Hello lovely ladies,
I’m back from my Diwali break or rather I’m back from being without a break for 2 weeks non-stop – managing 2 hooligans 24/7. Needless to say, vacations were exhausting! Starting back with reviews – today’s review is on a moisturiser from Clarins. I thought it was high time I reviewed it since my jar was almost over. I have maybe 3-4 days worth of product left. So, let’s find out how this one performed and if it is worth re-purchasing or not.
Product Description:
Keep skin looking refreshingly hydrated and radiant. Clarins Hydraquench Cream-Gel Normal to Combination Skin strengthens your skins surface, tightens pores and reduces shine. This thirst-quenching cream-gel keeps skin refreshingly hydrated with a long-lasting matte finish throughout the day and protects against hot weather, pollution and environmental extremes.
Hydrating Katafray Bark and nurturing Pomegranate extracts create a protective micro-environment that shields skin whilst Hyaluronic acid guarantees long-lasting moisture. This subtly scented, non-oily formula increases radiance and helps you keep your cool.
Ingredients:
Hyaluronic acid: helps restore the skin’s moisture.
Katafray extract: helps reinforce the skin’s surface barrier effect and helps prevent dehydration.
Sorbier bud extract: reinforces skin hydration and radiance.
Pomegranate extract: tightens pores.
Alpine willow herb extract: helps reduce skin shine.
Clarins exclusive Anti-Pollution complex: preserves the skin from the harmful effects of the environment.
Price:
SGD 79
My Experience with Clarins Hydraquench Cream-Gel:
My standard skin type information – I have oily to combination skin which gets dull and dehydrated very easily – due to my lousy eating habits, my horrid sleeping patterns and my age!!. Also, I deal with periodic acne, and with the scars left over from previous ones. Also, I live in humid climate, so during summers, I prefer lighter texture for my moisturiser and may switch it up to a heavier texture during winters.
I had reviewed the Belif Cream some time back. Once it got over, I was on the hunt for a fresh moisturiser since procuring Belif cream regularly from US Sephora is not realistic – unless you are in the US. So, I was on the lookout for something new. I saw this in Sephora and since I have had good results with Clarins Hydraquench Mask (reviewed earlier), I decided to give this one a go.
Packaging: The product comes packaged in a thick glass jar with a screw cap. There is no dispensing spatula with it. The jar packaging is not the best option in terms of hygiene or in terms of preserving the antioxidants inside. Constant exposure to air will start the deterioration process way before you are half way through with the jar. Also, the heavy weight of the jar makes it difficult for you to travel with it. The only option left would be de-potting. The jar comes packaged in a typical white cardboard box – as is the case with all Clarins products.
Fragrance: The moisturiser has a delicate floral fragrance. Ever since I started delving deeper into skincare, I have developed an aversion to fragrance in my skincare, so I do appreciate when skincare products are devoid of additional fragrance as it can trigger skin irritation. However, I have not had such a reaction myself. So, while the soft floral fragrance in this moisturiser isn’t something I am happy about, I can live with it, some people may actually find it pleasant. It dissipates fairly quickly, so isn’t too big an issue – unless your skin reacts to added fragrance.
Texture: The texture of the product is creamy gel – very lightweight. It has an instant cooling effect on the skin. It spreads fairly easily, it feels like water. You need a small dollop for the whole face and neck. If you use more than necessary – it will take longer to absorb and feel “wet-ish” on the skin.
Application: Application is simple enough – you cleanse your face, pat it dry and then scoop out a small dollop of the moisturiser and apply it gently to your full face and neck.
Efficacy: While I have combination to oily skin, it is quite dehydrated. Why did I pick this one – I obviously needed a moisturiser, but I also needed something which could hydrate my ageing skin. So, the name itself – “Hydraquench” clubbed with claims about adequate amount of hyaluronic acid in it, had me sold.
But did it deliver? Before we talk about efficacy of this primer, let us quickly check what the brand has claimed regarding its performance – “strengthens your skin’s surface, tightens pores and reduces shine. This thirst-quenching cream-gel keeps skin refreshingly hydrated with a long-lasting matte finish throughout the day and protects against hot weather, pollution and environmental extremes. Hydrating Katafray Bark and nurturing Pomegranate extracts create a protective micro-environment that shields skin whilst Hyaluronic acid guarantees long-lasting moisture. This subtly scented, non-oily formula increases radiance and helps you keep your cool.”
That is a lot of claims!!!! And some which don’t even make sense!! I’m telling you – beauty marketing Teams have gone bonkers. Let’s take up the promises one by one:
- Strengthens your skin surface – I don’t even know what this means. Let me herald a guess – it hydrates the epidermis layer and makes the skin more plump. I seriously don’t know what this means. If someone else can help me figure – please do because if I can’t even understand what this means, I do not know how to judge if it delivers!
- Tightening of pores – Nope! No cream will suddenly tighten your pores. Neither does this – not immediately post application, nor with continuos use.
- Reduction in shine/long-lasting matte finish throughout the day – Ok, let me put it this way – Since the product is gel based and lightweight – it does not make your skin greasy or oily on application. However, there is nothing in the product which would help it to reduce shine/oiliness from your skin as the day goes by. That has to do with he sebum production – and this product has NO role to play in that regard.
- Protection against hot-weather, pollution and environmental extremes – Sorry, what now?? How does the cream protect my skin against hot weather, pollution and environmental extremities?? I am not sure! Yes, the product will give your skin hydration and create a barrier which should hopefully block out the effect of pollution particles in the air but this statement is way too broad and open ended for anything that the product could deliver.
- Hydration/long-lasting moisture – Yes, there is hydration but it isn’t really long lasting. Your skin does not feel adequately hydrated for the 12 hours you expect it to last – till say, re-application in the night. While I was using this cream, I did not feel that my skin was adequately hydrated. I had to rely heavily on daily use of facial oils in the night routine. If you actually look at the ingredient list – sodium hyaluronate is the 15th ingredient in the list, while fragrance is 9th. That should have given me some indication as to whether the hyaluronic acid in it could provide sufficient hydration and for how long.
- Increased radiance – Nope! Not immediately post application, nor with continued usage.
Helps you keep your cool – ???? – I don’t even know what to say when I see claims like this! Helps me keep my cool??? Really? If a jar of cream could do that, my husband would stock it in cartons!!! 😉 😉 😉
Bottomline – the brand has made tall claims about the product and it definitely doesn’t deliver on it. Forget the other claims, it doesn’t even deliver adequate hydration for it to be called “HydraQuench.” The only good thing was that it didn’t break me out.
I’m wondering who it will work for? Maybe very young, normal to extremely oily skin, but would the skin be better off post using this continually, I cannot say.
Pros of Clarins Hydraquench Cream-Gel:
- Extremely lightweight texture.
- Non-oily, non-greasy cream.
- Easy to apply.
- Did not break me out.
Cons of Clarins Hydraquench Cream-Gel:
- Doesn’t deliver on brand’s claims.
- Insufficient hydration.
- Does not tighten pores.
- Does not control shine through the day.
- Does not increase radiance of the skin.
- Had no positive impact on the skin’s texture.
- The packaging is not travel friendly or conducive to hygiene.
- Some of the brand’s claims don’t even make sense – they are so much of a jargon.
IMBB Rating:
2/5
Do I really need to sum it up? Ok – here goes….No! I don’t recommend. And no! I won’t repurchase!
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