Klairs Midnight Blue Clearing Water Cream

Judging from the ingredient list, "Klairs - Midnight Blue Clearing Water Cream" works well for improving skin hydration To work well, any moisturizer needs to include a combination of water-binding and emollient ingredients. Klairs - Midnight Blue Clearing Water Cream ticks this box. Humectants in this product (arginine, glycerin, hyaluronic acid, hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid and sodium acetylated hyaluronate) help to increase the water content in the upper layer of the skin. (These ingredients do so by "capturing" water molecules from the outside air or from within the deeper layers of the skin). Arginine, caprylic/capric triglyceride, caprylyl glycol and pentylene glycol 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 particularly like that there is a good concentration of Niacinamide (2.90% - 3.60%) in this moisturizer. Niacinamide is a well-studied multi-tasking active. It is a great ingredient to have in a moisturizer. It is stable, and can work well in almost any hydrating formulation. There is solid evidence that Niacinamide can help support skin barrier, regulate oil production and reduce acne and clogged pores. It also helps to fight photodamage and help improve the skin tone, reducing pigmentation marks.
• We like that this moisturizer contains peptides (sh-oligopeptide-1 0.20% - 0.35%, sh-oligopeptide-2 0.20% - 0.40%, sh-polypeptide-1 0.20% - 0.40%, sh-polypeptide-11 0.25% - 0.40% and sh-polypeptide-9 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.
• Actives derived from an extract of the Centella Asiatica plant (also known as Gotu Kola) - madecassoside 0.60% - 0.90% The Centella Asiatica Actives help strengthen and restore the skin barrier, decrease inflammation in skin and neutralize free radicals. They also can help to reduce scarring. The good news is that these actives work even in low concentrations.
• In addition, this moisturizer contains Allantoin (0.90% - 1.10%). Allantoin is helpful in wound-healing and can help restore the skin barrier faster. It might also be able to improve scars, but the evidence is not very strong for this.

Irritation risk

This formulation includes some common irritants, including ingredients that do not provide a benefit 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.

About the brand

According to Cruelty-Free Kitty "Klairs" is cruelty free and so is its parent company.