Honest Review: SIMPLE Hydrating Light Moisturizer

Hey there~

So recently, I have been searching for a few basic skincare products that are more pocket-friendly (dah broke lettew~), and since the brand "SIMPLE" has always been known for being a safe-and-affordable option, I decided to give it a try. Here's a list of what I bought so far:-

1. SIMPLE Moisturizing Facial Wash;
2. SIMPLE Soothing Facial Toner; and
3. SIMPLE Hydrating Light Moisturizer.

However, today we are going to talk about item number 3 first. I will do another review soon on item 1 & item 2 above, and I will provide a link to the entry later.

My Skin Type: Pre-pregnancy - combination skin. During pregnancy (current) - dry, sensitive skin with a little bit of redness.

My Skin Tone: Pre-pregnancy - fair. During pregnancy (current) - fair, uneven, dark spots.

Climate: I live in Malaysia, so it's hot, humid, and rainy throughout the year!

PRICE & PACKAGING

Source: Google

The product itself comes in a plastic bottle which is kept in its outer box, as shown in the photo above. Honestly, I think there's really no need for the box to be a part of the packaging. Most people are just gonna throw it away, anyway. Though recyclable, prevention is always better than cure. It's also too thin to provide any sort of protection to the actual product, so.. I fail to see why it is even needed in the first place (same case with toothpaste boxes). Every other details and information can just simply be printed on the bottle itself, too. Not enough space? Just use this kind of peelable sticker label ⤵⤵⤵⤵⤵⤵⤵⤵⤵⤵⤵⤵⤵⤵⤵⤵⤵⤵

GENIUS! Right???
FYI, this hand sanitizer is a product of Melaleuca, which I LOVEEEEEEE so, so much 💓

As for the HDPE bottle packaging, I think it's good that it's recyclable. I do prefer bottle-type packaging rather than the tube ones, because they are not always recyclable. But the best type of packaging IMO would be the jar-type. Apart from being recyclable, a cheapskate like me would be able to really use the product to its very last drop 😎

Price range: RM15.xx - RM22.xx. I bought mine for RM17++ from Hermo during their #612sale this year. This product is also available in our local drugstores like Watsons and Guardian, but I guess most of you know this, already.😅

INGREDIENTS

Aqua, Glycerin, Parafinnum Liquidum, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Cetyl Palmitate, Dimethicone, Acrylates/ C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Bisabolol, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Cetyl Alcohol, Disodium EDTA, Lactic Acid, Panthenol, Pantolactone, Pentylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol,  Potassium Carbonate, Potassium Hydroxide, Serine, Sodium Lactate, Sorbitol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Urea

Ingredient analysis from CosDNA:-

P.S. I would like to constantly remind you that there are various opinions out there about the legitimacy of the information on CosDNA, as they don't really cite their sources specifically and apparently, in terms of toxicity, the results from a 100% concentration of the ingredient versus a 10% concentration are likely to produce very different results. For more details on CosDNA, please click here and then you can decide how far do you want to rely on CosDNA. As for me, I think it's good for product comparison and to get a little insight into the ingredients used in a particular product, but I wouldn't just take every information for granted. I'll do further research and honestly, I still think skincare is all about trial-and-error. Some reviews and ingredients database website might suggest that a certain product ticks all the right boxes for you, but in the end, may still cause unwanted effects on your skin.

Based on the CosDNA result above, all ingredients seem to be safe and non-comedogenic. According to the label, the key ingredients of this product are Pro-Vitamin B5 (a.k.a Panthenol), Vitamin E (a.k.a Tocopheryl Acetate), Glycerin, as well as Borage Seed Oil. HOWEVER, only Glycerin is on top of the ingredient list, while Panthenol and Borage Seed Oil are somewhere in the middle of the list, whereas Tocopheryl Acetate is waaaaayyyy down below in the ingredient list. So.. LOL what KEY ingredients again??? Please be honest with your item description/ claim, SIMPLE 😑😑😑😑 FYI, the functions of the not-so-key ingredients are as follows:-

• Pro-Vitamin B5: Helps keep skin soft, smooth and healthy. It has an anti-inflammatory effect that can help stimulate the skin's healing processes. Deeply hydrating, as it keeps skin quenched by absorbing moisture from the air.
• Vitamin E: Moisturizes the skin, improving its texture and softness. As an antioxidant, it helps to protect the skin from damage due to free radicals—a big contributor to premature aging. It also helps prevent cell tissue damage by acting as a barrier for the skin.
• Glycerin: Absorbs water from the air to boost hydration within our skin cells.
• Borage Seed Oil: Produces an ultra-lightweight oil, and contains high level of skin-loving essential fatty acids. It can also help to maintain soft, supple, glowing skin.

However, please take note that these are not active ingredients. As I've mentioned before, this is just a pretty basic moisturizer without any real active ingredients, hence the much cheaper price, I guess.

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION/ CLAIMS

"Simple Kind to Skin Hydrating Light Moisturiser provides care with a light feel on the skin, leaves skin feeling soft, smooth and perfectly hydrated for up to 12 hours.
Our face moisturiser is made with skin-loving ingredients such as Pro-Vitamin B5 and Vitamin E. Lightweight and fast-absorbing formulation that doesn’t clog pores, moisturizing your skin and keeping it pure and fresh.

As for all Simple products, it contains no colour or dye, or artificial perfume and harsh chemicals that can upset your skin, making it perfect for even sensitive skin. Dermatologically tested and approved. Ophthalmologically tested. Hypoallergenic, non-comedogenic."

SMELL & TEXTURE

The texture is quite light. Although I wouldn't say odourless, the product actually does not have any weird, unpleasant, or strong smell. It's tolerable, and almost odourless, actually, IMO.

Due to the rather light texture of the product, it absorbs almost immediately. It doesn't make your face look shiny and it doesn't leave any sticky feelings, as well. (It looks shiny in the photo above because I didn't really massage it until it fully absorbs. Just wanted to show you that it won't leave any white cast).

MY OVERALL THOUGHTS

I have been using this product for around 3 months now. So far, I have not experienced any purging from using this product so in my case, their claim about being non-comedogenic is acceptable. My whiteheads are still at bay, as well (I've always had them). HOWEVER! I notice that every time I apply this product, my face will feel a sense of uncomfortable tingling and I don't like that. I think that a completely "safe" and "hypoallergenic" moisturizer should NOT do that. At first I thought it's just my skin getting used to it, but nope! 3 months in and the tingling is STILL THERE.

The product claims to provide 12 hours of continuous moisture. I can agree with that, because my face didn't feel dry for more than 12 hours after application. However, my face did get a little oily at the end of the day. Not sure if it's because I'm wearing other products on top of the moisturizer itself (such as sunblock, bb cream, etc). I work in an air-conditioned space too. So.. if you have a very oily face, maybe try to avoid this product ok?
I did not have any high expectation towards this product, to begin with. I already knew it's just a basic moisturizer so I just want it to simply hydrate my face without sensitizing my skin. The hydration part works, alright. Most of my dry patches can be soothed upon application of this product, but not the redness. Also, even though my skin does not physically react negatively to this product (no breakouts, etc), I really hate the tingling sensation that appears when I apply the product onto my face. Everyone knows that tingling sensation caused by a skincare product is not good sign, am I right?
OH! BTW, this product will go a long way. I've been using it for about 3 months and there's still so much product left inside. A pocket-friendly choice, indeed, but still, not really what I was looking for. I'm going to keep using it until it runs out because I don't want it to go to waste, but after that, I'm going to continue my search for an affordable product that gives more satisfactory results. Wish me luck!💓💓💓💋

OTHER RANDOM REVIEWS

These are the highlighted reviews from Influenster:-

FYI, the overall rating for this product on Influenster is 4.2/5.


P.S. I would like to remind you to not trust these online reviews 100%. Some of them are paid, and some of the reviewers purposely gave good reviews in order to get free samples.

CONCLUSION

Rating: 3.5/5 

Recommend: YES for Dry, Combination, Normal, and Slightly Oily Skin. NO for Oily-Very oily skin.

Repurchase: MAYBE. (When I'm flat out broke and I can't find any other better moisturizer within the same price range lol)

REMINDER: Everyone's skin is different. What works for me may not work for you, and what does not work for me may still work for you! 😊

That's it for today! Thank you for reading and I hope to see you again in my next post :)

[DISCLAIMER: This is NOT a paid review.]