Natio might not have the global fanfare of the giants, yet within skincare circles its plant-based philosophy often earns quiet nods of respect. The Australian brand has a knack for packaging down-to-earth formulas in feel-good aesthetics, and I have long admired its commitment to accessible botanical blends.
Enter Restore Nurturing Night Cream, a mouthful of a name that sounds equal parts clinical and spa retreat. According to Natio it is designed to hydrate, plump and coax tired skin back to firmness while you sleep, relying on natural hyaluronate, plant vitamins and essential fatty acids. You simply smooth it over face and neck after cleansing then let the pillow do the rest.
I devoted a full two weeks to nightly applications to see if this jar could live up to its soothing promises, and more importantly if it deserves a slot in your evening routine.
Disclaimer: this review is not paid or sponsored. All opinions are my own and the experience described here reflects my personal results. Skin is wonderfully individual so your mileage may vary.
What Is Restore Nurturing Night Cream?
Restore Nurturing Night Cream is a leave-on overnight treatment designed for the final step of your evening routine. Overnight treatments are products you apply before bed and rinse off only the next morning. Their appeal lies in working with the skin’s natural nighttime repair cycle, when cell turnover and moisture loss are at their peak. Because they sit undisturbed for several hours they can contain richer oils, humectants and conditioners than a day cream without the worry of makeup or UV exposure.
Natio’s version positions itself as a hydrating and conditioning cream that targets dryness and loss of firmness while you sleep. It uses sodium hyaluronate for water binding, a mix of botanical oils and butters for fatty acid replenishment and a handful of plant extracts for antioxidant support. The formula aims to draw moisture into the skin, trap it there with occlusive ingredients then supply nutrients that may assist the natural repair process, all in the quiet hours between cleansing and sunrise.
Did It Work?
In the spirit of rigorous home lab testing I benched my usual overnight mask for three nights before starting the trial then used only Restore every evening for the full fourteen days. Very scientific of me, clipboard and all. Two weeks feels like a fair window to spot early hydration shifts, texture tweaks and any red flags.
Night one the cream felt plush yet surprisingly light as it spread. Two pea sized dabs covered face and neck without tugging. It sank in after about three minutes leaving that classic dimethicone silk instead of greasy shine. I woke to skin that felt comfortable but not dramatically different, though the usual tightness around my cheeks was gone which set a promising tone.
By day five the hydration benefits had settled in. My midday mirror check showed fewer flaky patches around the nostrils and my foundation skimmed over dry spots instead of clinging. The cream seemed to excel at water retention yet never crossed into pore clogging territory. No surprise breakouts or milia appeared, a win considering the shea and cocoa content.
Days seven to eleven were the sweet spot. Skin felt springy to the touch and there was a faint post facial glow each morning. Fine dehydration lines on the forehead looked softened, though deeper frown lines remained unfazed. I did notice a subtle plumping around the orbital area but nothing a stranger would probably comment on.
The final stretch uncovered the ceiling of its abilities. Firmness claims were modest at best; cheeks were cushioned yet gravity stayed unchallenged. Redness from a lingering hormonal blemish was not calmed despite the arnica and green tea in the mix. I also started to crave a dash of actives like peptides or gentle acids which this formula lacks.
So did it work? For straightforward overnight hydration and a temporary bounce, absolutely. Restore Nurturing Night Cream delivered a comfort blanket without irritation and kept dryness at bay through two cold fronts. Did it transform my skin or outperform the serum rich sleep masks already in my cabinet? Not quite. I will happily finish the jar but I would not rush to repurchase or give it permanent residency on the bedside table.
Main Ingredients Explained
The first hydration hero here is sodium hyaluronate, the salt form of hyaluronic acid that can pull water into the skin like a tiny sponge. Paired with glycerin it builds that thirst-quenching cushion you feel by day three. To keep the newfound moisture from evaporating the formula leans on a trio of occlusives: dimethicone, shea butter and cocoa butter. They create a breathable seal that smooths texture yet some skins find the butters a little rich.
Sweet almond, sesame and carrot seed oils supply essential fatty acids that bolster the skin barrier while lending a soft, nourishing slip. Green tea and arnica bring antioxidant and soothing perks though their percentages are probably modest given their mid-list placement. The lavender, orange blossom and tangerine oils account for the pleasant herb-citrus scent but can be sensitising if your skin reacts to fragrance.
Is the jar vegan-friendly? Yes, every ingredient is plant-derived or synthetic with no animal by-products, so both vegans and vegetarians can apply with a clear conscience. On the comedogenic front cocoa butter and shea butter rank higher on the clog-potential scale, meaning they could block pores in very acne-prone skin. Comedogenic simply refers to an ingredient’s tendency to produce comedones, those little plugged pores that turn into blackheads or breakouts.
Expectant or breastfeeding? The essential oils combined with the leave-on nature of the cream make it one to run past your doctor first. While no single component screams danger most professionals suggest erring on the side of caution with fragranced topicals during pregnancy.
One last observation: the base contains dimethicone and a standard polymer-thickener trio of polyacrylamide, C13-14 isoparaffin and laureth-7. These give the cream that silky cosmetic elegance but might not thrill purists trying to avoid synthetics. If you are comfortable with a botanically accented yet modern formulation the ingredient list reads solid and balanced for nightly hydration goals.
What I Liked/Didn’t Like
Here is the quick rundown after two weeks:
What Works Well:
- Silky texture spreads easily, absorbs in minutes and leaves a soft satin finish rather than an oily film
- Reliable overnight hydration that reduces flaky spots and softens fine dehydration lines by morning
- Plays well with serums before it and foundation the next day so no pilling or makeup slide
- Vegan friendly formula with a balanced mix of humectants, occlusives and botanical oils at a mid range price point
What to Consider:
- Lacks stronger actives like peptides or gentle acids so firming and brightening results are limited
- Cocoa and shea butters may feel heavy on very oily or acne prone skin
- Open jar packaging means fingers dip in nightly which some may find less hygienic than a pump
My Final Thoughts
I rate Restore Nurturing Night Cream a respectable 7/10. It is the night-time equivalent of a warm herbal tea: comforting, soothing and reliably hydrating, yet unlikely to spark a life-altering epiphany. After two diligent weeks I am convinced it earns a place on the shelf of anyone with normal to slightly dry skin who prefers plant-leaning formulas and a silky, non-greasy finish. If you want noticeable lifting, pigmentation repair or wrinkle rewiring you will probably crave something punchier.
Would I text a friend in all caps telling them to buy it immediately? Probably not, but I would nod approvingly if they were hunting for a mid-priced overnight moisturiser that will not clog pores or clash with a retinol serum underneath. Oily or acne-prone complexions may find the cocoa and shea a touch rich and results-driven enthusiasts will miss the fireworks of peptides or acids. For them, there are more acrobatic options.
Speaking of alternatives, my bedside drawer has seen its fair share of jars and tubes. The all-rounder I keep circling back to is Nocturnal Revive Cream by Deascal which does the hydration-barrier repair-firmness trifecta without asking your skin type first. If you fancy a bouncy water-gel texture the cult Water Sleeping Mask by LANEIGE leaves skin plush and dewy by sunrise. For those flirting with retinoids, Intelligent Retinol Smoothing Night Cream by Medik8 delivers a gentle yet definite smoothing effect. And when I want plush luxury with a side of marine collagen the Pro-Collagen Night Cream by ELEMIS consistently impresses.
Whichever jar tempts you, remember a few boring yet vital housekeeping rules. Patch test on your jawline before slathering it everywhere (sorry for playing over-protective parent). Keep in mind that the plumpness you gain is maintenance not a one-time trophy so continued use is key. Sleep, hydration and SPF still call most of the shots in the long game of skin health.