Moisture retaining.

Usually when you finish a facial wash, you repurchase another. I, on the other hand, get something entirely new. The more foreign, the better. Sure, it's easy to get the safer, more familiar option but where's the fun in that?

As seen on my previous haul post, this product was given to me by my sister, a hand-me-down if you will. See, she's not the biggest fan of this product so she thought I give it a go to see how I get on with it. Well, let's just say things worked out really well that I just had to bring it home with me. And now I'm sharing it with you, dear reader.

To be honest, the brand itself, Skintelligence, is very unfamiliar to me. I haven't come across it in beauty blogs and vlogs and I haven't seen it in any online beauty stores like Sephora, BeautyMNL, etc. So I had to do some digging. Apparently, it's covered and carried by Market America so I think it's safe to say that it's USA made. The Skintelligence skincare line formula is plant-rich with ingredients like aloe, chamomile, lavender, and lemongrass that help naturally soothe the skin. The formula also provides alpha-hydroxy acids that help skin cell regeneration. The skincare line is suited for all skintypes: normal, oily, dry, and sensitive.

The Skintelligence skincare line consists of 6 products: a deep cleansing emulsion, a pH skin normalizer, a face firming masque, a skin perfecting complex, a revitalizing complex, and a daily moisture enhancer. Today I'll be reviewing the Hydra Derm Deep Cleansing Emulsion.

The Hydra Derm Deep Cleansing Emulsion is described as "a water-activated, deep cleansing emulsion that penetrates beneath the skin’s surface to loosen and dissolve dirt, makeup and oil. Formulated with gentle, natural ingredients like aloe vera, chamomile extract and lavender extract, Skintelligence Hydra Derm Deep Cleansing Emulsion soothes the skin as it cleanses without clogging pores."

Its key ingredients are:

*aloe (for skin moisturization and rejuvenation)

*allantoin (contains anti-irritant properties)

*chamomile (has antioxidants and soothing properties)

*lavendar (has calming properties and helps with skin cell growth)

*geranium (helps keep the balance between dry and oily and supports skin circulation)

The cleanser comes in a pump bottle and has a milky appearance and a creamy but almost runny texture. The smell is definitely plant-y; I just can't point out a distinct scent. I can only assume one: aloe, as the cleanser has the fresh but plant-y scent.

On application, the cleanser doesn't really lather up. It's like using a milky makeup remover similar to a Korean or Japanese makeup remover. It's not oily at all because it's water-based. It doesn't feel too creamy and heavy on the skin and I can feel that it does its job of cleaning the skin because once I wash it off, my skin feels legit clean: oil-free with pores feeling unclogged. But I think the cherry on top with this cleanser is that it doesn't strip away the moisture of the skin. I don't get that dry, tight feeling I usually get with more aggressive cleansers. With this emulsion cleanser, my skin feels soft and clean and adequately hydrated.  I love using this at night, when my face feels really oily and dirty or after a workout where my skin's just sticky and gross. It's a lovely product to use at any time.

One thing I'm not keen on is the sting I get on my eyes when I don't properly wash it off. It just stings!! With this in mind, I really make sure I rinse my face very properly before opening my eyes. Another thing is that this won't wash off a face full of makeup. That's the thing my sister didn't like with this product. She told me she felt like there was still makeup residue on her face because of how mild the cleanser was. And I agree- this can't fully remove every bit of foundation, waterproof liner and mascara you have on. So I suggest using this as a second cleanser instead and not as a makeup remover. On bare skin though, it's perfect.

This product is a YAY for me. Definitely has its weak points but I think it works just great on me. I like the feeling of clean skin without sacrificing my skin's moisture, you know? All around great product, hope it was just as commercially available like other cleansers in the market. The Skintelligence skincare line looks promising, not gonna lie, and this is a great start!