When I got the package, I was expecting samples of the line, not the ginormous-size bottles I received! I did get these products for free, as I am a BeautyStat blogger (click the link I've placed on the bottom of my blog -- it's a great website). However, this has no influence on my opinions of this line of products. I also received three samples of other H2O+ products, and will review those at a later date.
On to the review. This is probably going to be pretty long -- if there's something you aren't interested in reading about, just skip over it. I won't be mad...promise! :)
Let's start with the cleanser, shall we? The Creamy Facial Cleanser claims to minimize the appearance of fine lines and stimulate healthy cell growth, hydrate the skin, improve skin resiliency, and remove makeup/surface debris/environmental impurities. The scent of this is fine -- not great, not unpleasant. It's kind of a combination of citrus and salty ocean air, only...Lemon Pledge-ier? It's hard to describe. If you're sensitive to fragrance, maybe skip over this one. It doesn't bother me, though. The cleanser does its thing by combining "cell-renewing amino acids" with apple amino acids and sea moss. To be perfectly honest, it's only been about a week since I've gotten this product, so I can't say if those ingredients have drastically improved my skin. I will say that this does a great job of cleansing my skin...maybe a little too well? It doesn't make my face feel uncomfortable, but it definitely gives it that "squeaky clean feeling." This cleanser does a good job of removing my concealer and any powder that I am wearing, but I cannot speak to its eye makeup removing abilities. This is partly because I use an oil-based remover to get rid of mascara and partly because this cleanser stung my eyes like a mother! Granted, I wear contacts and have somewhat sensitive eyes, but I do not recommend this for removing eye makeup. I will say that I used this after a 5-mile run today. I normally use one cleanser, then follow it up with something like St. Ives Apricot Scrub to get rid of the sweat, salt, or dirt (ewww!) , but this cleanser did the trick with no need for a second cleanse!
Now, on to the exfoliator. I have only used the Gentle Refining Polish a couple of times, as I have somewhat dry skin and I don't want to make it drier. I imagine you could use this every day if you have oily skin. When I do exfoliate (about once a week, twice if I've been running or working out), I generally prefer something grainer (like the St. Ives). This isn't grainy and is very gentle, so if you're into that, I think you'll really like this! It, like the cleanser, has cell-renewing amino acids and sea moss. Instead of the cleanser's apple amino acids, the polish has bamboo extract to remove "dull skin cells to reveal visibly brighter, smoother-looking skin." This polish has the same smell as the cleanser. Again, I don't mind it, but those sensitive to fragrance might. I like the way this made my skin feel. Even though it wasn't as grainy as I usually prefer, I felt that it got the job done, and was gentle while still doing its job. All in all, I was pleasantly surprised by this.
The Renewing Prep Tonic was the product I was most excited to try. I love toners. I love how they make my skin feel, how they remove any last traces of makeup or dirt, and how refreshing they are (especially in the dry winter months). This toner does all of that, by using (again) the cell-renewing amino acids and sea moss in its ingredients. It also contains lactic acid, which claims to refine and retexturize the skin for a brighter complexion. When I read that it contained lactic acid, I was expecting it to sting just a touch. It didn't! This toner is so refreshing, yet effective. I really like this product, you guys! The only downside I see to this bad boy was the pump. I love when toners have a pump, because I don't like the screw top openings -- I always end up spilling the toner when I'm trying to soak a cotton pad. However, the pump didn't work! It spits out the tiniest amount of product onto my cotton ball. I lost track of how many pumps it took for me to get any product onto the cotton ball. I eventually gave up and just unscrewed the cap. I love the product inside, and I love the packaging in theory, but in practice, it didn't work. Maybe I got a defective one?
The Deep Moisture Cream is, sadly, not my favorite. It's super-moisturizing, and I like it for nighttime. However, it feels like it never sinks into my skin! I've used all sorts of varying amounts, and it either isn't moisturizing enough (thus causing me to add more) or feels like it just sits on top of my face. I tried to just let it sit on for an hour or so, and then rub it in more, but it just would not sink in! I'm hoping that I can give this another go in December or January, when my skin gets even drier. I still use it for nighttime, but my face still feels sticky and tacky, which isn't a comfortable feeling. The cream contains those same cell-renewing amino acids, as well as jojoba seed extract and Atlantic Sea flora. The jojoba claims to minimize fine lines, fight free radicals, and deeply moisturize. The sea flora is said to smooth the look of surface lines and refresh tired, lackluster skin.
The Perfecting Eye Cream is kind of the same story for me as the moisturizer. Not surprising, when you consider that the "Key Elements" are the same for both products. I love this for that little space between my eyebrow, nose, and eye -- that area tends to get really dry on me. However, it's the exact same story -- super moisturizing, but never feels like it sinks in. Like I said, I wear contact lenses, but I wear glasses at night. This eye cream caused my glasses to annoyingly slide down the bridge of my nose every two seconds.
Overall, I like this range. Would I repurchase it? I think it's too soon to tell for sure, but so far, I'd have to say no. I have a few fine lines on my forehead and around my eyes, and I'd like to see if this line helps them improve. I'll update you all later on for that. So far, I don't think this has broken me out. I say "think" because, while using this line, I had a breakout on my chin that started to go away, then came back with a vengeance. I'm not sure if it was because of this or *ahem* hormones. Though I like all of these products (some more than others), none have become "holy grail" products. However, my fiance did tell me for the first time that my skin looked "so pretty!" I will say that if you have very dry skin, give the moisturizer and eye cream a shot. They'll probably work beautifully with you.
Also, take a look at the H2O+ website. They have a really neat section where you can get a skin care analysis or use a concern guide to find out what products are great for you.
And finally, a little treat for those of you who read this all the way too the end. Thanks for sticking with me! Get $10 off your entire H2O+ purchase of $30 or more by entering promo code 100275 at checkout. (Heads up: They have a sale section where you can get up to 50% off some of their products!!!)
If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact me. You can leave a comment here, e-mail me at honest2goodnessreviews@gmail.com, or Tweet me at HonestReviewer.
