December 28, 2017

Garnier SkinActive Hydrating 3-in-1 Face Moisturizer with Aloe Review & Swatches

I purchased this item and I receive a small commission if you shop using the links in this post.

Garnier SkinActive Hydrating 3-in-1 Face Moisturizer with Aloe ($10) is one of three new moisturizers that the brand released which were created with 97% naturally derived ingredients. Each formula was created to use as a daily and nightly moisturizer or can be applied as a mask treatment to hydrate skin.

Typically naturally derived ingredients are taken from a natural source or may be produced with very minimal processing methods. If in fact the ingredients in this moisture are taken from nature that would mean they had very minimal processing and would not include synthetic chemicals. I’m not a chemist but I have my doubts that Garnier SkinActive Hydrating 3-in-1 Face Moisturizer with Aloe is as “natural” as they want you to believe considering the amount of fragrance that these products contain.

That being said, I didn’t buy this moisturizer because it contained naturally derived ingredients. I purchased it because I liked the idea of a multitasking moisturizer that promised to sooth and hydrate drier skin.

At 6.8 oz this is a very generously-sized moisturizer that will give you plenty of product to use as mask and a moisturizer. I was pretty impressed by the size! The formula is quite lovely too with a soft, gel-like consistency which absorbs easily into my skin and provides fairly good hydration that wears well under makeup. I think the formula isn’t quite as rich as I like my nightly cream so be though and I stuck to testing/using it as a day cream. But if you don’t require a ton of moisture this provides just the right amount without adding shine or greasiness to your complexion.

To use it as a mask just apply it all over your face, sit around with it for 5 to 10 minutes (more if you want), and tissue it off after. I wouldn’t say this benefited by skin very much but it did smooth and soften it in preparation for my regular nightly moisturizer.

A quick glance at the ingredients and you’ll find they used a lot of natural ones however, there are two that stick out here that make this purchase a bust. First off, it contains a lot of fragrance. Surprisingly fragrance is lower on the list of ingredients but it does contain quite a strong fresh aquatic scent that’s pleasant enough for me but sensitive users probably won’t like it.

But one of the biggest issues with this formula is it contains alcohol denat. WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY! I mean it’s a fairly nice, basic moisturizer that has a nice multitasking formula why include alcohol!? Oddly enough, I actually felt the effects of said alcohol this time around. After using this for the past three weeks I noticed my skin was becoming drier and drier. Yes, it’s quite cold in New York. Yes, I’m already prone to dry skin but I typically have a handle on my dry skin and I keep it quite smooth, soft, and dewy with plenty of TLC. After using this daily for several weeks I noticed my skin was becoming drier and tighter. After I stopped using it and went back to my regular routine my skin was much, much more hydrated. So, yeah, the combination of the really cold weather and alcohol really didn’t help my dry skin. Plus, you don’t want alcohol in your moisturizer anyway! It breaks down collagen, it ages you before your time, it makes pores bigger, no, just no.

Garnier SkinActive Hydrating 3-in-1 Face Moisturizer with Aloe sounds like a great little multitasking gem that’s affordable and formulated quite nicely with a quick to absorb formula but the alcohol and fragrance just make it a big old nay.

Garnier SkinActive Hydrating 3-in-1 Face Moisturizer with Aloe is launching at drugstores or get it at ulta.com, amazon.com, or target.com.

Tried it already?

Do share!

I purchased this item and I receive a small commission if you shop using the links in this post.

About the Muse

Isabella MuseIsabella is just an average everyday geeky girl who doesn’t blend her eyeshadow correctly, wears too much blush, and hopes she never finds her holy grail products because she likes the thrill of the chase so much. Her mission is to bring you super honest reviews on makeup, skincare, fragrance and all things beauty. She’s in no way an expert on the topic and she sure as hell isn’t a super model. But she’s passionate about makeup and is seeking like-minded individuals that like pina coladas, getting caught in the rain, and ones that enjoy spending hundreds of dollars at Sephora without feeling buyer’s remorse. If you’re that person feel free to reach out and leave a comment or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Bloglovin‘.

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments

  • kimkats

    Garnier is famous for putting that crap into their skin care, even in products meant for dry skin!!! It.Makes.Me.STABBY. there’s absolutely no excuse for this – they know better and they know it does nothing for dry skin. Well, nothing beneficial, anyway! grumble….

    thanks Muse, this one’s a big pass for me…

  • janet

    Thank you for the review, I had been looking at this product, but after your review about the alcohol in it, I will be skipping this. Happy New Year.

    • Isabella Muse

      My pleasure! Happy New Year! Wishes for health and happiness in 2018! 😀

  • Cindy

    Do you think with these new releases they are going to discontinue the Ultra-Lift Miracle Wake-Up Cream? I have a feeling that they are going to discontinue it because I haven’t seen it on the shelves at my local drug stores and my Ulta only had one left, which I bought. I really like that moisturizer!

    • Isabella Muse

      I think it is safe to say yes because typically they clear out their skincare twice a year and replace it with something new. I saw Miracle Wake Up online and grabbed two because I also can’t find it anywhere!

      • Cindy

        Ugh! I hate that! It’s like “here’s a product, we want you to buy it, but don’t get too attached!”� I saw it on Amazon, maybe I should get a few more.

        • Isabella Muse

          the circle of beauty life lately! Email garnier before you do, they could probably verify if it is gone for good!

  • Carol

    Yes, why do they put alcohol in their stuff? Is it a filler of some sort? Have you ever thought about writing them an email and asking? I can’t imagine why they would put this in a moisturizer either. And obviously it has an effect if you were using it and got drier and then stopped and went back to normal.

    • Isabella Muse

      Not all alcohol is bad. Alcohol improves the stability of products and also acts to thicken the formula on moisturizers, shampoos, etc…it’s just the bad alcohols that suck and this contains a bad alcohol, alcohol denat. I’m not really an expert but there’s a number of reasons they put it one to stalibilze the formula perhaps to keep the texture user-friendly, example: so, it isn’t tacky or sticky.

      alcohol denat will not only make you drier but can also break down collagen over time. So, it’s def something you don’t want in your skincare unfortunately brands keep putting it in their products. I haven’t directly emailed them to ask why they do it.

  • Olga

    I got this for my combo skin. If I do not use a toner, I wake up all greasy. With a toner, my face looks fantastic with this product. Although, after seeing your review, I am worried about the alcohol part. Can you recommend a good moisturizer for me with a good price? I mostly got this for the generous amount and size. I guess I should be paying attention to quality over quantity otherwise, my skin is the one paying.

    @mkolenka