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NEW Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel
(retail: $18.99, 1.7 oz)
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I normally give the skincare products I review here on the blog a full 4-6 weeks of testing before I share my thoughts with you, but I'm coming in a little shy of four weeks for this one. I first posted pics of the display for the new Hydro Boost collection back on January 1st, and I found this product in my area on January 2nd. I immediately started testing the day I found it, so I'll be at four weeks on the dot this Friday. But since I know a lot of us were quite excited about this new line, and this product in particular, I figured you wouldn't mind me skimping on those last few days of testing!
I know that some of you were curious about how this product might compare to the wildly-popular Laniege Sleeping Water Mask ($23 for 2.7 oz at Target), and since I have actually tried the Laniege Sleeping Water Mask, I will definitely let you know how the two compare at the end of this review. So let's get started...
Please note that the price may vary depending on the retailer; I bought
mine at Walmart for $17.97 but I listed the Drugstore.com price of
$18.99 above since that's closer to what I've seen at various drugstore
chains in my area.
Keep reading for my full review...
Here's a little more info from the Drugstore.com website:
- Helps Instantly Quench Skin
- Contains Hyaluronic Acid, Naturally Found in Skin
- Clinically Proven to Keep Skin Hydrated for 48 Hours
- Oil-Free
- Fast-Absorbing
- Non-Comedogenic
- Ideal for All Skin Types
Hydro Boost hydrates skin through an approach of replenishing water and rebuilding skin's barrier, leveraging two key ingredients:
Purified Hyaluronic Acid
Naturally found in skin, it delivers pure boost of hydration. It acts like a sponge for dry skin cells, absorbing up to 1000 times its weight in water and progressively releases water back into skin, keeping skin hydrated and supple throughout the day.
Olive Extract
Known for its protective, moisturizing and anti-oxidant qualities, it is a complex combination for fatty acids, which is similar to skin's natural moisture shield. It integrates into skin barrier, forming a structure that protects skin from excessive moisture loss. It also helps leave skin feeling soft and smooth without tackiness.
One of the first things that drew me to this product was the absence of
denatured alcohol. Some drugstore-level gel moisturizers seem to contain
a high amount of denatured alcohol (example: it's the third ingredient in Garnier Moisture Rescue Refresher Gel-Cream)
which is why some gel moisturizers don't seem to add any real moisture
to my skin. Everyone's different, and I know that many of you like the
Garnier Gel-Cream but for me, moisturizers that contain denatured
alcohol feel great at first, but my skin actually ends up feeling drier
after a few hours.
Since Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel does not contain denatured
alcohol, and it DOES contain hyaluronic acid as well as olive extract, I
felt like I was already off to a good start. Yes, there are
dimethicones in this product (which will make your skin incredibly
smooth to the touch), but my skin doesn't normally act up with
dimethicone, so that wasn't a deterrent for me.
This product has a gel-like consistency.
It is not thick--in fact, it's a bit "soupy" when you dip your finger
into the pot. If you don't like jars when it comes to skincare, you
could easily transfer this into a bottle using a small spoon and you'd
probably have no issues at all dispensing it from a squeeze or pump
bottle.
This product doesn't really make any
claims other than that it will boost moisture and hydrate the skin. So
if you're looking for something that is going to help minimize the look
of fine lines, even skintone, etc., then this is probably not for you.
This moisturizer can be used during the evening or morning--that's up to
you. I personally prefer to use it at night, but I'll get into that in a
moment.
You only need a tiny bit to cover your
entire face and neck, which means that this 1.7 oz jar should last you a
good, long while. I've been using this every night before bed for
almost four weeks, and I've also used it a few times in the morning, and
I'm nowhere near the halfway mark. There is a fragrance to this
product, and it smells very clean and fresh to me. I actually really
like the scent of this product but I would consider it medium-strong,
which means that if you're sensitive to fragrance in your skincare, this
might be too much for you.
True to its claims, this product absorbs
quickly into the skin, which I love. At first you might feel a slight
tackiness but, after a minute or two, the skin becomes very soft and
smooth-feeling with no stickiness whatsoever. I've seen some comments
online about how this product dries to a powdery finish, but that is not
the case for me--my skin just feels very soft to the touch (thanks to
the dimethicone, I'm sure), in the same way that some foundation primers
make skin feel soft to the touch.
Feeling soft to the touch is all well and
good, but does this product actually deliver any lasting hydration? For
me, the answer is yes. I can feel a noticeable difference in the morning
after I've applied this the night before, and I've also noticed that my
skin feels more hydrated throughout the day when I use this the night
before. Keep in mind that I do have very oily skin, so if your skin is
dry or very dry, you may have different results. But I think that if
your skin is normal-to-very-oily, you'll probably notice a difference in
hydration.
I've also used this product in the
morning, before applying my makeup, and I do like it that way as well. I
find that this product does not increase my mid-morning breakthrough
shine, and I don't find that my skin is a giant greaseball by the
afternoon. This product also helps make my makeup look smoother (much
like a face primer) but it doesn't really help my makeup last any longer
(not that it claims to). The only reason I haven't been reaching for it
more in the mornings is because I like for my daytime moisturizers to
contain SPF, and this one does not. I never leave my house without at
least SPF15 on my face, and I don't like adding an extra sunscreen to my
face (in addition to moisturizer and foundation) due to my oily skin.
So that's the only reason why I haven't been reaching for this product
in the morning.
After almost four weeks of use, I have not
experienced any breakouts that I can attribute to this product, and I
haven't experienced any irritation to my skin or stinging when this
comes close to my eye area. All in all, I think that this is a solid
moisturizer that does just that: it moisturizes. I think it's probably
best for those with normal-to-very-oily skin, but that's solely based on
my experience having very oily skin. Since it works so well
for me--without making my skin any oily than it already is--I'm guessing
that it MIGHT not deliver enough hydration to very dry skin (I'm
guessing that's why there is also a Gel-Cream for Extra Dry Skin in the Hydro Boost line).
The Hydro Boost Water Gel really gives my oily skin the perfect boost
of moisture though, so if you're a fellow member of the oily skin club, I
think this one's worth a shot.
FINAL VERDICT:
I'm really loving this product and I find myself actually looking
forward to washing my face at night, just so that I can apply it again. I
love the fragrance, texture, how quickly it absorbs into my skin, and
how soft my skin feels when I wake up in the morning. But more
importantly, I love that I can feel some lasting hydration the next day,
without any added oiliness (such a blessing during this time of year).
Is this moisturizer perfect for all skin types? I'm not so sure about
that. I have very oily skin and it works very well for me, but I think
that if your skin is dry or very dry, this might not deliver enough
hydration, so I would probably consider the Hydro Boost Gel-Cream for Extra Dry Skin
if that's the case. But if you have normal-to-oily skin and you're
looking for a solid moisturizer that does just that (moisturizes), I
think this is an option worth considering.
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