Three night creams that are better than retinol

Telegraph

23-05-2025

This time last year, Boots accrued a waiting list of 88,000 for its No7 Future Renew Serum. In skincare, peptides work as a signalling tool coaxing the fibroblasts (master skin cells) to fork out more collagen and elastin, the skin's all-important factory that gives your complexion its dew and bounce.
This April, a full year after the day when serum initiated a virtual stampede to the tills, Boots No7 launched a sister serum: Future Renew's Night Serum.
Of course, we never rest on a previous product's laurels. Therefore we dived into its science with a fine tooth-comb. Here's what's worth knowing:
Clock this
Our circadian rhythm is the 24-hour body clock that helps our bodies to perform optimally. When we disrupt our body clock – burning the candle at both ends, for instance – then we rob ourselves of the rejuvenating benefits of deep sleep.
What wasn't known until now is that our skin cells have their own circadian rhythm, with a two-hour peak of repair between 2am and 4am.
'Chronobiology, the study of circadian rhythms, is an exciting emerging area of science and poorly understood in human skin,' says No7's head of science research, Dr Mike Bell. 'For five years, No7 scientists, working alongside the University of Manchester and world-leading chronobiologist Professor Qing-jun Meng, have undertaken a pioneering study on the importance of night-time for the skin and the potential role for chronotechnology and tailored night products.'
The rush-hour period that scientists discovered is exacerbated by chronic sun exposure. What their findings show is that not only are UV rays damaging the skin's DNA, leading to premature ageing and pigmentation, but that chronic sun damage alters the skin's circadian genes, disrupting its ability to repair itself effectively at night.
With these new scientific insights in hand, No7 developed a night serum that works with the skin's circadian genes by activating repair at the specific time the skin is in peak repair mode (2-4am).
No7 Future Renew Night Serum, £39.95, Boots
The solution was found in a specific antioxidant, Lindera strychnifolia, that's highly effective at promoting the natural circadian rhythm of human skin cells. Alongside the calming plant extract, Future Renew Night Serum contains a proprietary super peptide complex for firming, hyaluronic acid to hydrate along with vitamins C and E and a sleep-inducing fragrance. Furthermore, the serum boasts a patent-pending delivery mechanism that facilitates a deeper penetration of the ingredients.
The proof is undeniable. A randomised, split-face, single-blinded six-month clinical trial of the Future Renew Night Serum clinically proves a reduction in the visible signs of skin damage. Notwithstanding the critical message that high-factor sun protection during the day is vital to curb ageing in the first place, whether you've been in the sun or not, the night serum is designed to supercharge-repair in sync with your natural sleep cycle, making it a smart choice for anyone wishing to optimise their skin's youthful characteristics for as long as possible.
Diary entry
While Boots has the benefit of millions of loyal customers to help contain the cost of No7's Future Renew Night Serum to under £40, Prof Chris Griffiths' Skin Diary Night Repair Therapy is priced much higher, at £135 – but that hasn't stopped it selling one every minute since it hit shelves last month.
It could be something to do with the fact that Prof Griffiths is the third-most cited dermatologist in the world (he's published more than 770 PubMed-cited articles). Moreover, not only is he a respected professor and skin doctor, but prior to launching The Skin Diary, he was the lead scientist behind some of No7's most proven innovations, including Protect & Perfect, the original 'super serum' found in a 2007 BBC Horizon documentary to be the only anti-ageing product on the market at the time to have proven effects.
The Skin Diary's Night Repair Therapy was developed in collaboration with the University of Manchester (ranked fourth in Europe for dermatology and skin ageing), Prof Griffiths and Dr Tamara Griffiths, an expert in cellular skin repair mechanisms.
Night Repair Therapy, £135, The Skin Diary
In double-blind, placebo-controlled trials it was shown to outperform prescription-strength retinoids without the irritability (this is major); therefore it can be used on all skin types. 'The formulation increased collagen and elastic fibres in photoaged skin to levels higher than seen with the gold-standard prescription product tretinoin,' confirms Dr Abigail Langton, a senior lecturer at the University of Manchester.
Furthermore, Night Repair Therapy doubles collagen and elastin fibres in 12 days and has been proven to be a whopping 20 times more effective than over-the-counter retinol-based products. A combination of peptides, a special type of lycopene (an antioxidant found in tomato skins), niacinamide, polyphenols and ceramides, among other ingredients, works in three ways: it prevents damage before it happens, boosts the repair process and restores the skin by reinforcing the protective barrier.
Optimum price
Superdrug's new Optimum range includes peptide-rich formulas without the high-end prices. The Night Cream, which features peptides for collagen synthesis, fruit extracts to exfoliate and vitamin C to brighten (another collagen booster), costs considerably less than the aforementioned two, at 18 quid. Though it doesn't have the scientific rigour of No7 and The Skin Diary, which are proven to de-age in costly clinical studies, that doesn't mean it doesn't work. In user trials, 85 per cent of consumers saw brighter skin while 82 per cent agreed their skin felt firmer after using Optimum's Peptide Night Cream for four weeks. And for under £20, there's certainly no harm in finding out for yourself.
Optimum Peptide Night Cream, £18, Superdrug