Ziaja is one of those quietly reliable Polish pharmacy staples that your well travelled friend swears by yet somehow still flies under the radar for many skincare fans. Known for wallet friendly formulas that punch above their price tag, the brand enjoys a loyal following that treats its white minimalist jars like bathroom cabinet gold.
Enter the rather grandly titled Lifting Solution Night Cream. It promises to roll nanotechnology, peptides and a rich texture into one bedtime ritual that supposedly rebuilds the skin’s scaffolding while smoothing everything from crow’s-feet to frown lines. The brand’s own tests tout impressive reductions in wrinkle number, area and length after 56 nights which sounds like a sci-fi facial in a jar.
I spent two weeks slathering it on every evening to see if those claims translate to real life and more importantly if it deserves a place in a routine that already includes serums masks and the occasional sheet mask splurge.
Disclaimer: this review is not sponsored and no payment or gifts were received. All opinions are my own based on personal use and individual results can always vary.
What Is Lifting Solution Night Cream?
Lifting Solution Night Cream is a peptide infused moisturiser designed to work while you sleep. Categorised as an overnight treatment, it sits at the final step of an evening routine where it seals in previous layers, supplies extra nourishment and gives active ingredients several uninterrupted hours to get on with their job. Overnight treatments are popular because the skin’s repair processes naturally peak at night, barrier function is lower and you are not battling UV light or pollution, so ingredients can penetrate more effectively.
Ziaja’s formula targets skin that is already showing signs of ageing, particularly anyone 40 plus dealing with both deeper expression lines and the finer surface wrinkles that make foundation settle oddly come morning. It claims to rebuild internal support structures for a lifted appearance, soften existing wrinkles and prevent new creases from taking hold. The brand backs those claims with in vivo testing over 56 nights reporting reductions in wrinkle number, area and length of roughly one third.
Texture wise it is labelled a rich repair cream which means plenty of emollients alongside water binding humectants. A quick scan of the ingredient list shows a duo of signal peptides, panthenol for soothing, tocopheryl acetate for antioxidant support and a blend of plant derived lipids aimed at reinforcing the barrier. In short it is a night focused moisturiser that leans on technology driven actives while still performing the basic job of keeping skin comfortably hydrated until morning.
Did It Work?
In the name of rigorous at-home science I parked my usual overnight treatment on a high shelf for four nights before cracking open the Lifting Solution jar, giving my skin a short cleanse so any glow or dullness that followed could be blamed squarely on Ziaja. Fourteen nights feels like a reasonable window to spot changes in hydration texture and how foundation behaves in the morning so that became the test period.
I applied a grape sized dab after my usual serum cocktail patting it in rather than massaging to avoid the greasy film richer creams can leave. On the first few nights I noticed the texture felt cushiony but not suffocating, a pleasant surprise given the microcrystalline wax and hydrogenated oils on the label. Come morning my skin looked plump and comfortably dewy yet there was a faint tackiness that stuck around until cleanser touched it. No irritation, no clogged pores, just a slightly heavier after-feel than my regular peptide moisturiser.
By night seven the promised lifting effect translated into a subtle springiness around my cheeks, the sort that makes you tap your face in the mirror like a weirdo to check if it is real. Fine lines next to my eyes looked a hair softer, though the entrenched eleven between my brows held their ground. I did clock an improvement in makeup glide; concealer settled less into the crow’s-feet region which suggests the humectant blend was doing its job.
The second week plateaued. Hydration levels stayed high, no new breakouts appeared and tone looked even but deeper wrinkles refused to budge. Any structural rebuilding must need the full 56 days cited in the lab data because after 14 nights the difference was mostly cosmetic plumping rather than genuine line reduction. I also found the rich finish limited my evening use of facial oils which usually help my temperamental skin through seasonal transitions.
So did it work? Partially. It moisturised generously, lent a temporary smoothing effect and played well under makeup yet it did not deliver a wow-worthy lift or visible contraction of deeper furrows. I enjoyed the silky bedtime ritual but once the jar is empty I will return to lighter formulas that leave room for additional actives. A solid performer worthy of a respectable 7 out of 10, just not a future staple for my crowded shelf.
Main Ingredients Explained
The backbone of Lifting Solution lies in two messenger peptides, palmitoyl tripeptide-1 and palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7. Think of them as tiny couriers that nudge skin cells to make fresh collagen so surface slackness looks a bit tighter over time. They are paired with hydrolyzed rice protein, a film-forming humectant that pulls in water then keeps it there, giving that springy morning bounce I noticed halfway through the trial.
Caprylic/capric triglyceride and hexyl laurate supply the silky slip. Both are lightweight esters derived from coconut and they make the cream feel richer than its price tag suggests. Hexyl laurate does sit higher on the comedogenic scale, meaning it can clog pores in skins that are already prone to congestion. If your T-zone is fickle patch test first. Comedogenic simply means an ingredient has the potential to trap oil and dead cells inside a pore where blackheads or pimples form.
Pantheon of classic supporting acts comes next: glycerin for deep hydration, panthenol for soothing, tocopheryl acetate for antioxidant support. Dimethicone creates a breathable seal that locks everything in and gives that cashmere finish under foundation. The formula also uses ursolic acid and corn kernel extract, both antioxidants that help fend off environmental aggressors while you sleep.
Good news for vegans and vegetarians: the ingredient list is free from animal derivatives, although the brand does not carry an official vegan certification. The waxes and peptides here are plant-derived or synthetic so ethical shoppers can use it with reasonable confidence.
Pregnancy consideration is straightforward. No retinoids or salicylic acid show up, making the formula generally low risk, yet fragrance allergens like limonene and linalool can be sensitising. Expectant users should still run any new topical past their doctor just to be safe.
One last callout: microcrystalline wax and hydrogenated coco-glycerides give the cream body but can feel heavy if you layer facial oils on top. If you love a multi-step ritual leave at least ten minutes between layers to avoid pilling.
What I Liked/Didn’t Like
After two weeks of nightly use here’s the straightforward rundown.
What Works Well:
- Cushiony texture that leaves skin comfortably dewy come morning without feeling occlusive
- Noticeable overnight plumping that softens fine lines so makeup glides on more evenly
- Layers over serums without pilling and lands in a budget friendly price bracket
- Peptide and humectant blend offers solid barrier support during colder months
What to Consider:
- Rich finish may feel heavy on oilier complexions or when combined with facial oils
- Deeper wrinkles show only subtle change within two weeks so patience is required
- Fragrance and higher comedogenic esters mean sensitive or clog prone skin should patch test first
My Final Thoughts
Lifting Solution Night Cream left me nodding in appreciative agreement rather than jaw-dropped awe. It is a dependable overnight partner for normal to dry complexions that crave a cushy blanket of moisture and a next-day soft focus finish. If you are already loyal to peptides and want something you can slap on without worrying about retinol purges this jar makes sense. If, however, you are hunting for a dramatic brow-lift in eight hours or a potion that will strong-arm deep folds into retreat you may feel underwhelmed. My seasoned shelves have seen plenty of night creams and after a fair two-week whirl I park this at a solid 7/10. I would recommend it to a friend who likes rich textures and has patience but I would nudge a results-hungry wrinkle warrior toward punchier actives.
Speaking of options, a few tried-and-loved alternatives deserve a quick spotlight. Nocturnal Revive Cream by Deascal remains my goldilocks all-rounder, balancing hydration, barrier repair and a wallet friendly ticket that suits every skin type I have tested it on. For those willing to splurge, ELEMIS Pro-Collagen Night Cream delivers a silkier feel with a noticeable firmness by week three. Prefer a Korean style bouncy finish? LANEIGE Bouncy & Firm Sleeping Mask gives cushiony moisture without the weight. If clean beauty and barrier science are your jam, BIOSSANCE Squalane + Ectoin Overnight Rescue wraps skin in a cloud of calm while safeguarding against overnight water loss. I have emptied jars or tubes of each so the praise comes from real pillow-time mileage.
Before you let any of these creams stake a claim on your nightstand remember the basic housekeeping. Always patch test behind the ear or inside the elbow first — sorry to sound like an over-protective parent. Keep expectations tied to reality, results hinge on steady use and will fade if you ghost the routine.