Hello!
If you’ve been with me for a while – you’d have seen this phrase pop up numerous times: “oily girl”. Oily oily oily used be the only thing i could say to describe my skin type. Everytime i went for a skin consultation at SK-II or Clarins, i’d be told that my skin is oily on the surface and a little dehydrated inside.
Well .. all that has changed in the last few months. I don’t know whether it’s stress or hormonal change from age… or it could be all the years of using anti-sebum products. My skin has done a 180° turn and is now dry. Initially, I didn’t even realize what was going on with my skin – I couldn’t recognise that it was dryness that was causing shiny, uneven patches on my skin (well, I never thought it would happen). Oh.The.Horror.
SK-II and Clarins are 2 brands I’ve always trusted, especially to fix skin. So I reached out for 2 Clarins serums – the HydraQuench Intensive Serum and the Double Serum.
I started with the Double Serum (S$118) first.
When I initially received it, I was sold on the ingredients and the technology but I somehow found the texture a little too heavy on my skin – I needed to use it very sparingly and couldn’t found that 2 pumps of serum was a little too much (click HERE for my original review). Fast forward several months and now, Double Serum has become an integral part of my night routine. I use between 1 to 2 pumps after my SK-II clear lotion and I smooth it on.
My mom noticed the difference after about a week – my skin no longer had the shiny dry patches i had been battling. The trick is to warm the serum in your palms and then smooth it in, with gentle patting motions. Skin the next morning looks and feels soft and smooth and continuous usage helped to regulate my skin. Here are the main ingredients that work wonders on dehydrated skin looking for nourishment and pick-me-up:
- Katafray bark extract, hyaluronic acid (moisturising)
- Organic perilla and macadamia oils (nourishing)
- Organic quinoa and green tea extract (protecting)
- Maritime pine extract, organic rosehip oil (oxygenising)
- Organic green banana extract, thyme and bocoa (regenerating)
The other skin saver is the Hydra-Quench Bi-Phase serum. This is a lighter serum that you have to shake up before use. it is from the Hydraquench line which is targeted for dehydrated skin types – one of the star ingredients is the Katafray bark which is lauded for its moisture retention properties. Other ingredients such as Chondrus Crispus and Inca Peanut extract also help repair skin, making this a very useful serum to add to your skincare stash.
This serum has a light, runny texture and is light enough for use under makeup during the day – the thing is just to let it sink into skin before the makeup base goes on. The Hydraquench bi-phase serum keeps my skin from looking dry and parched (which can look powdery – not a good look).
Here are the main ingredients that explain why the HydraQuench Intensive Serum helps immensely with dehydrated skin:
- 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)
- Inca peanut extract (helps restore the hydrolipidic film)
- Chondrus crispus extract / red algae (helps stimulate skin’s natural moisturization process)
Along with these, I’ve been masking more often (new fave is the Fresh Instant Black Tea mask!). Following a more careful skincare regime, my skin seems to have been saved and feels more normal now – I still do get a little oily in this weather but it’s more of a dewy-looking oily rather than an oily-oily-oily. Now, THAT, I can deal with!
Thanks for stopping by and take care
Along with these, I’ve been masking more often (new fave is the Fresh Instant Black Tea mask!)
