Beautiful Skin Matters.
That's the tagline of London based skincare brand PharmaClinix, and being a self-confessed skincare obsessive, it's one that appeals to me.
Beautiful skin, to me, does matter, it's something that I try to strive for, and as a result, I won't just smear products onto my face without prior consideration. Having had a good peruse of the brand, phrases like "pharmaceutical grade active ingredients" and "peer reviewed clinical studies" (if you're a science geek like me, you'll appreciate that one!) convinced me to try out their signature moisturiser, Moisturix (*). £34.99 for 50ml.
Claims
"A scientifically developed long lasting moisturising cream with SPF 25 for protecting the skin from UVA/UVB radiation. Prevents premature wrinkling and pigmentation. Also contains antioxidants for extra protection against pollution. Apply twice daily."
It also claims specifically to increase moisture levels by up to 23% in 5 hours. I love an instant-results product so let's see how it stands up.
First Impressions
Although PharmaClinix specialise in Asian and Dark skintones, this moisturiser is suitable for all tones and ethnicities.
The packaging doesn't excite me but is not unattractive; a purple and chrome colour scheme that does look rather "dermatologist" and science orientated, sitting on your dressing table. I really like that the Best Before date is printed on both the bottom of the box and jar, it's something I should, but never pay attention to with beauty products. There are also some really nice ingredients; lots of oil extracts, namely coconut, avocado, sweet almond, sesame and jojoba. Unfortunately parabens are not amiss here, if that is a problem for you.
The SPF 25 is certainly nice to see, and it's great that the sunscreen covers both types of UV ray.
The scent is delicious! It smells exactly like something else I own but I've been trying to put my finger on it for days, with no luck. If you own or know the Laneige Water Bank line, that's the closest I can get; a really pleasant, sweet-floral that is faint and doesn't linger too long.
Opening the jar, I expected the "standard" face cream texture, something like the No7 day creams, but instead was surprised to find a sumptuously thick, emollient cream that reminds me most of butter you've left out of the fridge for a few hours. Actually, "buttery" is an excellent word to describe it.
Conclusions
I didn't think I'd get on well with such a thick cream, I tend to veer away from heavy textures, but I was actually really pleasantly surprised at how much better it seeped into my skin than other heavy creams I've tried. It's great for those of you who don't want to use facial oils but feel like you ought to!
With regards to it's claims, I'd love to be able to test it scientifically to see exactly how much moisture it gave me, but I definitely felt an improvement within the 5 hours stated. On my normal to combination skin, I'd say it takes a few minutes to really sink in but after that, it feels so undetectable that I could stand wearing this during the day; looks like the SPF 25 won't be going to waste! On drier skins, this would make the perfect day cream.
There is one thing that I really like about the cream, and that's how it makes my skin feel, hours after I've used it. In Korean we call it "tong tong", and I think the nearest translation I'll get in this context is "bouncy". It makes my skin feel like a plump, blown up balloon rather than a haggard, rubbery one that's losing it's air.
I've recently been working out outside as part of Weight Loss Wednesdays and my face really takes a buffeting from the cold, harsh, countryside air, returning dry and blushing. This cream has put a stop to that, my mother even noticed my skin looked better once I'd come back from my run! It acts like a barrier between my face and the elements, and I think it's here that it's earned a place in my skincare collection.
Overall, I can understand that the price may be off putting and I'd maybe like to see a different packaging but if you're a big fan of skincare, like me, and are willing to invest in it, I'd definitely recommend you try Moisturix out. For the bounce-ability it gives to my skin, for me, it's a keeper!
Jennifer x
Disclaimer: I was kindly sent this product to try, but this has no effect on my critique and my opinions remain 100% honest. I'm very particular with my skincare and would never recommend a product that I didn't like!
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