Lancôme Hydra Zen Oil-free Gel Cream with Hyaluronic Acid & Salicylic Acid

Judging from the ingredient list, "Lancôme - Hydra Zen Oil-free Gel Cream with Hyaluronic Acid & Salicylic Acid" works well for improving skin hydration To work well, any moisturizer needs to include a combination of water-binding and emollient ingredients. Lancôme - Hydra Zen Oil-free Gel Cream with Hyaluronic Acid & Salicylic Acid ticks this box. Humectants in this product (alanine, arginine, aspartic acid, dextran and glycerin) 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). Isopropyl myristate, arginine, dimethicone, dimethiconol and cetearyl ethylhexanoate 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

• This moisturizer also contains Peptides (palmitoyl tripeptide-8 0.05% - 0.30%). Peptides are a very big group of ingredients. They all consist of a different combination of aminoacids. Our skin produces Peptides naturally. Some of them work as natural antibiotics, promote wound-healing and production of collagen. The scientists are still studying how effective the topical application of Peptides is, but it is very likely that they are helpful. Peptides might be able to support skin barrier restoration and even have an anti-aging benefit. At the very least, they certainly help attract water to the skin and support the hydration in this way.
• Actives derived from an extract of the Centella Asiatica plant (also known as Gotu Kola) - madecassoside 0.55% - 1.30% The Centella Asiatica Actives, even in low concentration, can help reduce inflammation in skin, strengthen the skin barrier and reduce photodamage. They can also help to decrease scarring.

Irritation risk

This moisturizer contains a bunch of common irritants, including ingredients that do not provide any known benefit for the skin. It might not be the best choice if your skin is sensitive. We assess the overall irritancy of this moisturizer to be high. 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.