I Tried a Superfood-Packed Moisturizer That Brightens and Hydrates Skin—And Whoa!

During the day, your skin is facing a host of aggressors like light and environmental pollutants that can cause wide-ranging issues—acne, hyperpigmentation, loss of collagen—all of which are made worse by having dehydrated skin. That’s why it’s so important to add a night cream into your evening routine. As you sleep, your skin is repairing and regenerating, however, at the same time, water exits the skin through a process known as transepidermal water loss (TEWL), threatening to undo a night’s worth of work. To prevent this from happening and to optimize your complexion’s ability to reverse damage from the day, slathering on a thick moisturizer is key.

“The right products at night can help with the skin’s natural circadian rhythm of cellular repair and renewal,” says board-certified dermatologist Melanie D. Palm, MD, MBA. “It also allows a quiet space of seven to eight hours for skin to absorb active molecules without the interference of light or intense environmental pollutants.” That’s why I was excited to try the Youth To The People Hydrate and Glow Dream Mask, ($48), a hydrating cream that is loaded with actives to help it smooth skin tone and undo hyperpigmentation.

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Youth To The People Superberry Hydrate + Glow Dream Mask — $48.00

Packed with vitamin C, this overnight mask helps hydrate and brighten your skin.

Two of the key ingredients in the cream—vitamin C and antioxidant-rich super berries—are meant to fight off free radical damage from daily exposure to UV and pollutants and, in turn, brighten skin. Meanwhile, a combination of hyaluronic acid and squalane offers a shot of hydration for skin that plumps it and leaves it looking more nourished and less dehydrated. Hyaluronic acid is a humectant, which means that it draws water into the skin and holds onto it. This helps your complexion to stay hydrated over the course of the entire night and keeps TEWL in check.

The mask has a thick texture; however, it still goes on smoothly and gets absorbed fairly easily. When I tried it for myself—I have a dry, but acne-prone complexion—I noticed that it left my skin looking dewy, but kept my pores from getting clogged (no small feat!). While this was a home run for me, it’s important to note that reviewers said that thse with sensitive skin may need to be cautious, because it did cause some breakouts for them.

Otherwise, derms give you the go-ahead to slather this formula on and then sleep on the job.

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