When it comes to indie clean skincare, Eight Saints deserves a polite round of applause. The Colorado-born brand has quietly cultivated a reputation for formulas that punch above their weight while steering clear of the harsher corners of the ingredient world.
Its latest overnight offering, cheekily named Up The Anti Night Cream, feels like a dare in a jar. Eight Saints promises that this velvety potion will hydrate, smooth and generally rewind the clock while you sleep thanks to hydrators like hyaluronic acid, barrier boosting niacinamide and a cocktail of collagen nudging peptides, all wrapped in a whisper of green tea scent.
I spent a solid two weeks massaging the cream into freshly cleansed skin before bed, scrutinising the morning results and jotting down every triumph and shortcoming to see if it truly lives up to the hype and your paycheck.
Disclaimer: this is not a paid or sponsored review. The thoughts shared here are my own subjective impressions and, as every complexion has its own quirks, your experience may differ.
What Is Up The Anti Night Cream?
Up The Anti Night Cream is an overnight treatment from Eight Saints designed for use as the last step of your evening routine. Overnight treatments are richer than day creams because they work while skin is in repair mode during sleep, when cell turnover naturally speeds up and moisture loss is more pronounced.
This formula centers on three familiar actives. Hyaluronic acid attracts and holds water to keep surface layers cushioned. Niacinamide supports the skin barrier so the hydration you add does not escape by morning. A blend of peptides signals the skin to ramp up collagen production which can help soften the look of fine lines over time.
The supporting cast reads like a greatest hits list of plant oils and antioxidants, from aloe juice and safflower oil to green tea extract. Everything is suspended in a traditional cream base, giving it the weight expected of a night product without wandering into greasy territory.
In short, it is a straightforward anti-aging night cream aimed at hydrating, strengthening and smoothing skin between lights out and the alarm clock.
Did It Work?
In the name of rigorous skincare science I benched my usual overnight treatment for a full 72 hours before starting this test period, a hiatus that felt both brave and mildly reckless. Fourteen consecutive nights with only Up The Anti on my face seemed like a reasonable window to spot meaningful change.
Night one impressed. The cream spread easily, sank after a minute of gentle patting and left a satiny sheen rather than an oil slick. By morning my cheeks felt comfortably hydrated, not tight, which is more than I can say for some pricier pots. The green tea scent also faded quickly so it never competed with my pillowcase detergent.
Through the first week hydration stayed consistent. I woke up to skin that looked smoother around the mouth and a touch plumper across the forehead. No clogged pores or redness cropped up, a small victory given my combination complexion. Still, the promised “rewind” effect on fine lines was subtle at best. My under eye crinkles remained loyal companions, though perhaps they appeared a bit less cranky after eight hours of sleep and a coat of peptides.
Week two offered incremental rather than dramatic gains. Texture felt a little more refined and I noticed fewer flaky patches around my nose. That said, the deeper expression lines on my forehead hadn’t budged and the overall glow factor plateaued. I missed the luminous bounce my go-to overnight mask delivers, something this formula never fully matched.
So did it work? Yes in the sense that it reliably moisturised and kept irritation at bay. It half-delivered on the promise of plumped, vibrant skin but fell short of the firmer, noticeably smoother finish the marketing copy suggests. At a solid 7 out of 10 I respect its performance yet don’t feel compelled to retire my current night treatment. If you crave a clean, midweight cream that covers the hydration basics and you catch it on sale it could earn a spot on the shelf. For me the jar will be finished gratefully then politely replaced.
Up the Anti Night Cream’s Main Ingredients Explained
First up is hyaluronic acid, the moisture magnet that holds up to 1,000 times its weight in water. Here it is paired with sodium PCA and aloe juice so the whole trio draws humidity into the upper skin layers then keeps it there through the night. The result is that satisfying morning bounce rather than the familiar tight feeling some night creams leave behind.
Niacinamide, listed surprisingly far down the deck, still earns a spotlight. At the typical 2–5 percent range it can reinforce the lipid barrier, soothe redness and even out tone over time. Its supporting partner vitamin B5 helps calm any potential irritation which is why this cream felt gentle despite repeated use.
The peptide blend combines palmitoyl tripeptide-1, tripeptide-5 and tetrapeptide-7. These short chains of amino acids act like little messengers telling skin to reboot collagen production. Peptides are not as dramatic as retinoids but they are far less irritating so they suit sensitive or barrier-compromised complexions who still want in on firming benefits.
Plant oils fill out the formula: safflower, sunflower and jojoba mimic skin’s own lipids to soften without smothering. Still, take note that both isopropyl palmitate and shea butter carry moderate comedogenic ratings. If you are very prone to clogged pores (comedogenic means pore-clogging) patch test first or reserve the cream for drier zones.
Everything is scented with a whisper of green tea extract rather than synthetic fragrance and the antioxidant boost from gotu kola, horsetail and wild geranium is a welcome bonus. The ingredient list is free of animal derivatives so vegans and vegetarians can apply with peace of mind.
Pregnancy safety looks favorable since the actives are gentle hydrators and peptides, yet every obstetrician will remind you that even benign topicals can behave unpredictably in hormonal skin. When expecting, clear any new routine with your doctor.
Lastly, the absence of parabens, mineral oil or drying alcohols aligns with Eight Saints’ clean positioning though the inclusion of polysorbate 20 and carbomers means the texture stays silky rather than greasy. In short, the ingredient lineup checks most of the modern skincare boxes but oily or acne-prone users should weigh those richer emollients before diving in.
What I Liked/Didn’t Like
After two weeks of nightly use here is the straightforward rundown.
What Works Well:
- Midweight texture melts in fast so skin feels cushioned not greasy
- Reliable overnight hydration that leaves cheeks plump and comfortable by morning
- Vegan friendly formula loaded with peptides, niacinamide and plant antioxidants
What to Consider:
- Firming and wrinkle softening are subtle which may not meet high performance expectations
- Rich emollients like isopropyl palmitate could trigger congestion on very oily or blemish prone skin
- Results plateau quickly so the jar can feel pricey relative to the payoff
My Final Thoughts
The search for a night cream that feels like a personal trainer for your face is never really over and Up The Anti proves why. It hydrates on cue, keeps the barrier content and sprinkles in a polite dose of peptides yet it never delivers the jaw dropping “who is she?” reflection some of us secretly crave. After two diligent weeks I am happy to stamp it with a respectable 7/10. I would recommend it to a friend whose skin leans normal to slightly dry, prefers clean formulas and wants fuss free moisture without the tingling drama of acids or retinoids. If you are chasing visible firming in record time, are extremely oily or simply live for that glass skin sheen you may feel underwhelmed.
Naturally the beauty cabinet sees a steady rotation of overnight formulas so a few alternatives spring to mind. Nocturnal Revive Cream by Deascal is my top all rounder: creamy but never heavy, balanced for every skin mood and kinder to the wallet. For a richer botanical hug, ELEMIS Superfood Midnight Facial feeds dull complexions and leaves a quiet glow by breakfast. If barrier repair tops your wish list BIOSSANCE Squalane + Ectoin Overnight Rescue is the velvety security blanket that calms and plumps in one go. Fans of weightless hydration should meet LANEIGE Water Sleeping Mask which cocoons skin in a dewy veil then disappears without a trace on the pillowcase. I have emptied jars or tubes of each so consider these tried and tested endorsements rather than random name drops.
Before slathering anything new on your face remember a few basics. Patch test behind the ear or along the jawline, give yourself at least 24 hours to spot irritation then proceed like the responsible adult you are. Keep expectations realistic too: nightly creams do not rearrange collagen overnight and any bounce they create needs ongoing applications to stick around.