream, and are worn overnight to enrich the skin. Both serve the same purpose of helping to seal in hydration at the end of a skincare routine.

Gel creams are usually lighter than a traditional western face cream. Gel creams are great for finishing off a morning skincare routine due to being light and sinking into the skin quickly. These usually work great as a final step before sunscreen.  Gel creams vary in formulation – some are a hybrid of gel and cream, and others may be more jelly-like in texture. These moisturizers are also ideal for oily skin, as they provide the necessary humectants to retain skin moisture without causing excess sebum production.

① CAOLION PEACE WATER Aqua Fresh Gel Day Cream 50g

② COSRX Hydrium Green Tea Aqua Soothing Gel Cream 50ml

③ TONYMOLY The Chok Chok Green Tea Gel Cream 60ml

① Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Aqua Gel Cream 80ml

② iUNIK Centella Calming Gel Cream 60ml

Night creams/sleeping packs are richer than gel creams or other lightweight hydrators. Some night creams may have the texture of a western face cream, or they may just be a richer version of a gel cream with some extra occlusive ingredients.  Just because you’re using a night cream or sleeping pack doesn’t mean you have to skip out on a regular moisturizer – layering a gel cream underneath the night cream allows for even more hydration.

① LANEIGE Water Sleeping Mask 70ml

② Beauty of Joseon Dynasty Cream 50ml

③ secretKey Snow White Cream 50g

① Dr.Jart+ Ceramidin Cream 50ml

② MISSHA Time Revolution Night Repair Probio Ampoule Cream 50ml

Almost every K-beauty brand offers a lightweight gel cream and a more substantial night cream or sleeping pack. You can easily find one highlighting your ingredients of choice – snail, honey, and centella to name a few; gel creams are often a product that is offered with new up and coming ingredients. Both products are ubiquitous in multi-step routines, and can even be mixed and matched – a nourishing night cream may be perfect if your sunscreen of choice happens to be more drying, and a gel cream may be a better fit on humid summer nights.