Filorga is one of those French pharma-chic names most skin care devotees can drop at a dinner party without raising eyebrows, yet it may still have slipped past the radar of anyone who shops only the mainstream beauty aisles. With more than three decades of medical aesthetic know-how behind it the brand enjoys a loyal following that swears by its clinics-to-cabinet approach to anti-ageing.
Enter Sleep & Lift, a title that sounds a little like a late-night infomercial workout but promises far more sophisticated results. Filorga positions this overnight balm as a two-part treatment: collagen plus hyaluronic acid for the instant tightening hit, then an amino acid duo to rebuild elasticity while you dream. The texture is pitched as cocooning and nutritive, designed to wrap the skin in comfort until morning.
I spent a solid two weeks slathering it on every evening, massaging it in as instructed and observing how my face responded come sunrise. The goal was simple: decide if Sleep & Lift justifies its place on a crowded nightstand and, more importantly, your wallet.
Disclaimer: This is not a paid or sponsored review. All opinions are entirely my own, based on personal experience, and results can vary from one complexion to another.
What Is Sleep & Lift?
Sleep & Lift is an overnight treatment, meaning it is designed to go on after cleansing and stay put until morning. Overnight formulas take advantage of the skin’s natural repair cycle, which peaks while we sleep, so active ingredients have a better chance of working without the interference of daylight, makeup or environmental stress.
Filorga positions this cream as a two phase solution. First, what the brand calls “plasmatic lifting factors” bring together collagen and hyaluronic acid to give a temporary sense of tightness and surface plumping. Second, an amino acid duo aims to support longer term elasticity by nudging skin’s own rebuilding processes during the night. The texture is described as balm like, designed to sit comfortably on the skin and lock in moisture until you rinse it off the next day.
In short, Sleep & Lift is not a quick mask or a passive night lotion. It is pitched as a more intensive step for anyone who wants their evening routine to work a little harder while they get some rest.
Did It Work?
In the name of very serious at-home science I benched my usual overnight hero for three nights before starting Sleep & Lift so I could spot any changes with a clear baseline. Fourteen days felt like a fair window to judge an overnight cream that promises both instant and cumulative effects so the jar was the only thing standing between my face and the pillow for two solid weeks.
Night one was all about texture. The balm melts quickly, spreads without tugging and leaves a satin film that feels more comforting than greasy. Within ten minutes there was a slight tightening sensation across my cheeks and jaw that read more as a soft grip than a full facelift. By morning my skin looked hydrated and a touch brighter, the same result I get from most mid weight night creams so no early fireworks but no red flags either.
By day five I noticed that fine dehydration lines around my mouth stayed flatter through the afternoon which is usually when my combination skin starts to look parched. Makeup sat a bit smoother too. On the flip side a tiny cluster of whiteheads appeared along my temple area. They cleared quickly yet served as a reminder that the formula has richness and needs balancing if you are prone to congestion.
Fast forward to the end of the trial. My complexion felt soft, comfortably moisturised and generally well behaved. What I did not see was a visible lift or redefined contours. Any plumping effect was mild and temporary, gone by late morning. Elasticity claims are harder to quantify but my face did not feel springier than it does with my regular peptide night cream.
So did it work? Partially. Sleep & Lift delivered consistent hydration and a pleasant overnight cocoon but fell short of the sculpted morning reveal I had hoped for. I will finish the jar on nights when I crave comfort yet I will not be swapping it into permanent rotation.
Sleep & Lift’s Main Ingredients Explained
The showpiece is the “plasmatic lifting factors” mix of hydrolyzed collagen and sodium hyaluronate. Collagen molecules sit too large to penetrate deeply yet they form a flexible film on the surface that traps water and gives that overnight tight-yet-comfortable feel. Hyaluronic acid, famous for binding up to 1000 times its weight in moisture, fills in the fine gaps and helps skin look pillowy by morning, though the bounce fades once the water evaporates.
Filorga pairs that duo with an extensive amino-acid cocktail that resembles the skin’s own Natural Moisturizing Factor. Arginine, glutamine and proline are noteworthy for supporting barrier repair during the regeneration window that peaks at night. They are joined by niacinamide derivatives, coenzyme A and a smattering of B-vitamins, all of which contribute to a generally well-nourished complexion even if they do not translate to visible lifting.
For comfort, the cream leans on shea butter, cetyl palmitate and myristyl myristate. These lipids explain the rich balm texture but they also appear on most dermatology lists of potentially comedogenic ingredients, meaning they can block pores and trigger bumps in congestion-prone skin. If you break out easily around the T-zone you may want to reserve Sleep & Lift for colder months when dryness is the bigger enemy.
Antioxidant support comes from turmeric root extract, sesame seed extract and vitamin E, while plankton extract supplies trace minerals. Retinyl acetate, a gentle vitamin A derivative, is present in a low spot on the INCI yet it still places the formula in the caution zone for pregnancy or breastfeeding. As ever, anyone expecting should run all vitamin A topicals past a medical professional before use.
Is it vegan? No. The inclusion of soluble collagen, which is traditionally derived from bovine or marine sources, means strict vegans and some vegetarians will pass. The rest of the INCI is synthetic or plant based and the formula is free of outright animal by-products like beeswax or lanolin yet that single collagen listing is the deal breaker.
Fragrance sits mid-list so anyone with scent sensitivities should patch test. There are no added silicones which will please the purity purists and the preservative system relies on phenoxyethanol and sodium benzoate, both standard and generally well tolerated. Overall the ingredient deck reads like a greatest hits album of modern dermo-cosmetic science but it pays to know your own skin’s triggers before investing.
What I Liked/Didn’t Like
After two weeks of nightly use the pros and cons shook out quite clearly.
What Works Well:
- Balmy melt-in texture feels luxurious on application and seals in moisture without a greasy pillow transfer
- Reliable overnight hydration keeps fine lines from looking etched by morning so makeup glides on more smoothly the next day
- Ingredient list marries collagen, hyaluronic acid and a hefty amino acid mix which collectively support barrier comfort and leave skin looking rested
What to Consider:
- Rich lipids may nudge congestion on combination or blemish prone skin especially in humid weather
- Lifting and contour claims translate to only subtle short term plumping so expectations need tuning
- Premium price positions it alongside more transformative formulas which could make repurchase a harder sell
My Final Thoughts
After fourteen nights in the trenches with Sleep & Lift my verdict sits comfortably at a respectable 7/10. It is a solid comfort cream that quenches thirsty skin and lends a fleeting morning plump yet it never quite delivers the face-lift fantasy hinted at in the marketing. I have put plenty of overnight workhorses through their paces over the years so I feel I gave this one a fair audition and it landed squarely in the like but not love category.
Who will appreciate it most? Dry or mature complexions craving a cocoon of hydration that doubles as a plush nightcap. Who might want to skip? Blemish-prone or oilier skins that break out at the mere whisper of rich lipids and anyone who expects sculpted cheekbones by breakfast. I would recommend it to a friend who values comfort and subtle overnight smoothing, though I would caveat the suggestion with a wink about keeping expectations realistic.
If Sleep & Lift is not your perfect match there are a few alternatives I have rotated through my own routine with good success. Nocturnal Revive Cream by Deascal is the ultimate covers-all-bases option, light enough for combination skin yet nourishing enough for winter faces and the price leaves room in the budget for fancy serums. ELEMIS Pro-Collagen Night Cream offers a silkier feel with slightly more visible morning bounce, Squalane + Ectoin Overnight Rescue by Biossance is a fragrance-free cushion for sensitive types and Watermelon Glow AHA Night Treatment by Glow Recipe brings gentle exfoliation to the party if dullness is your main foe. All four have earned empty jars on my shelf which is the highest compliment I can pay.
Before you dive face first into any new jar remember the basics. Patch test behind the ear or along the jawline for a couple of nights, keep actives like retinol or acids in mind if you already use them and accept that any lifting effect needs ongoing commitment to maintain. Sorry to sound like an over-protective parent but your skin will thank you.