Review: ~H2O+ Face Oasis Hydrating Treatment and Face Oasis Shine Neutralising Gel

It's been well over a month since I got these two lovelies to try, and the reason for my delay is a good one. You see, first I used the hydrating treatment at night, and the Shine Neutralising gel during the day. Lately though I've stuck to using the Hydrating Treatment night AND day (daaaayyy and niiiighhhtttt.... *ahem* sorry). The results surprised me! Read on:

~H2O+ Face Oasis Shine Neutralising Gel
Anything with "Shine Neutralising" in sounds like just my thing. So when, at my slightly puppy-dog-eyed request (insofar as I can pull the look anyway) the nice ~H2O+ people gave us samples of the Shine Neutralising Gel, I was ecstatic!

Unfortunately though after two weeks use I was forced to admit that the gel just may be breaking me out very slightly. I believe it's due to the higher dimethicone content which was probably added to make it more oil-absorbant. Darn.

However until that happened this gel was a joy to use. A lighter formulation than the original face oasis (hydrating treatment), it sank in immediately with a hint of refreshing metholated tingle. This made it very fun to use in the mornings. Makeup went on easily over it, and as it contains no oils I think I stayed matte even longer than with Vichy Normaderm.

The light-green gel has the distinctive ~H2O+ Oasis scent (which I love). A slightly sweet, refreshing ocean-based scent. A tiny tiny bit goes a looong way on my oily skin. My 8ml sample lasted me two weeks and I still have half a tube! I had no issues with dryness and my skin looked happy - except for teh all-too-familiar dimethicone caused white heads. *sighs*

The full sized 50ml jar retails for RM159, and while I won't be buying it. I can definitely recommend it to any oil-skinned gal, or guy, who's looking for a light moisturiser that does the business without adding to the oil. Providing they are not sensitive to dimethicone. *sighs*

~H2O+ Face Oasis Hydrating Treatment

|Night|

I absolutely adore this as a night treatment! I really don't use very much, just four small dabs on my forhead, cheeks, chin which I massage in. Used with my usual night time treatment of differin I've been waking up to smooth, perfectly hydrated skin and visibly smaller pimples!

Also I have a tendency to go overboard on the pimple treatments leading to angry red skin. This lovely stuff calms it right down! I even look forward to its lovely soothing aquatic scent - I sniff it during the day. *blushes*

I've also tried using it as a hydrating face mask. While I think it works, I also believe this is wasted on me, as I don't need that much hydration, and it's a bit of a waste to slather so much on!

|Day|

I'd always firmly believed that this product was too heavy and sticky for day use. I don't have the time to sit around waiting for it to sink in! But one day when I concluded that Shine Neutralising Gel was breaking me out, and I had run out of Vichy I thought "what the heck, I'll just use as little as possible!".

So I touched my fingers to the gel, to get the merest smidge of product, and dabbed it first on my dryest areas - around the lips, and the sides of my nose, before gently spreading it out. This product has a lot of slip so you can really spread it out quite a-ways! I find it spreads even better on damp skin, so I give myself a spritz of evian if I feel like it. Then a tiny dab more for my cheeks, and the left overs are patted onto my T-Zone.

With such light application it sinks in instantly, and my skin is ready for foundation. While I expected my skin to be hydrated by this, what really surprised me was the decrease in oil production! My skin, while still oily, only needs two blotters in a normal workday with one powder touch up. Amazing! I'm really quite staggered about this. After all my mattifiers, all the oil controlling products, its a hydrating treatment that does the trick!

I'm half convinced it's a trick of hormones and circumstance. And half hoping that my happily hydrated and calmer skin feels no need to pump out the oil. Just as good, I believe the complete lack of oil combined with happy hydration is helping my skin clear up a treat. Any pimples that appear from running around in the heat all day dies in the night. So my skin is clearer than its been for awhile.

I'll keep my fingers crossed and toss out ALL my other moisturisers! This single jar is all I need. HOORAH! HG!

A 50ml jar of Face Oasis also retails for RM159, and will I be repurchasing? Yes, yes and YES!

 Not sure if the product will work as well for you? Check out these great reviews from ladies with dryer skin than mine:
My Women Stuff
Skin Deco
My Makeup Reviews