The Best Korean Night Cream Is Really a Sleeping Mask

The Best Korean Night Cream Is Really a Sleeping Mask

The best Korean night cream usually comes labelled as a sleeping mask, a leave-on layer you apply last and sleep in. It is the step that made Korean skincare famous for the morning-after glow. These best Korean night cream picks are the sleeping masks and night creams I would put at the end of a routine.

Why the Best Korean Night Cream Is a Sleeping Mask

In Korean skincare the final night step is often a sleeping mask or sleeping pack, a cream or gel that seals in everything underneath while you sleep. That is why searches for the best Korean night cream so often land on products with mask in the name. Laneige's Water Sleeping Mask is the product that introduced many Western shoppers to the idea, a cooling gel-cream that supports the moisture barrier overnight. Belif's Aqua Bomb Sleeping Mask has a bouncy, pudding-like texture and is built to replenish dehydrated skin. Both suit anyone who finds a traditional night cream too heavy.

Dr. Jart+ Cicapair and Sulwhasoo Overnight

Dr. Jart+ Cicapair Sleepair is a tiger grass night mask that moisturises and refines texture while you sleep. Sulwhasoo's Overnight Recharging Mask is the most nourishing pick here.

How to Use a Sleeping Mask as Your Night Cream

Treat the mask exactly as you would a night cream, the last thing on after serums and before your pillow. A thin, even layer is enough, and most of these can be used nightly rather than once a week, which is the main difference from a wash-off mask. Gel textures like Laneige suit combination skin, while Sulwhasoo's richer formula is better for dry or mature skin in winter. Give it a few minutes to settle so less ends up on the pillowcase. What I would skip is layering a heavy cream underneath as well, which tends to pill and defeats the point.