Clarins HydraQuench Serum

Hydrating. Light. Bi-phase. Blue. What more do I need to say? 


Well I'm going to say quite a bit more. 

This year has been full of thesis writing and experimenting for me. All the stress has meant I probably haven't been eating as well as I need to be and the trip from my lab to the communal kitchen area to get some water often feels really long.. 

What's the result of all this you ask? Dehydrated skin. Well, it was dehydrated until I was wandering Sephora one average Thursday night and found the Clarins HydraQuench Serum. I've been a fan of the Clarins HydraQuench Cream for quite some time but had never tried the serum. I vaguely remember Amelia Liana speaking about both on her blog/channel and enjoying the serum in particular. So I bought it! It isn't the cheapest product in the world but boy does this baby hydrate. 

You shake up the bottle and it turns into a creamy liquid that squirts out of the pump blue and has the consistency of...a soft oily water. I know that sounds unappealing but it's a lovely texture for a serum. It is very thin. That means it sinks in really quickly and has a nice cooling effect. There is no miraculous change to my skin when I apply this serum. My skin does feel like it's hydrated but just like when I use Hydraluron, I notice what it does more when I don't put it on and I see how dull and flat my skin looks.

It contains an all important Hylauronic Acid Complex that helps bind moisture to the skin and keep it hydrated as well as a few fatty acids that should help in nourishing dry skin. I have acne prone skin and despite the inclusion of fragrance and colour, this has not caused any kind of acneaic eruption on my face. 

Here's the entire list of ingredients: 
Water, Glycerin, Iso Hexadecane, Isononyl Isononanoate, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Sodium Pca, Trehalose, Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil, Benzophenone-4, Sodium Chloride, Parfum/ Fragrance, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tromethamine, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Disodium Edta, Alcohol, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Chondrus Crispus (Carrageenan) Extract, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Medicago Sativa (Alfalfa) Extract, Cedrelopsis Grevei Bark Extract, Pyrus Sorbus Bud Extract, Sorbic Acid, Tocopherol, Ci 42090/Blue 1, Ci 60730/Ext. Violet 2.

Different to Hydraluron?
Yes. Largely in texture and number of ingredients. Hydraluron is a gel and feels quite tacky when applied onto the skin. It does dry down to a smoother finish but still feels tackier on the skin when compared to the HydraQuench. HydraQuench dries to basically nothing and the skin is left feeling soft. The ingredients list for Hydraluron is much smaller. This might be a good thing or a not so good thing depending on what else you use in your skincare routine and how much hydration you need. 

Here's the list of Hydraluron ingredients for comparion:
Water, Propanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Carbomer, Phenoxyethanol, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Ahnfeltia Concinna Extract, Disodium EDTA.

In Australia it is available at Myer, David Jones and Sephora. Online you can get it at Escentual. Adore Beauty also stocks it and they are often having sales so keep an eye out! Right now though, I think Mecca has it for cheapest at $68. 

Let me know if you have any other serum recommendations!