NOTE: This assessment has been up to date on 04/08/2025. Whereas I’ve saved the images of the outdated packaging, the content material of this publish displays the brand new components at the moment obtainable within the retailers.
Even rocks know by now that my pores and skin has develop into dry, parched, and flaky since I moved to London. I complained about it a lot! However, what chances are you’ll not know is that I typically nonetheless get the occasional breakout. As a result of, you recognize, dangerous issues by no means come alone… To cope with my loopy pores and skin I want a cream that hydrates it whereas conserving breakouts at bay. Dermalogica Clear Start Hydrating Lotion, the latest addition to the vary, guarantees to do exactly that. On paper. On pores and skin? Let’s put it to the check to seek out out:
What’s In Dermalogica Clear Begin Hydrating Lotion?
SQUALANE TO MOISTURISE SKIN
Squalane is the brand new IT ingredient within the skincare world. It’s a moisturising oil that creates a protecting barrier on the pores and skin that seals moisture in. Whereas it’s at it, it additionally strengthens stated barrier, making it extra proof against exterior aggressors, like germs and harsh winds. One of the best half? Squalane is nearly similar to human sebum, so it sinks in shortly into the pores and skin with out leaving a greasy residue behind.
Associated: The Complete Guide To Squalane In Skincare
HYALURONIC ACID TO HYDRATE SKIN
The cream incorporates Sodium Hyaluronate, a type of Hyaluronic Acid that higher penetrates pores and skin. Hyaluronic Acid is a moisture magnet: it attracts moisture from the atmosphere into the pores and skin, serving to to maintain it hydrated for longer. It’s so highly effective, it may maintain as much as 1000 instances its weight in water! All that moisture makes pores and skin plumper, softer and brighter. (Moisture is the secret behind Korean skincare, bear in mind?)
Associated: The Complete Guide To Hyaluronic Acid In Skincare
Need easy accessibility to this routine? Click on on the picture beneath to subscribe to my e-newsletter and obtain the “Zits + Growing old Skincare Routine” cheatsheet:
SALICYLIC ACID TO EXFOLIATE SKIN
Salicylic Acid (a.okay.a. BHA) is an oil-soluble exfoliant that penetrates deep inside your pores, the place it dissolves all of the clogs which are providing you with whiteheads, blackheads and pimples (and retains them from coming again).
Whereas it’s at it, it additionally exfoliates the floor of your pores and skin, providing you with a softer and brighter complexion. And that’s simply the exfoliating half! Salicylic acid additionally has soothing properties that settle down the redness and irritation that at all times comes together with pimples. The catch? There’s not plenty of salicylic acid right here. Anticipate it to work slowly.
Associated: Why Salicylic Acid Is Key To Spot-Free Skin
The Relaxation Of The Formulation & Components
NOTE: The colors point out the effectiveness of an ingredient. It’s ILLEGAL to place poisonous and dangerous substances in skincare merchandise.
- Inexperienced: It’s efficient, confirmed to work, and helps the product do the very best job on your pores and skin.
- Yellow: There’s not a lot proof it really works (at the very least, but).
- Crimson: What is that this doing right here?!
- Water/Aqua/Eau: Principally the common base. It’s in just about each product ever. Helps combine all the pieces collectively and makes positive you’re not simply slapping on a paste.
- Butylene Glycol: Type of a multitasker. Helps the product unfold higher, pulls water into your pores and skin, and makes all the pieces take in quicker. It’s just like the Uber driver on your different substances.
- C14-22 Alcohol: Don’t freak out. This isn’t the drying form of alcohol. It’s a fatty alcohol, which implies it’s extra like skincare butter. It makes lotions really feel easy and provides your pores and skin a little bit moisture increase.
- Naringenin: Antioxidant alert. This man comes from citrus fruits and helps calm irritation, neutralise free radicals, and maintain your pores and skin from going into freakout mode after solar or stress.
- Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Peel Oil: Provides a recent citrusy odor, which individuals both love or completely hate. Can brighten up the pores and skin, however in the event you’re delicate, it could be a bit too zesty and trigger irritation.
- Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Oil: Principally ginger on your face. Antioxidant-rich and calming, it’s right here to energise uninteresting pores and skin and battle irritation. Smells earthy and spicy.
- Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil: One other scent-booster from the citrus household. Provides that zingy, clear aroma. However heads up-like grapefruit oil, it may be irritating for delicate sorts.
- Saccharide Isomerate: Consider this like a moisture magnet. It doesn’t simply hydrate, it sticks to your pores and skin and retains pulling water in for hours. Like that clingy pal who’s truly actually good for you.
- Glyceryl Caprylate: A moisturising agent that additionally stops micro organism from transferring in. It’s like having a smooth, buttery bodyguard in your pores and skin.
- Triethyl Citrate: Type of a behind-the-scenes operator. Helps maintain oil manufacturing underneath management and acts as a light preservative. You gained’t discover it-but your pores and skin will.
- C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside: An excellent mild cleanser-type ingredient. Helps water and oil combine collectively so the components stays easy and steady. Completely secure, even for delicate pores and skin.
- Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer: That is what provides your product that good gel-cream texture. It’s additionally the rationale your serum isn’t a runny mess. Helps all the pieces really feel cushiony.
- Panthenyl Triacetate: A by-product of vitamin B5. Calms irritation, provides hydration, and helps your pores and skin get better from no matter you threw at it yesterday.
- Caprylhydroxamic Acid: Light however powerful. Works as a preservative with out messing together with your pores and skin barrier. Retains micro organism out with out being aggressive.
- Methylpropanediol: Helps dissolve different substances and makes them work higher. Additionally provides a little bit of moisture. Not probably the most thrilling ingredient, nevertheless it’s doing essential backstage work.
- Aminomethyl Propanol: This one balances pH-basically makes positive the components doesn’t go too acidic or alkaline and wreck your face. Quietly doing harm management.
- Polysorbate 20: Emulsifier. Fancy phrase for “retains oil and water from breaking apart.” Consider it as the connection counsellor of skincare.
- Xanthan Gum: Pure thickener that offers your product that good, barely bouncy really feel. Additionally helps it keep blended, so that you don’t find yourself with bizarre blobs.
- Benzoic Acid: One other preservative. Helps the product last more with out turning into a micro organism buffet. It’s been round without end and will get the job achieved.
- Ethylhexylglycerin: A skin-softener that additionally boosts the ability of preservatives. Retains your product recent and provides your pores and skin a little bit TLC.
- Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride: Derived from coconut oil and glycerin. Tremendous moisturising, tremendous light-weight, and helps your pores and skin really feel easy with out greasiness. Type of a glow-up for dry pores and skin.
- Citric Acid: Light exfoliant and pH adjuster. In case your product’s acidic however not irritating, this man’s most likely concerned. Helps slough off useless pores and skin with out turning your face into sandpaper.
- Sodium Citrate: Accomplice in crime to citric acid. Retains all the pieces balanced so your pores and skin doesn’t go, “what the hell is that this?”
- Limonene: A pure scent ingredient from citrus oils. Smells superb. Also can irritate delicate pores and skin. So… good however a little bit dangerous.
- Citral: One other perfume ingredient. Zesty, lemony, and likewise doubtlessly irritating for delicate pores and skin. Fairly however prickly.
- Phenoxyethanol: Quite common preservative. Retains your product secure from going off. Individuals like to hate it, however until you’re extraordinarily delicate, it’s high-quality in small doses.
Texture
These items feels extra like a light-weight gel-cream than a thick moisturiser. It’s tremendous easy and absorbs quick – none of that greasy, sticky aftermath. In case your pores and skin tends to freak out with heavier lotions, this one simply disappears into your face prefer it was by no means there (in a great way). Good for shiny or combo pores and skin that also desires hydration with out the shine.
Perfume
It does have a scent – not “punch you within the face” robust, however undoubtedly there. Kinda fruity-clean, like one thing you’d odor at a spa that doesn’t take itself too severely. In case your pores and skin throws tantrums over perfume, possibly patch check. In any other case? It’s chill.
Packaging
Squeeze tube = no mess, no micro organism, no digging your fingers into a bathtub. It’s primary however sensible. Straightforward to throw in a bag, straightforward to make use of half-asleep. It’s not fancy, nevertheless it works – and actually, that’s the vibe of this complete product.
How To Use It
Use it like every common moisturiser. After your serums, earlier than SPF (or simply slap it on solo in the event you’re lazy). Morning or evening – no matter works. Slightly goes a good distance, and it sinks in quick so that you don’t have to face round ready earlier than make-up. Low effort, excessive reward.
Efficiency & Private Opinion
Dermalogica Clear Start Hydrating Lotion is pretty hydrating by itself. If my pores and skin have been nonetheless combo, I wouldn’t want the rest. However, on my driest areas, I discover I’ve to make use of it with a hydrating serum to get greatest outcomes. In any other case, my pores and skin nonetheless feels a bit tighter there.
So declare #1 is right. These items is hydrating certainly, until your pores and skin is tremendous dry. However, does it maintain breakouts at bay, too? Nicely, since I began utilizing it, I observed a discount in pimples. With that, I imply, I get fewer pimples, and so they appear to vanish that little bit quicker.
As an alternative, I’m lots much less happy in regards to the addition of orange and grapefruit oils to the components. I don’t see any motive to incorporate them. They don’t actually do something particular for the pores and skin, however can irritate it, and improve sensitivity to the solar. I’m comfortable to report they didn’t irritate my pores and skin, however, if yours may be very delicate, chances are you’ll wish to keep clear from this one. In any other case, by no means use it with out sunscreen. By no means.
The cream can also be very low in antioxidants. As it’s geared toward younger pores and skin, it might be argued it doesn’t want antioxidants but. I believe pores and skin at all times does, at any age. However, in the event you’re a broke teenager whose precedence is to clear up your breakout susceptible pores and skin, chances are you’ll wish to give this one a strive first, and introduce antioxidants in your routine later.
Associated: 7 Natural Ingredients That Can Irritate Sensitive Skin
What I Like About Dermalogica Clear Begin Hydrating Lotion
- It’s light-weight however nonetheless moisturising – your pores and skin drinks it up with out turning into an oil slick.
- Layers properly with all the pieces. No pilling, no bizarre texture, no “what’s that doing on my face?” moments.
- Truly does what it says: hydrates and helps maintain breakouts underneath management. Uncommon combo.
- Doesn’t clog pores or really feel heavy, even in summer time.
- Tube packaging = hygienic, travel-friendly, and straightforward to make use of once you’re half-asleep or operating late.
What I DON’T Like About Dermalogica Clear Begin Hydrating Lotion
Citrus oils. Why? They don’t assist zits or hydration – they’re simply there to odor good and doubtlessly irritate your pores and skin or mess with solar sensitivity.
Not moisturising sufficient for dry pores and skin until you layer it with one thing else.
Low on antioxidants – which is sensible for a teenage-targeted product, however I nonetheless want it had one thing for long-term pores and skin well being.
Who Ought to Use It?
It is a nice decide in the event you’ve obtained oily, combo, or acne-prone pores and skin and need one thing that hydrates with out breaking you out. Particularly good in the event you’re in your teenagers or early 20s, your pores and skin is doing probably the most, and also you’re not in search of an excellent fancy anti-aging components.
In case your pores and skin is dry, delicate, or already irritated, you may wish to skip it – or at the very least layer it and patch check first. And in the event you’re delicate to citrus oils? Laborious move.
Does Dermalogica Clear Begin Hydrating Lotion Dwell Up To Its Claims?
CLAIM | TRUE? |
---|---|
Say goodbye to dehydrated, breakout-irritated pores and skin with this light-weight moisturizer! | It’s light-weight and may help scale back breakouts, nevertheless it gained’t do the job by itself. |
Sheer, easy-to-apply components helps soothe discomfort and hydrate areas that really feel dry. | It’s a little bit soothing and hydrating, however not sufficient for dry pores and skin. |
Additionally helps relieve the dryness usually related to some zits therapies. | It could possibly, however how properly relies on how dry your pores and skin is. |
Value & Availability
$22.00/£19.50 at Sephora and Ulta
Do You Want It?
It’s not a should, however in the event you’re a teen in search of an reasonably priced moisturiser on your acne-prone pores and skin that doesn’t break the financial institution, that is an okay choice to think about.
Water/Aqua/Eau, Squalane, Butylene Glycol, C14-22 Alcohol, Naringenin, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Peel Oil, Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, Saccharide Isomerate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Triethyl Citrate, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Panthenyl Triacetate, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Methylpropanediol, Aminomethyl Propanol, Polysorbate 20, Xanthan Gum, Benzoic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Limonene Citral, Phenoxyethanol.