Not my favorite

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] It was okay. Not something I would purchase with my own money. It left my skin feeling tight and dry. It have combination skin. It’s a pretty good size tube and wasn’t strong scented.

Originally posted on sephora.com

Everything I Wanted: Sans Moisture?

Ingredient-wise, this looked like everything I wanted: beta glucan, NMFs, urea, etc. Texture-wise, it’s a refreshing gel that feels nice at first with no excess shine. But minutes later, the hydration vanishes. My skin feels dry, almost as if I never applied anything. So when does “lightweight” become too lightweight? :? I tried all the tricks in my arsenal: layering hydrating toners, applying on damp/dry skin (even semi-damp/dry skin) misting thermal water on top. Alas, same result every time: all gel, no moisture. Since I’m beyond the return day window, I’ve been trying to use it up by adding some drops of facial oil or mixing with another moisturizer, however, that defeats the purpose of using this as a stand-alone moisturizer. Is it awful? Not really. If you’re truly oily, this could work, especially in summer or the for those in disbelief of using a moisturizer due to having oily skin. But for most skin types, it’s too bare-bones, and could pill and/or cause breakouts from some of the lipid components. I think The Ordinary could really improve this by reformulating. Right now, it’s basically a water gel with a sprinkle of NMFs, leaving it tacky in both texture and value. By adding more glycerin, ceramides, and NMFs, this could become a proper water gel-cream. Even 5% urea would give it a boost, and the product could then compete with more expensive brands, like SkinFix, Tatcha, or Prequel! Overall, I had high hopes but was let down. Fingers crossed they revisit and relaunch this one with a better formula. *And yes, I’ve tried and know about The Ordinary's other moisturizers...Don’t come at me, ya’ll.

Originally posted on sephora.com