What do you look for in a moisturiser?
A. A moisture boost.
B. A plumping action that makes fine lines and wrinkles look smaller.
C. Protection from the harsh hot and cold temperatures.
Elemental Herbology Moisture Replenish Cell Plumping Facial Moisturizer promises to do all this and more. Is it too good to be true or does it actually have what it takes to deliver on its promises? You know sceptical me. I had to put it to the test to find out. Here’s all you need to know about this moisturiser to find out if it’s a good fit for your skincare routine:
Key Ingredients In Elemental Herbology Moisture Replenish Cell Plumping Facial Moisturizer: What Makes It Work?
COCOA BUTTER TO MOISTURIZE SKIN
Cocoa butter is derived from cocoa beans. Duh! It’s a multitasker that acts as an emollient to keep your skin soft and smooth and as an antioxidant to fight the free radicals that bring premature wrinkles. There’s only one HUGE flaw with it: it doesn’t make this cream smell like chocolate. Boo!
ARGAN OIL TO MOISTURISE SKIN, TOO
Argan oil is in there, too. Derived from the kernels of the argan tree, this oil is chockfull of fatty acids, like linoleic and oleic. Fatty acids are literally the building blocks of your skin’s protective barrier. They patch up any holes in it, strengthen its defences, and make skin softer and smoother. Plus, Argan oil is rich in vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant that helps prevent wrinkles.
P.S. Argan oil isn’t the only oil in here. But it’s the one that does the bulk of the work.
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DIMETHICONE TO MINIMISE FINE LINES
Dimethicone is a heavy silicone. No, it doesn’t suffocate skin or clog pores. What it does is make wrinkles look smaller. Dimethicone fills every nook and cranny in your skin, a trick that blurs out pores and makes fine lines look less obvious – for a while. As soon as you wash it off, they’re still there. While it’s at it, Dimethicone also gives slip to a product and makes the texture silky smooth.
Related: Are Silicones Bad For Skin?
The Rest Of The Formula & Ingredients
NOTE: The colours indicate the effectiveness of an ingredient. It is ILLEGAL to put toxic and harmful ingredients in skincare products.
Green: It’s effective, proven to work, and helps the product do the best possible job for your skin.
Yellow: There’s not much proof it works (at least, yet).
Red: What is this doing here?!
Rosa Damascena Flower Water: The flower water coming from the flowers of the Damask Rose. It has antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. But, if you have very sensitive skin, its fragrant components may irritate your skin.
Aqua: The main solvent in the product, it helps other ingredients dissolve.
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate: An UVB filter that’s not very stable. It loses 10% of its effectiveness within 35 minutes! It’s not a dangerous ingredient, but I’m giving it a yellow rating because you shouldn’t rely on this moisturiser for sun protection.
Cetearyl Alcohol: Don’t let the word alcohol confuse you. It’s an emollient that makes skin softer and smoother.
Ceteareth-6 Olivate: Mixture of a derivative of fatty alcohol cetearyl alcohol and a fatty acid from olives. It makes emulsions stable and prevents them from breaking down into two goopy layers.
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane: Another name for Avobenzone, a common UVA filter. It’s not dangerous, but I don’t want you rely on this cream for sun protection – ignore this is here.
Glyceryl Stearate: It’s an emollient and emulsifier. It makes skin softer and smoother and prevents the formula from separating into a watery and an oily layer.
Glycerin: A humectant that draws moisture from the air into your skin, keeping it hydrated for hours.
Plukenetia Volubilis (Sacha Inchi) Oil: An emollient oil loaded with fatty acids that strengthen the skin’s protective barrier and make dry skin softer and smoother again.
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil: A.k.a. rosehip oil, it’s loaded with fatty acids and antioxidants that moisturise all skin types, prevent wrinkles, and even reduces mini comedones.
Panthenol: It has hydrating and soothing properties for skin.
Soluble Collagen: Collagen is the protein that keeps skin firm. But when you apply it topically, it can’t firm it. It only moisturises it. Skin needs it, but still, don’t expect too much.
Pearl Powder: It has hydrating and antioxidant properties. Some experts claim it also lighten dark spots, but I couldn’t find any scientific evidence confirming this yet.
Ubiquinone: A powerful antioxidants that fights free radicals and prevents premature aging.
Royal Jelly: It’s a humectant that attracts and binds water to the skin, increasing its moisture levels for softness and suppleness.
Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Oil: Loaded with fatty acids, it has moisturising and soothing properties for skin.
Avena Strigosa Seed Extract: It has moisturising and soothing properties.
Paniceum Milliaceum (Millet) Seed Extract: It has hydrating properties.
Malpighia Glabra (Acerola) Fruit Extract: A powerful antioxidants that prevents wrinkles.
Lecithin: A natural component of the skin’s protective barrier, it makes it softer and smoother.
Retinyl Palmitate: The weakest of retinoids, it has antioxidant properties that help slow down premature aging.
PEG-100 Stearate: An emollient and emulsifier. It makes skin softer and improves the texture.
Cetearyl Glucoside: An emulsifier that helps the oil-based and water-based ingredients to blend together, so they don’t separate into two gooey layers.
Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil: It’s geranium oil. It makes the product smell good, but it can irritate sensitive skin.
Oryzanol: A natural antioxidant that helps slow down premature aging.
Arginine: An amino acid naturally present in the body. It has antioxidant properties.
Maris Sal: A.k.a. sea salt, it moisturises skin.
Tocopheryl Acetate: A form of Vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant. It helps prevent wrinkles and stabilises the formula.
Disodium EDTA: A chelating agent, a fancy way of calling ingredients that neutralises the metal ions in the water that would otherwise spoil the formula.
Maltodextrin: It makes skin softer and helps to stabilise the formula.
Ethylhexylglycerin: It has hydrating properties. It also has mild preservative properties.
Tannic Acid: A powerful antioxidant that helps prevent wrinkles.
Phenoxyethanol: A preservative that kills bacteria and helps your product last longer.
Potassium Sorbate: Another preservative that extends the shelf life of the product.
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate: It moisturises skin.
Citral: A fragrant ingredient that smells like lemon. It can irritate sensitive skin.
Citronellol: Another fragrant ingredient. It must be listed separately on the label because it’s a common allergen.
Geraniol: Another fragrant ingredient – and common allergen.
Limonene: A fragrant component found in citrus fruits that can irritate sensitive skin.
Linalool: A fragrant ingredient with a spicy floral scent. It must be listed separately on the label because it’s a common allergen.
Texture
This moisturiser has a rich texture that manages not to be greasy. It absorbs fairly quickly and doesn’t leave any residue behind.
Fragrance
It’s fragrance-free. Translation: Elemental Herbology didn’t add any artificial scent to it. I like that: fragrance is the most irritating ingredient in skincare and has no place in your moisturiser. Said that, some of the natural ingredients in the cream do give it a slightly floral scent – and they can irritate skin if you’re allergic to them. If you have sensitive skin, always check out the ingredient list for any offenders and do a patch test first.
How To Use It
In the morning, in between serum and sunscreen (don’t skip it!). You can also use it at night as the last step of your skincare routine.
Packaging
A simple, see-through jar. It’s not the prettiest and it doesn’t keep the antioxidants inside too safe from the light and air that may spoil them overtime. Store in a safe space, preferably still inside the box, and clean your fingers before dipping them in.
Performance & Personal Opion
I use Elemental Herbology Moisture Replenish Cell Plumping Facial Moisturizer in the mornings only. No particular reason. I try lots of different products and have only one face… You do the math.
But you can use it at night, too. It sinks into my skin fast, leaves no greasy residue behind and leaves my skin soft and moisturized for most of the day. Bonus point: it makes my fine lines look smaller (but the effect is temporary).
Oh, one more thing: the most eagle-eyed of you may have spotted some UV filters in the ingredient list. Ignore them. This moisturiser doesn’t provide adequate sun protection. You still need a separate sunscreen for that.
Related: Do Cosmetics With SPF Provide Adequate Sun Protection?
How Does Elemental Herbology Moisture Replenish Cell Plumping Facial Moisturizer Compare To Other Elemental Herbology Moisturisers?
So after reading this, you’re thinking maybe this isn’t the best moisturiser for you. Let’s see what else the brand has available that may be a better fit for your skin type and needs:
Elemental Herbology Facial Soufflé Ultra-Rich Cream (£55.00): A very moisturising cream loaded with natural oils to strengthen your skin’s protective barrier and make even the driest of skin types softer and smoother again. It also gives your skin a lovely glow. Available at Debenhams.
Elemental Herbology Perfect Balance Moisturiser (£50.00): A hydrating cream with a lighter texture better suited for combination skin. It’s also enriched with antioxidants to premature aging and comes in a hygienic tube. Available at Debenhams.
Elemental Herbology Vital Glow Overnight Resurfacing Cream (£65.00): A rich cream with a sprinkle of Granactive Retinoid to moisturise and prevent wrinkles. It’s loaded with citrus oils that make it smell good, but can irritate sensitive skin. Available at Debenhams.
What I Like About Elemental Herbology Moisture Replenish Cell Plumping Facial Moisturizer
Rich texture, doesn’t leave a greasy residue behind
Very moisturising, makes skin softer and smoother
Plumps up fine lines and wrinkles
What I DON’T Like About Elemental Herbology Moisture Replenish Cell Plumping Facial Moisturizer
Doesn’t provide adequate sun protection
Jar packaging
Contains fragranced extracts that may irritate sensitive skin
Who Should Use It?
This moisturiser is best for dry skin.
Does Elemental Herbology Moisture Replenish Cell Plumping Facial Moisturizer Live Up To Its Claims?
CLAIM
TRUE?
Plump, hydrate and nourish dry skin while improving the skin’s natural barrier, reducing sensitivity and increasing elasticity.
It doesn’t increase elasticity, but it does everything else.
Royal Jelly: An ultra nourishing super food containing high levels of vitamin A B C D E and 18 amino acids to encourage new collagen and elastin production.
Notice how it doesn’t say the cream does this. It says royal jelly does this. It’s true, but there’s not enough royal jelly here to do much.
Price & Availability
£46.00 at Debenhams
The Verdict: Should You Buy It?
If you’ve got dry skin, it’s a good option to consider.
[penci_review]
Dupes & Alternatives
I don’t know of any dupes for this product.
Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Aqua, Dimethicone, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-6 Olivate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycerin, Plukenetia Volubilis (Sacha Inchi) Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Panthenol, Soluble Collagen, Pearl Powder, Ubiquinone, Royal Jelly, Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Oil, Avena Strigosa Seed Extract, Paniceum Milliaceum (Millet) Seed Extract, Malpighia Glabra (Acerola) Fruit Extract, Lecithin, Retinyl Palmitate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Oryzanol, Arginine, Maris Sal, Tocopheryl Acetate, Disodium EDTA, Maltodextrin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tannic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Citral, Citronellol, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool.
About Gio
Hi, I’m Gio. I’m a no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is skin coach and writer on a mission to help you achieve your best skin day ever – every day. I bust skincare myths and debunk marketing jargon to help you figure out what’s worth the splurge and what’s best left on the shelf – using science, not hype. I also offer skincare consultations to help you create the best skincare routine for your unique needs.
