Skyn Iceland Pure Cloud Dream

I've had a lot of requests from readers lately (both over e-mail and in person) to write about a great lotion for dry facial skin. While I have combination skin (with varying amounts of oil in my t-zone each day), even I get drier in the winter. I simply increase the level of moisture provided by my lotion, but not everyone has that option! What do you do if you are already using the creamiest, most intense lotion you can find but are still peely? Or if you have a skin treatment (such as a laser treatment) or go on a vacation that leaves you even drier and more irritated than usual?

Well, Skyn Iceland has tried to solve those issues. I was sent a small sample of their Pure Cloud Dream as part of a product preview program over at Total Beauty. I opted to test this product when my skin would be as dry as possible- after a 6 hour flight from Hawaii to Los Angeles! Being on a plane for more than a few hours really dehydrates and irritates my skin, I can just feel the moisture being sucked out by the dry plane air. It usually takes me a few days to return to normal, with the help of exfoliation and moisturizing treaments like Bioelements Cremetherapy.

Pure Cloud is meant to be a hydrating, soothing treatment for irritated skin. It's moisturizing properties were especially hyped after it appeared in a Vogue February 2008 article about soothing winter skin. The company mentions the "Hydrolyzed rice protein and ImmunoBoost help bolster skin’s immunity..." Truthfully, that statement just makes the physician in my laugh, you're going to boost my innate immunity? That is not possible with a lotion, but thanks. They go on to say "Hydrolyzed rice protein and ImmunoBoost help ... inhibit collagen breakdown for improved healing." If the hydroyzed rice protein were small enough to penetrate the skin and act as a peptide that would be true. However, traditionally hydrolyzed rice protein is too large to perform as a small peptide. In addition, I haven't figured out what the ImmunoBoost is (and I can't find it on the ingredient list).

Overall I thought that this was a decent moisturizer, but it didn't live up to the hype of being an incredibly moisturizing and soothing product. It is a pretty thick white creme, and it smells a bit like orange scented furniture polish. I like orange, but the chemical bent I could have done without. However, the scent fades quickly. It is easy to spread and feels silky during application. It seemed to sink into my skin fairly easily without leaving a residue behind.

However, it didn't seem to be a "super moisturizer". It was a decent everyday moisturizer, but a few hours later my skin was once again feeling dry and tight. I didn't look at all "glowy" as I usually do when I've really hydrated my skin. I used this faithfully twice a day for 3 days (as long as my sample lasted), but the dryness and irriation didn't resolve any faster than usual.

I would turn to this moisturizer if you're looking for a decent everyday moisturizer, but don't get drawn into the hype.

Ingredients (refer to the Moisturizer Post):
• Water (Aqua)
• Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice: Aloe
• Hydrogenated Didecene: A skin conditioning agent
• Angelica Archangelica Root Water: I can't find any information about this ingredient other than the fact that it is in several of Skyn Iceland's products, it might be the "mineral rich glacier water" that they mention in their press release
• Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate: A sunscreen (interesting to see a sunscreen in the ingredient list without the company mentioning it)
• Sodium Hyaluraonate: Another name for Hyaluronic Acid, this is a very large molecule that while found in your skin can't penetrate it. It is very water loving, so will attract water to it, helping to hydrate and plump the outer layer of the skin
• Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester: An ingredient that calms the skin
• Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil: Almond oil, an emollient
• Canola Oil: An emollient
• Hydrolyzed Rice Protein: Usually used as an anti-static agent when found in cosmetics
• Bisabalol: Chamomile oil, it soothes and moisturizes
• Buddleja Davidii Extract, Thymus Vulgaris (Thyme) Flower/Leaf Extract, Simondsia Chinensis, Vaccinium Macrocarpon (Cranberry) Seed Oil, Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil, Avena Sativa (Oat) Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Asorbyl Palmitate, Tocopherol, Retinyl Palmitate, Calcium Carbonate, Magnesium Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Gold, Silver, Copper Sulfate, Glycosphingolipids, Cetyl Alcohol, Oleth-10 Phosphate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetyl Ricinoleate, Stearic Acid, Sorbitan Monostearate, PEG-75 Shea Butter Glycerides, Lecithin, Zea Mays (Corn) Starch, Perfluorodecalin, Polyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Trideceth-6, Lauryl Glucoside, Laureth-3, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Peel Oil, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Proylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Alcohol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzoic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Silica

Skyn Iceland Pure Cloud Dream