Smith Farms may not command the same instant recognition as the mega conglomerates lining beauty shelves, yet its farm to face ethos has quietly built a loyal following and more than a few awards. The Canadian brand prides itself on formulas that feel wholesome yet technically savvy, a balance that has always piqued my interest.
Their latest jar, Ultra Restorative Night Cream, sounds like it moonlights as a sleep therapist. According to Smith Farms it is loaded with 3 percent niacinamide, dual weight hyaluronic acid, colloidal oatmeal and even banana extract to drench skin in moisture while coaxing out a morning glow. The promise of bedtime skin rehab is nothing new but the ingredient lineup is undeniably tempting.
I slathered and scrutinised this cream for a solid two weeks, both as an overnight finale and the occasional daytime buffer against harsh office air conditioning, to see if reality matched the promise and if the price tag felt justified.
Disclaimer: This review is not paid or sponsored. All views expressed are mine based on personal experience and individual results can vary.
What Is Ultra Restorative Night Cream?
Ultra Restorative Night Cream is a leave-on treatment designed to sit on the skin for the full stretch of your sleep cycle rather than rinse away like a mask. Products in the overnight treatment category aim to work with the skin’s natural nighttime repair process, sealing in moisture and delivering actives at a steady pace while you are off the clock.
Smith Farms positions this cream as both a hydrator and a barrier support step. The formula contains 3 percent niacinamide to help refine tone, dual weight hyaluronic acid for surface and deeper hydration, colloidal oatmeal to calm reactivity and banana extract to bolster softness. It is officially labeled a night cream but the brand notes it can double as a richer day moisturizer if your skin skews dry.
The texture is intentionally rich enough to create an occlusive layer that limits overnight water loss yet it is not marketed as a heavy balm. You apply it as the last step after cleansing and any serums then leave it in place until morning.
Did It Work?
In a highly rigorous move that involved me, a bathroom mirror and imaginary lab goggles, I benched my regular overnight treatment for three whole days before the test run. Fourteen nights felt like a fair window to see whether Ultra Restorative Night Cream could earn a place on my shelf.
I used a nickel sized scoop each evening after cleansing and a lightweight serum, pressing it over face and neck. On three particularly arid afternoons I dabbed a thinner layer under sunscreen just to see how it held up in daylight. The cream melts down quickly, leaving a satiny film that feels protective rather than greasy, though on humid nights I noticed a slight tackiness that stuck around until morning.
Immediate payoff was undeniable. My skin woke up looking comfortably hydrated and that tight feeling that shows up after a night in central heating was gone. By day five my cheeks looked plumper and fine dehydration lines around my eyes were softer. The 3 percent niacinamide seemed to keep redness in check too, especially around my nose which often rebels against richer formulas.
Week two was less rosy. Hydration levels stayed solid yet I spotted two tiny closed comedones along my jaw, something I rarely get. They never became full breakouts but hinted that the blend of shea butter, rice bran oil and avocado oil might be edging toward too occlusive for my combination skin when used nightly. Dialing use back to every other evening solved the issue, though the overall glow plateaued rather than improved further.
So did it work? If the brief was to cushion skin with moisture and deliver a smoother, calmer canvas by morning, yes, it checked those boxes. Did it transform tone, shrink pores or have me skipping foundation altogether? Not quite. For drier or more sensitive types I suspect the payoff will feel more dramatic. As for me, I’ll finish the jar on travel days or winter emergencies but I’m not racing to repurchase.
Main Ingredients Explained
Niacinamide sits at a Goldilocks 3 percent, a level the literature supports for brightening tone, easing redness and bolstering the skin barrier without tipping into irritation. If your skin is easily offended by heavier actives, this mid-range dose should feel comfortable while still moving the needle on dullness and uneven patches.
The hyaluronic acid duo pairs a large molecule that hangs out on the surface with a smaller one that wiggles deeper into the epidermis. The big guy grabs onto ambient water for instant plumping while the low molecular counterpart works more long game, reinforcing hydration over several hours so you do not wake up parch-cracked.
Colloidal oatmeal is the formula’s cuddle factor. Rich in beta-glucans and avenanthramides, it swaddles the skin, reducing itch and transepidermal water loss. If winter winds or overzealous retinol have your face feeling fragile, this ingredient helps dial down inflammation and support recovery.
Banana extract offers a quieter contribution, bringing potassium plus vitamin A that can soften rough texture. More interesting are the carrier oils: rice bran, sunflower, jojoba and avocado supply oleic and linoleic acids plus antioxidant vitamin E. They create a breathable seal that keeps actives in and moisture from escaping overnight.
A quick word on potential pore congestion. Shea butter, avocado oil and even rice bran oil hover in the mid range of the comedogenic scale, meaning they carry a mild chance of clogging follicles in skins already prone to blackheads or closed comedones. Comedogenic simply refers to an ingredient’s likelihood of blocking pores which can lead to bumps or breakouts. If you lean oily or acneic consider limiting use to alternate nights or patch testing first.
No beeswax or animal derivatives appear on the INCI so the cream is suitable for vegans and vegetarians, provided you are comfortable with synthetic vitamin sources. The actives present are generally regarded as pregnancy safe yet dermatologists still recommend running any topical past your physician when expecting or nursing.
Lastly the formula skips added fragrance relying instead on its botanical base, a relief for sensitive noses. It also comes in a recyclable glass jar though you will need a clean spatula to avoid dipping fingers and introducing bacteria.
What I Liked/Didn’t Like
Two weeks in here is the quick breakdown of highs and hiccups.
What Works Well:
- Delivers a cushioned shot of hydration overnight so skin looks plump and calm by morning
- Three percent niacinamide visibly reins in redness without any tingling
- Rich yet absorbing texture leaves a soft satin film that partners well with daytime SPF on dry skin days
- Oatmeal based formula skips added scent which keeps reactive complexions comfortable
What to Consider:
- Butters and heavier oils may prompt minor clogged bumps on combination or oily skin if applied every night
- Film can feel slightly tacky in muggy weather so spacing applications helps
- Brightening and pore blurring plateau after the first week so results stay in maintenance mode rather than transformative
My Final Thoughts
Ultra Restorative Night Cream did what it said on the tin: served up dependable hydration, soothed the odd flare up and left my skin looking like it had actually clocked eight hours of rest. Still, after two weeks of nightly use I landed at a respectable yet un-rhapsodic 7/10. The formula is comforting but in my combination zone it flirted with congestion so I found the sweet spot at every other night. Drier or sensitive skins that crave a plush cocoon will likely cheer louder while oily or breakout-prone friends might feel safer steering toward lighter textures.
I have slugged and slathered my way through more overnight treatments than I care to admit, so I feel pretty confident in saying Smith Farms holds its own on the hydration front but stops short of delivering game-changing brightness or pore refinement. If you want your night cream to double as a barrier fix and a mellow niacinamide boost, this jar fits the bill. If you are chasing dramatic tone correction or retinoid-level smoothing, keep shopping.
Would I recommend it to a friend? If that friend has normal-to-dry skin and values a fragrance-free, farm-leaning formula then yes, particularly for winter or air-conditioned offices. For my fellow combo skins I would add the caveat to alternate nights or reserve it for cold snaps.
Speaking of options, there are a few other jars I reach for when my skin mood shifts. Nocturnal Revive Cream by Deascal is an excellent all-rounder that suits every skin type and is mercifully kind on the wallet. When I need a bouncy, firming hit I call on LANEIGE Bouncy & Firm Sleeping Mask while First Aid Beauty’s Ultra Repair Hydra-Firm Night Cream comes out when eczema-adjacent dryness strikes. On nights I want a gentle retinoid whisper I lean on Medik8 Intelligent Retinol Smoothing Night Cream which plays nicely with prone-to-irritation faces.
Before you dive headfirst into any new pot, remember the unsexy basics: patch test behind your ear or along the jawline, listen to your skin and ease in slowly. Sorry to sound like an over-protective parent but reactions are real. And yes, all the glow in the world fades if you ghost your routine, so keep your night cream rotation steady if you want the plumpness to stick around.