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Product summary

Based on the ingredient list, "Clinique - Superdefense Night Recovery Moisturizer Very Dry to Combination Skin" can work well for skin moisturization. To work well, any moisturizer needs to include a combination of water-binding and emollient ingredients. Clinique - Superdefense Night Recovery Moisturizer Very Dry to Combination Skin ticks this box. Acetyl hexapeptide-8, glycerin, sodium hyaluronate, glycine soja protein and bis-peg-18 methyl ether dimethyl silane in this product (humectants) attract water molecules to the upper layer of the skin (the water comes from the outside air or from the deeper layers of the skin if the air is dry). Astrocaryum murumuru seed butter, dimethicone, phenyl trimethicone, simmondsia chinensis seed oil and cetearyl alcohol in this product help decrease the water evoporation from the skin, so that it stays hydrated for longer. These ingredients also soften the skin and take away the feeling of tightness and dryness.

Ingredient callouts

  • We like that this moisturizer contains peptides (acetyl hexapeptide-8 0.25% - 0.45%). There are many different kind of Peptides and they are naturally present in our skin. They all are a combination of aminoacids. Some of them work as natural antibiotics, promote wound-healing and production of collagen. The science is still not settled on how effective Peptides are in skincare, but it is very likely that they have a benefit. Peptides might help restore the skin barrier and fight the signs of aging. At the very least, Peptides work as humectants: they attract water to the upper layer of the skin and improve its hydration.
This product contains ingredients that could be beneficial, but their concentrations are too low in this formulation: titanium dioxide, tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate, ergothioneine, lecithin, sigesbeckia orientalis extract and petrolatum

Irritation risk

There are some common irritants in this product, including ingredients that do not have benefits for the skin. We assess the overall irritancy of this moisturizer to be medium. For a detailed overview of all potential irritants: click here

You can see the detailed formula review with the breakdown of all actives in the product and the full ingredient list with estimated concentrations in the tables below.