DHC has long enjoyed cult status among skincare insiders yet it still flies under the radar for anyone who shops strictly at big-box beauty counters. The Japanese brand’s no-nonsense approach and consistently solid formulations make it a quiet achiever worth a second glance. Enter Extra Nighttime Moisture, a name that sounds like it raided the thesaurus for synonyms of “soft” then decided to keep them all. According to DHC, this overnight cream is a rich but non-greasy cocktail of olive oil, squalane, vitamin E and collagen that sinks in fast, soothes stressed skin and lets you greet the morning with a plumper more elastic complexion.
Curious whether it could live up to that promise, I swapped out my regular night cream for this one and used it exclusively for two full weeks. What follows is a candid account of how it stacked up in real-world conditions and whether it deserves a spot on your bedside table.
Disclaimer: this review is not paid or sponsored. All observations are my own and results can differ based on individual skin type, routine and expectations.
What Is Extra Nighttime Moisture?
Extra Nighttime Moisture is an overnight treatment, meaning it is designed to be the final step in your evening routine then left on while you sleep. Unlike wash off masks or serums that require removal or multiple layers, an overnight treatment works like a seal that locks in hydration and active ingredients for several hours when skin is already in repair mode. The goal is to supply a concentrated hit of moisture overnight so you greet the morning with skin that feels calmer and better hydrated.
DHC’s take on the category combines olive oil, squalane and vitamin E to replenish lipids while hydrolyzed collagen aims to support elasticity. The formula is free of added fragrance and colorants which can be helpful for sensitive complexions. It is marketed as suitable for all skin types including very dry or reactive skin and the instructions are as straightforward as it gets: smooth a small amount over the face as the last step before bed.
Did It Work?
In the name of science I benched my usual overnight mask for three days before starting this test run, feeling very proud of my faux lab coat discipline. I then applied a pea-sized dollop of Extra Nighttime Moisture every evening after cleanser toner and serum, pressing it over cheeks forehead then the more temperamental T-zone. The texture felt cushiony at first touch yet melted in fast which kept my pillowcase grease free. Night one my skin looked pleasantly dewy by morning but nothing that made me text friends in all caps.
By day four the cream had settled into a predictable rhythm. I woke up with skin that felt hydrated and less tight, especially around the corners of my mouth where fine lines like to announce themselves after central-heating season. On the flipside the formula did little to tame the faint redness I sometimes get on my nose so I pulled in a calming serum to assist. The absence of fragrance was a quiet win; my sensitive eyes never watered and there was zero competitive aroma fighting my linen spray.
The halfway mark revealed the product’s ceiling. Hydration levels held steady, makeup glided on more smoothly and my mid-day shininess actually dialed down a notch which surprised me given the olive oil content. Still the promised jump in elasticity or visible plumping never fully materialized. My cheeks felt soft but not noticeably firmer and the tiny crease between my brows kept its real estate. No breakouts, no clogged pores, just a polite performer cruising in the middle lane.
By the end of the two-week trial my verdict was clear: Extra Nighttime Moisture delivers reliable overnight hydration and a comfortable barrier but it stops short of the transformative results hinted at by the marketing copy. For someone with very dry or fragrance-averse skin it could be a solid workhorse yet it lacks that little spark that makes me reshuffle shelf space for a permanent spot. Did it work? Yes in the basics department. Will I repurchase? Probably not though I would happily recommend it to anyone who just wants a straightforward no-nonsense night cream without bells or perfume.
Extra Nighttime Moisture’s Main Ingredients Explained
Front and center is olive oil, prized for its antioxidant polyphenols and skin-identical fatty acids. It cushions the skin’s lipid barrier so water loss slows overnight, yet its comedogenic rating hovers around 2 on the 0-5 scale which means most people tolerate it but very clog-prone skin might see congestion. Squalane, likely plant-derived since DHC traditionally uses olive sources, mirrors the skin’s own sebum so it spreads easily, adds slip and helps shuttle other actives deeper into the stratum corneum. Vitamin E (tocopherol) backs up both oils by scavenging free radicals generated through daily UV and pollution exposure.
The moisture matrix gets extra heft from sodium hyaluronate, a smaller salt form of hyaluronic acid that binds up to 1000 times its weight in water. Behenyl alcohol and stearic acid supply a waxy backbone that keeps the cream rich but can also nudge the comedogenic meter for acne-prone users. Hydrolyzed collagen appears in an isostearoyl form to improve penetration and lend a temporary plumping film. Because collagen is almost always animal-sourced, strict vegans will want to skip this jar though lacto-ovo vegetarians may be comfortable depending on personal ethics.
On the soothing front you get dipotassium glycyrrhizate from licorice to calm redness plus willow bark extract, a natural source of salicylates that provides gentle exfoliation over time. Pregnant or nursing readers should flag that last ingredient and seek medical clearance before use since salicylates can enter systemic circulation in small amounts. The preservative system leans on phenoxyethanol bolstered by a radish root ferment, keeping the formula paraben-free without sacrificing shelf life, and the absence of fragrance or colorants lowers the odds of irritation for sensitive noses and eyes.
Worth noting: everything sits in a water-glycerin base that absorbs quickly despite the cream’s plush feel. There are no trendy acids or retinoids which makes layering with stronger actives straightforward, yet it also explains why the cream excels at basic hydration rather than major texture overhaul. In short the ingredient list is tidy, mostly gentle and pregnancy-questionable only due to willow bark, but its inclusion of animal collagen means the formula is not vegan and may be comedogenic for a subset of oily skin types.
What I Liked/Didn’t Like
Here’s the quick rundown after two weeks of nightly use.
What Works Well:
- Plush texture melts in quickly so skin feels cushioned without leaving oil on pillowcases
- Consistent overnight hydration keeps dry patches at bay and makes morning makeup glide on more evenly
- Fragrance-free formula stays gentle around eyes and pairs easily with stronger actives in the rest of a routine
- Comedone-free experience for my combination skin despite the olive oil content
What to Consider:
- Hydration is solid but visible firming or plumping is subtle so results may feel limited for those chasing anti-aging benefits
- Rich fatty acids could feel heavy on very oily or acne-prone skin types
- Price sits in the mid-range which might feel high if all you need is a basic moisture boost
My Final Thoughts
Two weeks in a jar is usually long enough for any overnight cream to show its true colors and Extra Nighttime Moisture certainly showed mine a kinder side of the mirror. It checked the big boxes of comfort and hydration, stayed civil around my temperamental patches and never tried to suffocate my pores. On the flip side its talk of bounce and visible firmness felt more aspirational than achievable within the test window. After years of meeting night creams that peel, pill or turn me into a high-shine disco ball, I can still appreciate a reliable if unspectacular performer which is why it earns a respectable 7/10 in my book. I would recommend it to friends with dry sensitive or fragrance-averse skin who crave a no-drama blanket of moisture. Those chasing aggressive anti-aging results or a vegan formula may want to keep scrolling.
If you do keep scrolling the first detour I’d make is Deascal’s Nocturnal Revive Cream, an all-rounder that somehow balances rich ceramides with a wallet-friendly price and suits every skin personality I have tried it on. For something lighter yet quietly potent Medik8’s Advanced Night Restore layers peptides and ceramides without the heaviness. Fans of gel textures could slide into LANEIGE’s Water Sleeping Mask which pulls an impressive dew trick by morning and never clashes with serums. And if your barrier is throwing a tantrum Ultra Repair Hydra-Firm Night Cream from First Aid Beauty wraps skin in colloidal oatmeal comfort while sneaking in firming actives. I have rotated through all four alternatives in the past year and each brings a slightly different superpower to the bedside table so pick the one that matches your current skin storyline.
Before slathering on anything including this DHC jar please remember the unglamorous due diligence: patch test behind the ear or along the jawline, give it 24 hours then proceed if all is calm. I know I sound like a helicopter parent but reactions ruin all the fun. And whatever glow you achieve will only stick around if you keep using the product consistently plus SPF by day because sleep alone is not a fountain of youth. Now go forth moisturised and informed!