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A few months ago I joined a new network that is specifically geared toward Instagram and Youtube more than the physical blog.  While I love my blog, sometimes I get a little overwhelmed when work is busier and my son’s schedule is all over the place. The network is Octoly (for those curious) and it allows me to try out new brands and do mini reviews or features on my Instagram account. What does this have to do with Clarins Hydra-Essential Cooling Gel Moisturizer? Well, I received it through Octoly to feature on my Instagram, and I loved it so much that I decided to do a full review on it.

Clarins Hydra-Essential Cooling Gel Moisturizer is recommended for normal to combination skin, but it also helps problems such as redness, dullness and uneven texture as well as dryness. I personally have combination skin and most moisturizers I use to target dry areas leave my oily areas a mess, and products to target oily areas irritate my dry areas.

It’s a struggle.

Water is essential to life and also to your skin’s beauty.
Your daily schedule can cause your skin to dehydrate.

With Cooling Gel, your skin’s capacity to retain water is restored.

Clarins Hydra-Essential Cooling Gel Moisturizer restores radiance and comfort to thirsty skin, while promoting a shine-free complexion. It shields skin from the dehydrating effects of daily thermic shocks that leave it looking dry and weathered: sudden temperature changes, indoor and outdoor pollutants and environmental stress. Quenches skin with Organic leaf of life extract,which is a succulent plant that enhances the skin’s ability to retain moisture.

Clarins Hydra-Essential Cooling Gel Moisturizer is just what the name suggests. It’s a cooling gel that gives your skin a boost of hydration BUT it also mattifies your skin when it dries down. It’s non greasy and actually absorbs fairly quickly into the skin.

The texture of the Clarins Hydra-Essential Cooling Gel Moisturizer  did take a little getting used to. The gel almost feels like it has a very slight grit to it. It feels a little thick too, so of course on my first try I thought I was going to overdo it, but I kept with the saying “A little goes a long way” and that really seemed to work for me.

So I grabbed a very small amount and gently massaged it into my freshly washed  face. It instantly hit me with a chilling feeling, but I liked it. I’m in California and it’s been warm here, so the blast of cool was welcome. I can actually see really enjoying this during the Summer, both in the mornings and the evenings.

The cooling effect stayed for a good 10 minutes, but I could feel it linger a bit longer, it was just much less noticeable.

Another thing I thought I would mention is the scent. I actually have to be careful wearing it right before I come into work (we have a no fragrance policy) and the scent is quite strong and stays for a bit. It’s a mix of mint and floral. The scent doesn’t irritate me at all, but I know some are more sensitive than others so it was worth mentioning.

Clarins Hydra-Essential Cooling Gel Moisturizer Overview

So what do I really think? Do I like Clarins Hydra-Essential Cooling Gel Moisturizer? Yes. But do I love it? I’m still on the fence. The scent mainly is what throws me off a bit. It is a little strong, but overall the actual moisture and radiant effects I’ve had while using Clarins Hydra-Essential Cooling Gel Moisturizer have been noticeable and really nice. I still have a decent amount remaining in the jar and at this point, I do think I’ll repurchase because it is working for my combination skin.

Price: $48.00 for 1.6 fl oz Jar

Where To Buy: Clarins Online Shop

If you have combination skin like I do, I do recommend giving Clarins Hydra-Essential Cooling Gel Moisturizer a try. If you are really sensitive to scent though, you might want to skip it. If the scent wasn’t there (or at least wasn’t as strong), it would be a 100% recommendation from me.