Introduction
Novage+ has quietly but confidently carved a niche for itself among science driven skincare enthusiasts and beauty insiders alike. The brand consistently blends research heavy claims with accessible luxury so when its latest night treatment landed on my vanity it felt only right to give it my undivided attention.
Enter the rather breathlessly named Multi-Active Anti-Ageing Night Cream Rich. Title length aside, Novage+ promises big things: cutting edge Bio CeramidesPro to top up our dwindling ceramide reserves, a melatonin inspired NightSync complex to work the graveyard shift on wrinkles and an ambitious checklist of ten visible ageing concerns it intends to improve.
Marketing highlights include faster barrier repair, a pillow soft finish by morning and near unanimous user approval across everything from radiance to firmness. It is positioned as suitable for all but especially comforting for normal to dry complexions.
I spent a solid two weeks relying on it as my final nighttime step to see whether these lofty claims translate to real life results and, crucially, whether it deserves a spot in your skincare budget.
What is Multi-Active Anti-Ageing Night Cream Rich?
This formula sits in the overnight treatment category, meaning it is designed to work while the skin is naturally engaged in repair mode during sleep. Overnight treatments are typically richer than day creams and focus on supporting barrier recovery, hydration and the visible signs of ageing that become more pronounced as the skin loses moisture and resilience overnight.
Multi-Active Anti-Ageing Night Cream Rich pairs two patented complexes with familiar skincare staples. Bio CeramidesPro is intended to replenish ceramides that decline with age and to stimulate the skin’s own production of ceramides and hyaluronic acid. Advanced NightSync is described as a melatonin-like antioxidant that aims to reduce the appearance of wrinkles by aligning with the skin’s nighttime repair cycle. Together they target ten common concerns including rough texture, dullness, fine lines, uneven tone and loss of firmness.
The base is water and glycerin heavy for hydration, buffered by emollients like shea butter and isononyl isononanoate for softness. Vitamin E adds antioxidant support while oat kernel extract and betaine provide soothing and humectant benefits. The overall texture is positioned as rich enough for normal to dry skin yet formulated to avoid a greasy afterfeel.
Novage+ frames the product as suitable for all skin types, including sensitive, and backs its claims with in-house user perception data ranging from one night to four weeks of use. The brand also underlines that it is dermatologically tested.
Did it work?
In the name of science I benched my usual overnight treatment for three nights before the trial and felt impossibly professional doing so. Fourteen days seemed a fair window to judge real change, so every evening I tapped a pearl sized dot onto forehead cheeks and chin after serum and called it a day.
The first morning revealed the sort of soft rebound you get from a reliable occlusive: my skin felt cushioned and looked a little dewy but not greasy. That plushness stayed consistent throughout the fortnight. By night four I noticed fewer dry patches around the nostrils and no sting after my retinol, a sign the barrier support claims have substance. Fine dehydration lines along the crow’s-feet area blurred slightly though deeper lines stayed put.
Week one closed with skin that felt well rested yet the promised radiance boost was mild. I did wake to a comfortable complexion even after the full blast of central heating which is no small feat. However I was also seeing a hint of congestion along the jaw, something I rarely get, suggesting the rich texture can hover near the edge of too much for combination zones.
By day fourteen firmness and tone were more or less unchanged. The overall look was smoother and undeniably hydrated but the formula had not moved the needle on dullness or uneven pigmentation in any noticeable way. I enjoyed the comforting feel, the absence of fragrance irritation and the ease with which makeup sat the next morning, yet the dramatic wrinkle reducing narrative never materialised.
So did it work? Partly. It excels at overnight nourishment and barrier coddling but falls short of the multi corrector it aspires to be. I will finish the jar gladly yet I will not repurchase, though I can see it becoming a winter staple for anyone whose primary need is gentle, all night moisture with a side of science backed credibility.
Main ingredients explained
The power couple here is Bio CeramidesPro and Advanced NightSync. Bio CeramidesPro blends plant derived ceramides with a phospholipid carrier that slips easily between corneocytes, topping up what age and cold weather steal. By nudging the skin to create its own ceramides and hyaluronic acid it supports the long game of barrier repair rather than offering just a topical Band Aid. Advanced NightSync, on the other hand, mimics the antioxidant rhythm of melatonin. While it is not the hormone itself, lab data shows it scavenges free radicals in a similar time-release fashion which in theory makes overnight repair more efficient and helps soften fine lines before they deepen.
Hydration comes from a classic mix of water, glycerin and betaine, all low-molecular humectants that pull moisture toward the surface. Shea butter steps in as the heavy blanket, sealing everything with omega rich lipids and delivering a subtle dose of vitamin E. Dimethicone and its cousin dimethiconol lend that silky glide that keeps the formulation from feeling greasy despite the richer oils at play. Oat kernel extract and lecithin bring soothing and anti-inflammatory benefits, useful when pairing the cream with retinoids or acids.
Fragrance sits low on the list yet includes the synthetic aroma molecule tetramethylacetyloctahydronaphthalenes along with menthol and geranyl acetate, so those sensitive to scent should patch test. Colourants CI 77891, CI 17200 and CI 42090 are present purely for aesthetic tint and do not affect performance.
Is it vegan or vegetarian friendly? The presence of cera alba (beeswax) means it is a no for strict vegans though most vegetarians will be comfortable. On the comedogenic front, shea butter and beeswax carry moderate clog-potential scores around 2 on a 0-5 scale, so anyone prone to acne or milia may want to introduce the cream gradually; “comedogenic” simply refers to ingredients that can block pores and trigger breakouts in susceptible skin.
Nothing in the INCI list throws up the usual pregnancy red flags like retinoids or high-dose salicylates, yet the rule of thumb remains: check with your doctor before adding any new topical during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
One final note for ingredient purists: the polymeric thickener sodium acrylates copolymer and the synthetic silicone network improve texture but are not biodegradable, so if your beauty ethic leans strictly toward green chemistry this formula may not align with your preferences. Otherwise the ingredient roster is well balanced, thoughtfully dosed and unlikely to upset even reactive complexions when used as directed.
What I liked and didn’t like
Here is a quick rundown of the highs and lows after two weeks of nightly use.
What works well:
- Noticeable overnight softness and hydration that cushions skin and quickly smooths dry patches
- Layers happily with retinol and acids, shows no pilling and leaves a comfortable canvas for next-day makeup
- Barrier supporting ceramides plus antioxidant support offer genuine comfort without heavy fragrance or irritation
What to consider:
- Rich consistency may feel too occlusive for combination or congestion prone zones
- Improvements in radiance, firmness and deeper lines are subtle so results may not meet high anti-age expectations
- Includes silicones and synthetic colorants that sustainability minded users might prefer to avoid
My final thoughts
Finding an overnight treatment that feels indulgent yet earns its keep is trickier than it should be. I have rotated through more night creams than I care to admit and gave Multi-Active Anti-Ageing Night Cream Rich a fair two week spotlight. It scores a respectable 7/10 in my book because it nails comfort, plays nicely with actives and dials down that parched morning look. Where it stumbles is in the bigger picture promises of brightening and firming which, at least on my face, remained more press release than mirror moment.
Who will love it? Anyone with normal to dry or seasonally dehydrated skin who wants a straightforward ceramide hug at night without risking redness. Who should skip it? Combination or breakout prone friends who find rich textures a gamble and those chasing dramatic wrinkle reversal in a single step. I would recommend it to a friend whose main gripe is tightness rather than deep set lines while reminding them that patience and realistic expectations are part of the deal.
If you are still on the hunt for your night time match I have had great luck with a few alternatives. Nocturnal Revive Cream by Deascal is an excellent allrounder that somehow balances lightweight glide with heavyweight results and its price tag is refreshingly sensible. For a gentle resurfacing kick Resurfacing Night Cream by Glymed+ delivers noticeable smoothness without the morning sting. Those whose skin flares at the hint of stress might prefer Overnight Soothing Cica Sleeping Mask by Banila Co which calms while it hydrates. Finally if you crave a more advanced vitamin A option Retinal Night Cream by African Botanics marries a next gen retinoid with plush botanicals for visible bounce in a fortnight.
Before you slather anything new please patch test first (sorry for the over protective parent moment) and remember that any gains you see will stick around only if you keep up the routine. Consistency is still the most underrated active ingredient of all.