Review of a perfect summer moisturizer: Marcelle Hydra-C 24H Energizing Hydrating Gel

Marcelle is a Canadian cosmetics and skincare brand targetted to people that have more sensitive skin or are allergic to some ingredients in skincare. Their products are generally milder in nature so usually anyone can use them.

The 24H Energizing Hydrating Gel is a new addition to their 10-year old Hydra-C line of skincare products targetted at youth ages 18-28 (that’s me!). This product specifically is Hypo-Allergenic, Perfume-free, alcohol-free, oil-free and paraben-free, and all products in this line are paraben and alcohol-free. This is also made in Canada.

What it claims (from Marcelle.com): Take a proactive approach in the fight against dryness and the effects of external stressors with this energizing hydrating gel that deeply hydrates your skin for 24 hours. Its invigorating formula containing antioxydants, cucumber and green tea extracts as well as Vitamin C and E protects against harsh climatic elements while restoring the skin’s protective barrier function for a bright, glowing complexion.

Its ultra-light jelly-like texture is non-sticky and melts into the skin leaving it feeling instantly refreshed with an alcohol-free cooling sensation.

Price: $23.95CAD for 50mL from Marcelle online shop or in drugstores that sell Marcelle cosmetics/skincare

Texture/Scent: Light pink translucent gel, nearly scent-free but has somewhat of a “science” smell to it (probably due to its perfume-free nature) but that goes away immediately after application

The good: This gel is very light and absorbs nearly instantly without residue or left-over feelings of greasiness. It keeps my skin well moisturized, and when used with an oil-based serum, it also kept my skin balanced until the next morning. Unlike other moisturizers, my skin didn’t become a greaseball in the morning so that is a plus. I love that for the price ($23.95), it comes in a nice sturdy glass jar that is easy to use and perfect for its consistency (and without a plastic stopper on top either, I hate those!). Also it is made in Canada!

• Light, absorbs quickly without residue
• Nice packaging
• Hydrating, keeps my skin balanced until the morning
• Good price
• Made in Canada

The bad: Nothing really, but there is some silicone in it in the form of silica.

• Silica in the ingredients

Overall: My first impression was that this moisturizer reminds of me Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief. It is equally light, hydrating and refreshing but at half the price! This is good moisturizer for people who are looking for something light, gentle and easy to use. I would recommend this as a summer moisturizer for all skin types (just adjust the serums you use or don’t use depending on your skin’s needs) as this moisturizer feels very refreshing and light on the skin. As a winter moisturizer, it would better suit someone with normal, combination or oily skin as it may be too light for people who need both oil and water to keep their skin balanced, particularly in the cold, dry Canadian winters.

Product: 18.5/20
Packaging: 5/5
Value: 4.5/5
Overall: 28/30 | A+
Repurchase? Very likely!

Ingredients:

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Review: NARS Aqua Gel Hydrator… my new favourite moisturizer!

It has been a long time since my last review! These few weeks I’ve been mainly trying out new skincare products, so I didn’t want to do review on them until I’ve used them long enough to be able to comment. The NARS Aqua Gel Hydrator is something I purchased at the end of August when I went to the NARS event at the Bay Pacific Centre. At the time, my skin was being really weird because it was all dehydrated and patchy, so I desperately needed a good moisturizer. I was using Lush Gorgeous Moisturizer and Vitacreme B12 at the time, but neither product seemed to do a good job on my skin.

However, the NARS makeup artist, Tim, introduced me to this product, and I must say after about 6 weeks of using it, it has become the best item I discovered in 2010.

What it claims (from Narscosmetics.com): An ultra-luxurious, lightweight gel-cream mask comprised of 87% water to deliver intense hydration to dull, dehydrated skin. Once massaged into the skin, exclusive technology ensures optimal moisture delivery to provide hydration throughout the night. This water-rich treatment enriched with skin conditioners imparts skin with a soft and smooth, luminous appearance.

Price: $120CAD for 100mL (I believe its $77 USD in the states)

What it is: Its described as a hydrating gel mask, but I like to use it as my daily moisturizer. I use it as the last step in my nighttime skincare regime (after lotion, serum and eye cream), and my second last step in my daily skincare regime (before sunscreen or BB cream).

The good: The stuff does wonders for my skin. Its very soothing and delivers just enough moisture, which slows sebum production but still prevents my skin from drying out. It absorbs very easily without any residue and a little goes a very long way. You can also use it as an emergency treatment mask, where you would pile it on and leave it on your face for about 15-30 minutes, then remove with a cotton pad and massage the leftover gel into your skin. It makes for a very good makeup base. I’ve also noticed that I’m not breaking out as much and my skin is not as red or sensitive. It smells of orange blossoms, but the scent isn’t strong, so it is soothing without being overpowering.

• Very hydrating
• Soothing, calms sensitivity
• Does not cause breakouts
• Smells nice

The bad: If you take a look at the ingredients list at the bottom, the thing is chock full of silicones. At first I was seriously shocked and wanted to return it, but I decided to take the risk and use it. I had been using a mostly natural moisturizer before this (Lush Gorgeous), but it didn’t seem to be doing much, so I thought might as well try something on the other side of the spectrum. If you are allergic to silicones, please do avoid. Also the price is a little steep, even though you do get double the amount of your usual moisturizer, $120 is something not everyone would want to plunk down in one go. If that is something that bothers you, I would also skip and try something else.

• Full of silicones
• Steep price

Overall: I’ve kind of looked passed the silicone factor now that I’ve been using it for so long. I feel that as long as I wash my face well enough at night and apply new moisturizer on before I go to bed, it shouldn’t clog my pores. I feel that my skin is smoother and doesn’t break out as much in general, so at least the silicones aren’t doing anything bad to my face. Again the price is a little steep, but keep in mind you are getting twice the usual amount for moisturizer. For my Canadian readers, I would recommend having someone CP this for you from the US if you want to buy it, I have no idea why it is marked up almost $40 more than the US price. I would definitely recommend this to people with sensitive skin, because this is really a good, soothing moisturizer. Also if you are looking for a no-frills moisturizer, this is definitely it. I haven’t tried it out for winter yet, so I don’t know how well it will hold up against crazy Canadian winter, but I’m hoping it should be okay. Overall, it is a great product.

• Product: 19/20
• Value: 4/5
• Packaging: 4/5
• Ease of Use: 4/5
• Overall: 31/35 | 89% | A
• Repurchase: Yes
• Availability: NARS counters

Sorry, Lush. You have really disappointed me. (Scary pic, beware!)

I came home from a weekend away to find that my Lush Gorgeous moisturizer has molded. I’ve only had mine for a month and a half since I purchased it at the end of March. Plus on the sticker above you can see that I supposedly still have about 9 months more life left to this product before its supposed to go bad.

I’m seriously NOT impressed. This is a £35 moisturizer. It costs $85 to buy this in Canada, which means it should be pretty good and actually last me more than 1.5 months of use. I had asked the salesperson if I need to refrigerate this and she explicitly told me no because its not like a fresh face mask. If I had known it would rot I would have put it in the fridge because like I said, this is a £35 moisturizer.

I don’t think I will buy this again, even though it does work really nicely for me.

Because of this sudden event, I was freaking out about replacing it yesterday. I really dislike shopping for moisturizer because I hate wasting any kind of skincare product, so I need to find one that really works for me and hopefully has more benefits than just moisturizing. Well I took out my Ray-Li magazine and went over Urcosme and did a ton of research before settling on getting some Vitacreme B12 from Cosme-De. They’re currently having a promotion: buy 2 and save $10. Original price is $33 each including shipping but I got mine for $28 each. After hearing all of the raves by people who’ve tried this, I think its time that I step away from luxury skincare products and try something more down-to-earth…

Lush Gorgeous moisturizer gives me gorgeous, glowing skin!

Lush Gorgeous moisturizer is Lush’s most expensive moisturizer, actually the most expensive product, in their entire line of anything at £35. It is a very light cream that is filled with various types of oils and juices that claims to beautify the skin.


What it claims (from Lush.co.uk):
Makes all skin types feel light, carefree and happy. For a light touch, what you want is Gorgeous. Its magical ability to melt into your skin is unmatched, bringing with it six gorgeous organic oils and butters, the finest we can get our hands on. The emollient oils are combined with fresh fruit to give you a soft, matte feeling, perfect for daytime. It adapts itself to suit every kind of skin; every single one of us at Lush loves it to bits because it makes us feel gorgeous.


Ingredients:
VEGETARIAN, Orange Blossom Honey Water (Citrus Aurantium dulcis), Cold Pressed Organic Olive Oil (Olea europaea), Stearic Acid, Cold Pressed Organic Evening Primrose Oil (Oenothera biennis), Cold Pressed Organic Avocado Oil (Persea gratissima), Glycerine, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (Cocos nucifera), Fresh Organic Lemon Juice (Citrus limonum), Cold Pressed Organic Wheatgerm Oil (Triticum vulgare), Fresh Organic Orange Juice (Citrus Aurantium dulcis), Cold Pressed Organic Grape seed Oil (Vitis vinifera), Fresh Pineapple Juice (Ananas sativus), Orange Flower Absolute (Citrus Aurantium amara), Neroli Oil (Citrus Aurantium amara), Myrrh Resinoid (Commiphora myrrha), Triethanolamine, Cetearyl Alcohol, *Geraniol, *Farnesol, *Limonene, *Linalool, Hydroxycitronellal, Perfume, Methylparaben, Propylparaben}

The good:
The cream is very light and spreads around easily, but it doesn’t absorb immediately so you have some time to massage it around. A little goes a LONG way. I’m still struggling to use the right amount of this because you really don’t need a lot to get perfect moisture for your skin. The result is hydrated, glowy skin that is never greasy. It also smells wonderful since it is filled with awesome oils, making it a good after-facial cream since it is almost like aromatherapy.


The bad:
I’m not a fan of the packaging. I think Lush can improve immensely just by putting it into a pump bottle instead of the tub because the cream is so light, it actually seeps out of the crevasses of the screw-on top, making it quite annoying and very wasteful, especially since it is so expensive. I would not recommend travelling with this product, probably better to have it safely stowed on your bathroom counter or vanity table.


Also, I have a slight problem with the price. It costs £35 to buy this in the UK, which should translate to around $50 CAD at current exchange rates, but no, it actually costs a whopping $85 to buy this in Canada which is INSANE. I love this, but if I do plan on buying this in the future, I might have to ask someone to CP it for me or I just buy it off the Lush UK website.


Overall:
I really love this moisturizer. I’m more wary of using synthetic creams on my face now because of all the chemicals flowing into my bloodstream, so I use this. It is very natural and offers me perfect moisture without all the fuss and grease. Again, if price wasn’t a factor in this, I would probably buy this over and over again… but reality is still reality.


My score: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤

Review: Gel de la Mer: the moisturizing gel cream

I was at Selfridges a few weeks ago and my hands were dry from the winter air so I decided that I needed some hand cream. I saw the La Mer counter there and thought that I should try Creme de la Mer just to see what the fuss is about. I rubbed some on my hands as hand cream (wasteful, I know…) and it just felt so thick and greasy, didn’t absorb well at all. If this is what it felt like on my hands, I didn’t want to know what it would feel like on my face. Well, the lovely saleslady there approached me and asked me if there was anything in particular I was looking for, and I asked her if there was anything for hydration that suited my age. She replied that Creme de la Mer is not really an age-specific product, there are the age-specific anti-aging products, but Creme de la Mer is suitable for anyone who needs that extra boost of moisture. I told her that it felt too greasy on me, so she recommended Gel de la Mer instead. She said that it had all of the properties of the original cream, including the Miracle Broth, it is just a lot lighter and easier to absorb. She gave me a small 3.5 mL sample to take home.

Gel de la Mer is a very light, translucent gel. Its description as “the moisturizing gel cream” is very accurate as it is a thicker gel, almost feels like a cream but still light enough to be a gel (I hope that makes sense). There is a slight scent to it thats very hard to describe, reminds me a lot of the body lotions that my mom would keep in the bathroom when I was a kid, a very nostalgic smell. But to those of you who weren’t in my mom’s bathroom smelling the lotion, it does smell somewhat like old fashioned drugstore lotion. It applies very smoothly and absorbs almost instantly.

The effect is very smooth, soft and supple skin. It offers just the right amount of moisture for me without leaving behind any greasy or sticky feeling or “drying” up my skin once the lotion was absorbed (as like with some other gel moisturizers).

I love the smell of this gel as well as what its doing to my skin, but my only major problem is the price point. Is it really worth £90+ for just 30mL (£291/$450CAD per 100mL) of this stuff?

I compared the effects of this with other gel moisturizers I’ve used in the past and Biotherm Aquasource moisturizing gel comes really close in terms of hydration and after-feel, but Biotherm Aquasource is only something like $45 CAD for 50mL ($90 CAD for 100 mL), one fifth of the price of Gel de la Mer.

And then I was researching the company online, and found this.

I have to admit this stuff works great and I love it, but I’m really not willing to shell out $225 for 50mL of this stuff when I can get Biotherm Aquasource for $45. This means, I’m very unlikely to actually purchase this.

Price aside, I would give this product a score of: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤


If I incorporated the price in scoring, relative to other products with the same benefits, I would give this product as score of: ❤ ❤ ❤


Ingredients: