What to Consider: Dermatologists agree that your skin won't be harmed by using a night cream during the day or a day cream at night. However, night creams do tend to be thicker, which can make skin look greasy if worn during the day. Also, some anti-aging ingredients found in night creams, such as retinol, are broken down by ultraviolet rays and won't be as effective in the sun. If you're going to use a daytime moisturizer overnight, choose one without an SPF, since added sunscreen ingredients can cause irritation or breakouts.
Bottom Line: If you want just one face cream, go with a lightweight lotion and apply a separate sunscreen over it during the day.