Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel

I’ve seen a lot of press about the new Neutrogena Hydro Boost range and seeing as I really like water-based moisturisers, I was really looking forward to giving one of their two moisturisers a try. The two Neutrogena Hydro Boost moisturisers are the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Moisturiser and the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Cream Moisturiser with the latter being more appropriate for those with super dry skin.

The new Neutrogena Hydro Boost range has been created to boost hydration and lock it in for supple, hydrated skin and the range consists of five products; two moisturisers, a micellar water, a gel cleanser and some facial wipes. The Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel is £12.99 which I feel is quite pricey for a drugstore skincare range but I’d recommend looking for an offer if you were to purchase anything from the range as the prices are quite high.

The Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel is described as the following;

Hydro Boost Water Gel instantly quenches dry skin and keeps it looking smooth, supple and hydrated day after day. The unique water gel formula absorbs quickly, like a gel, but has the long-lasting, intense moisturizing power of a cream. It boosts skin’s hydration level and locks it in all day. Naturally found in the skin, hydrating hyaluronic acid acts as a sponge for dry skin cells, moisturizing with up to 1,000 times its weight in water, resulting in more supple and smooth skin.

• Oil-free
• Non-comedogenic
• Purified Hyaluronic acid
• Wearable under makeup

I really couldn’t wait to try the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel as it sounded like my ideal moisturiser as I love super hydrating yet lightweight formulas in the morning so they sit nicely under my makeup, but I tend to favour a richer moisturiser in the evenings. The packaging is quite sleek with a clear, blue plastic jar and white lid with the gel itself being a pale blue colour. Sadly I don’t like the scent of the gel as to me it smells a little like a bathroom cleaner which I know sounds a little random, but it’s a chemical-fresh scent which I just don’t enjoy applying to my face as the scent is so strong.

The gel is very lightweight and watery – so much so, it doesn’t feel like a moisturiser upon application as it’s so thin and it feels like I’m just smearing a watery gel over the surface of my skin and it doesn’t feel like it absorbs into the skin which is so odd for an hyaluronic acid based moisturiser. I’ve tried applying the moisturiser in small and large amounts and either way it doesn’t feel like the gel offers any hydration and I have dry skin so it always tends to drink up any creams or lotions that I apply. I cannot honestly recommend this moisturiser as it’s pretty pricey and it doesn’t offer any noticeable hydrating or softening effects and I know there’s another version for drier skin types but I wouldn’t want to try it as I’d rather spend the £13 on one of the Avene Tolerance moisturisers as they do actually work. I would even say that the Nivea Daily Essentials Rich Moisturising Day Cream is considerably more effective and it’s only £4.09 and it’s often on offer at half price, and it contains an SPF of 15 whereas the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel doesn’t offer any SPF whatsoever.

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