Nighttime Recovery Cream
The Merle Norman Nighttime Recovery Cream is a moisturizer. Our analysis of its 52 ingredients (45 low-risk) rates it Excellent (97/100). Based on its ingredients, it looks well-suited to dry skin. Heads up: it contains fragrance, which can irritate sensitive or reactive skin.
The Merle Norman Nighttime Recovery Cream is a moisturizer. Our analysis of its 52 ingredients (45 low-risk) rates it Excellent (97/100). Based on its ingredients, it looks well-suited to dry skin. Heads up: it contains fragrance, which can irritate sensitive or reactive skin.
Summarised from our ingredient analysis — not brand marketing copy.
The evidence
| EWG | CIR | Ingredient Name & Cosmetic Functions | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
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Water
(Solvent) |
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Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
(Skin Conditioning, Emollient, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Viscosity Controlling) |
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Glyceryl Stearate
(Emollient, Emulsifying) |
Fungal Acne Trigger
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Squalane
(Emollient, Hair Conditioning, Refatting, Skin Conditioning) |
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Myristyl Myristate
(Emollient, Opacifying, Skin Conditioning) |
Bad for Oily Skin
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Glycerin
(Denaturant, Fragrance, Hair Conditioning, Humectant, Oral Care Agent, Oral Health Care Drug, Skin Protecting, Viscosity Decreasing Agent, Perfuming, Solvent) |
Good for Dry Skin
Fungal Acne Trigger
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Cetyl Alcohol
(Emulsion Stabilising, Fragrance, Opacifying, Emulsifying, Surfactant, Foam Boosting, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Emollient, Masking, Viscosity Controlling) |
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Dimethicone
(Antifoaming Agent, Skin Protecting, Emollient, Skin Conditioning) |
Silicone
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Ethylhexyl Stearate
(Skin Conditioning, Emollient) |
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Cyclopentasiloxane
(Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Emollient, Solvent) |
Silicone
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Cyclohexasiloxane
(Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Emollient, Solvent) |
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Sorbitol
(Flavoring Agent, Fragrance, Humectant, Plasticizer, Skin Conditioning) |
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Stearic Acid
(Fragrance, Sufactant, Emulsifying, Surfactantsurfactant Cleansing Agent Is Included As A Function For The Soap Form Of Stearic Acid., Emulsion Stabilising, Masking, Refatting) |
Bad for Oily Skin
Fungal Acne Trigger
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PEG-40 Stearate
(Emulsifying, Surfactant) |
Fungal Acne Trigger
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Sorbitan Tristearate
(Emulsifying, Surfactant) |
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Saccharide Isomerate
(Humectant) |
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Superoxide Dismutase
(Reducing, Skin Conditioning, Antioxidant) |
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Ceramide NP
(Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning) |
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C10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters
(Emulsifying, Skin Conditioning, Viscosity Controlling) |
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Zea Mays Kernel Extract
(Binding, Bulking) |
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Glyceryl Polymethacrylate
(Film Forming, Viscosity Controlling) |
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Glycyrrhetinic Acid
(Skin Conditioning) |
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Hyaluronic Acid
(Skin Conditioning, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Antistatic Agent, Humectant, Moisturising) |
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Centella Asiatica Extract
(Cleansing, Skin Conditioning, Smoothing, Soothing, Tonic) |
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Echinacea Purpurea Extract
(Moisturising, Skin Conditioning, Tonic) |
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Sodium Hyaluronate
(Skin Conditioning, Humectant) |
Good for Dry Skin
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Fagus Sylvatica Bud Extract
(Tonic) |
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Ascorbic Acid/Orange/Citrus Limon/Citrus Aurantifolia Polypeptides
(Skin Conditioning) |
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Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride
(Emollient, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting) |
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Tocopheryl Acetate
(Antioxidant, Skin Conditioning) |
Bad for Oily Skin
|
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Isocetyl Alcohol
(Skin Conditioning, Emollient, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Viscosity Controlling) |
Bad for Sensitive Skin
Bad for Oily Skin
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Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
(Skin Conditioning) |
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Folic Acid
(Skin Conditioning) |
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Pyridoxine HCl
(Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Antistatic Agent) |
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Proline
(Fragrance, Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning) |
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Glycine
(Buffering Agent, Fragrance, Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning Agent Miscellaneous, Antistatic Agent, Skin Conditioning) |
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Palmitoyl Carnitine
(Skin Conditioning) |
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PCA
(Humectant, Moisturising) |
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Alanine
(Fragrance, Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Antistatic Agent, Masking) |
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Glutamic Acid
(Fragrance, Hair Conditioning, Humectant, Antistatic Agent) |
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Serine
(Fragrance, Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Antistatic Agent, Masking) |
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Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
(Emulsion Stabilising, Film Forming, Viscosity Controlling) |
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Lecithin
(Skin Conditioning, Emulsifying, Surfactant, Antistatic Agent, Emollient) |
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Polyquaternium-24
(Antistatic Agent, Film Forming, Hair Fixing) |
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PEG-8
(Humectant, Solvent) |
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Butylene Glycol
(Fragrance, Skin Conditioning, Solvent, Viscositydecreasing Agent, Humectant, Masking, Viscosity Controlling) |
Good for Dry Skin
|
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Triethanolamine
(Fragrance, Ph Adjuster, Emulsifying, Surfactant, Buffering Agent, Masking) |
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Diazolidinyl Urea
(Preservative) |
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Phenoxyethanol
(Fragrance, Preservative) |
Paraben
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Tetrasodium EDTA
(Chelating Agent) |
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Disodium EDTA
(Chelating Agent, Viscosity Controlling) |
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PARFUM
(Fragrance, Perfuming) |
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How to use
General guidance from this product's category and active ingredients — always follow the directions on the package.
Trust & honesty
The concentrations these actives are typically effective at in research — not a measurement of this product.
L-ascorbic acid is usually used at 5–20% (around 10–15% is common). Above ~20% adds little and tends to irritate more; it also needs a low pH to work.
Ascorbic Acid/Orange/Citrus Limon/Citrus Aurantifolia Polypeptides
INCI lists don't disclose amounts, and we don't claim to know this product's levels — these are the ranges these ingredients are usually effective at, so you can tell a real formula from "fairy-dusting" a marketed active. How we estimate this.
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