Rationale has long been the quiet achiever of Australian dermal science, celebrated by facialists and dermatologists yet still somewhat under the radar for the everyday skincare enthusiast. Their products tend to speak louder than their marketing budget, which is refreshing in a space crowded with hype.
With a name that sounds like it should be followed by an orchestral flourish, #6 The Night Crème promises to do the heavy lifting while you sleep. According to Rationale it teams a vitamin A duo with DNA repair enzymes to soften lines, boost firmness and send hydration to the uppermost layer of skin. It now even comes in a 20 ml jar so you can test the waters or toss it in your carry-on.
I spent a solid two weeks giving this midnight multitasker my undivided attention, tracking everything from texture to post-alarm mirror check, all in the interest of discovering whether it earns its price tag.
Disclaimer: This is not a paid or sponsored review. All thoughts are my own and based on personal experience. Skin is as individual as a fingerprint so your results may differ.
What Is #6 The Night Crème?
In simple terms this is an overnight treatment, a category of skincare you apply before bed and leave on until morning so active ingredients can work uninterrupted for six to eight hours. Unlike a wash-off mask or a daytime lotion, an overnight product is usually richer, forming a barrier that slows water loss while delivering slow-release actives.
#6 The Night Crème slots neatly into that definition. It is a vitamin A based cream that combines retinol with its more potent cousin retinal, backed by a mix of enzymes the brand refers to as DNA repair factors. The formula aims to support the natural cell turnover that peaks at night, smooth the look of fine lines and restore surface hydration.
Rationale offers the cream in its standard jar and a smaller 20 ml size meant for travel or a low-commitment trial run. Either way you are instructed to use it only in the evening and to follow with sunscreen the next day, as is standard practice with vitamin A products.
Did It Work?
Like any self respecting armchair scientist I shelved my usual overnight treatment for three full days before diving in, a washout period that made me feel far more professional than my bathroom lab coat (read: robe) deserved. Fourteen nights struck me as a fair window to judge performance so that is exactly how long #6 held the spotlight.
Each evening I pressed a pea sized blob over freshly cleansed skin, letting it act as the final step after a hydrating serum. The cream itself feels cushiony but not heavy, with a soft botanical scent that fades before my head hits the pillow. It plays nicely with my sensitive eyes and never pilled under the silk of my pillowcase so first impressions were encouraging.
Nights one through four brought the standard retinoid initiation rites: a fleeting tingle followed by faint tightness around my nostrils by morning. A dab of my usual barrier balm solved that quickly so I kept going without a break.
By the halfway mark I could see why Rationale puts hydration high on the benefit list. My skin woke up softer and comfortably dewy, the sort of glow that looks like you drank more water than you actually did. Makeup sat a touch smoother too which is always a pleasant side effect.
Days eleven to fourteen told the longer story. Fine lines on my forehead looked slightly relaxed and my cheeks felt subtly firmer when I smiled yet the changes were incremental rather than transformative. I did not notice any fresh breakouts or flakiness, a green flag for anyone prone to irritation, but the overall improvement stopped short of wow.
So, did it deliver? Mostly. #6 lives up to its promise of visible hydration and a whisper of plumping, it just does so at a volume that feels polite rather than powerful. I will happily finish the jar and might keep a travel size for flights when my skin needs extra comfort, but I will not be retiring my staple retinoid for it any time soon.
Main Ingredients Explained
The star pairing here is retinol plus retinal, two forms of vitamin A that nudge skin cells to turn over faster which over time can soften fine lines and even tone. Retinal is the more bioavailable sibling so seeing it alongside garden-variety retinol is a welcome sight, just keep in mind that all vitamin A derivatives can increase sensitivity to sunlight and should be avoided if you are pregnant or trying to conceive unless your doctor gives a direct thumbs-up.
Rationale surrounds those actives with a network of DNA repair enzymes taken from plant and microbial extracts. Names like Micrococcus lysate or Arabidopsis thaliana extract might read like a biology exam yet their job is straightforward: they help mop up free-radical damage created by UV and pollution so cells can focus on normal repair. While the jury is still out on how effectively these enzymes penetrate living skin, the science on oxidative stress is solid which makes their inclusion more than marketing fluff.
Hydration is tackled from several angles. Glycerin and pentylene glycol pull water into the upper layers, squalene and caprylic/capric triglyceride slow its escape and a suite of ceramides strengthens the lipid barrier itself. Add sodium hyaluronate for bounce and you have a cushiony finish that explains the morning glow I mentioned earlier.
Antioxidants come in the form of vitamin C, rosemary leaf extract and carrot root extract while minerals like zinc and copper gluconate support enzymatic activity. There is also an acetyl hexapeptide billed as a DNA guardian that may offer an additional line of defense, albeit at boutique-ingredient levels.
Not everything in the jar is universally loved. Essential oils from bergamot, grapefruit, lemon and clove lend the spa-like scent but can irritate reactive skin. Olive oil derivatives and squalene sit in the mid-range of the comedogenic scale meaning some acne-prone users could see clogged pores; comedogenic simply means a substance has the potential to block follicles which can lead to breakouts. Dimethicone also appears early in the list yet is largely considered non-pore-clogging and well tolerated.
Strict vegans may raise an eyebrow at the hydrolyzed DNA and RNA because brands often source these nucleic acids from fish or yeast, and the same uncertainty applies to some peptides and cholesterol. Vegetarians who are less stringent about animal by-products may be comfortable but anyone following a plant-only ethic should seek clarification from the company.
Finally a quick word on safety: because of the vitamin A content this cream falls under the usual pregnancy and breastfeeding caution zone. The formula is otherwise free of drying alcohols and mineral oil, and it keeps potential allergens like gluten or soy out of the spotlight, yet you should always patch-test new skincare especially when it houses potent actives and fragrant oils.
What I Liked/Didn’t Like
After two weeks of nightly use here is the quick rundown of where #6 shines and where it may fall short for some skin types.
What Works Well:
- Cushiony texture seals in moisture without feeling greasy so skin wakes up comfortably dewy
- Dual vitamin A blend offers a gentle but noticeable softening of fine lines with minimal irritation
- Travel size option lets newcomers test performance before committing to a full jar
What to Consider:
- Price sits at the premium end which may give budget minded users pause
- Essential oil blend could be a red flag for very reactive or fragrance sensitive skin
- Results are incremental not dramatic so those seeking a fast overhaul may prefer a stronger retinoid
My Final Thoughts
Overnight creams are the unsung stage crew of any routine, setting props and adjusting lighting while you dream of winning the skincare lottery. After two weeks of curtain calls with #6 The Night Crème I can say it gives a reliably polished performance but never quite steals the spotlight. Hydration, a touch of plumpness and a gentler approach to vitamin A all add up to solid value for those who like their actives served with silk sheets rather than sandpaper.
If your skin leans dry to normal, your wallet can handle prestige price tags and you prefer gradual refinement over dramatic plot twists this jar will likely make you happy. Oilier or congestion-prone faces may find the richer base a little clingy and results-hungry retinoid aficionados will probably crave something punchier. On balance I landed at a respectable 7/10 and would suggest it to a friend who wants comfort first and transformation second.
For anyone shopping around, my bathroom shelf has a few worthy understudies. Nocturnal Revive Cream by Deascal is an affordable all-rounder I have emptied twice, a smooth operator that suits just about every skin type. Pro-Collagen Night Cream from ELEMIS feels like a spa in a jar and delivers similar hydration with a stronger firming kick. BIOSSANCE Squalane + Ectoin Overnight Rescue is my pick for sensitive nights when redness threatens a mutiny, while LANEIGE Water Sleeping Mask offers lightweight quenching that never clogs even in summer. I have rotated through all of these and each one earns its place depending on mood, season and budget.
Before you sprint to the checkout, a quick nanny note: patch test new products on a discreet spot for a few days, apply vitamin A only at night and remember sunscreen is non-negotiable the next morning. Results last only as long as you keep up the backstage work so commit to the encore or expect the glow to take an early bow!