L'Oreal HydraFresh Review: Mask-in Lotion, Spa Water, Supreme Emulsion, Creamy Foam (With My Ingredients Geekery)

L'Oreal has launched its HydraFresh line, which is meant to restore moisture to the skin. The range contains French Grape Seed Extract, for 50X anti-oxidant power, French Vosges Spa Water, which has 16 minerals to strengthen skin’s moisture barrier, and Double Hyaluronic Acid.

The L'Oreal HydraFresh line: with French Vosges Spa Water and Grape Seed Extract.

I've been trying out the products in this line, and I have to say that the entire range is pleasant to use - most of the products in this line feel light on the skin, absorb fast, and do make my skin feel hydrated. The HydraFresh line also seems to be fragranced with a fruity-floral smell, that while a little on the stronger side, isn't unpleasant. I imagine some consumers would like the smell.

So now that we've done some of my initial thoughts on the L'Oreal HydraFresh range as a whole, let's do a blow-by-blow review of every product in the range! And because I'm a huge skincare nerd, you'll also get to see me talk about the ingredients in each of the products. So, here we go!

First, we have the HydraFresh Hydrating Refreshing Creamy Foam. This is a foam cleanser, and it comes out as a white, pearlized cream. It does foam a lot, so if you're the type who loves bubbles in your face cleanser, then this is a good choice. It does clean the skin very well - in fact, I found that my skin felt a tad dry after usage. So this is definitely more useful for oily than dry skin types, in my opinion.


L'Oreal HydraFresh Hydrating Refreshing Creamy Foam: Thick creamy lather that cleans extremely well.
Next, is the Hydrating Softening Spa Water. This reminds me of some of the Japanese-brand lotions I've tried, as it is less of a water than it is a lightweight, almost clear gel to me. As with the other L'Oreal HydraFresh products, it absorbs fast with no residue, and leaves my skin feeling hydrated and softer.


L'Oreal HydraFresh Hydrating Softening Spa Water: A light lotion that really moisturizes.
Now, let's talk about ingredients. (I didn't put up a photo of the ingredients list this time, because the ingredients list on my samples were in Chinese, but I did get a translated version in the store.) The ingredients in the HydraFresh Spa Water, other than water (of course), also include glycerin, a great humectant for skin, PEG-60-Hydrogenated Castor Oil, which is an emulsifier, as well as some minerals, such as calcium gluconate, managese gluconate, magnesium gluconate, and copper gluconate, which are all trace minerals. I suppose the minerals come from the French Vosges Spa Water. There is also Hydrolyzed Lupine Protein, used for its skin conditioning abilities. All in all, I thought the ingredients list was definitely pretty unique, especially compared to other drugstore brands in the L'Oreal price range. The use of more exotic ingredients such as the Lupine Protein, as well as the spa water minerals, is definitely a unique selling point. Combined with the old standbys used in skin moisture, such as glycerin, means that you get a light, hydrating base with some novel ingredients.


L'Oreal HydraFresh Hydrating Softening Spa Water: Moisturizes, with a side of minerals and anti-oxidants.
One of the hero products of the HydraFresh range is a pretty unique product, the Mask-In Lotion. This is supposed to give you the same amount of moisture from a mask in 10 minutes in 10 seconds. It actually does feel like the essence you get in those packets of sheet masks, as it has a similar gel-like, thick feel. This was quite hydrating, and was more gel-like and thicker than the Spa Water. I think the Mask-In Lotion will be useful for those who like sleeping masks and similar products, but you can definitely wear this in the day under makeup too, since it has such a light feel.


L'Oreal HydraFresh Mask-In Lotion: The hydration of a mask but in lotion form.
The ingredients are also quite hydrating. There are good ol' glycerin, the humectant, and the emulsifier PEG-60-Hydrogenated Castor Oil, as well as some common slip agents/humectants, propylene glycol, butylene glycol, and caprylyl glycol. There is also Grape Seed Extract as an anti-oxidant, as well as Sodium Hyaluronate for moisture. So if you're looking for good hydration that's not heavy-feeling, this is a good pick. The antioxidants are a bonus too.


L'Oreal HydraFresh Mask-In Lotion: Offers good moisture, with grape seed extract and sodium hyaluronate.
Lastly, the HydraFresh Supreme Emulsion, which is another of the main products for this launch. This is a light white cream that feels smooth on the skin, and sinks in fast. And when I say fast, I mean, really fast! Perhaps it was because I was trying it out in an air-conditioned room, but man, it really took only a number of seconds to sink in without leaving behind any residue. I was impressed. If you think that this is going to be a heavy-feeling cream, don't worry, it isn't! Although it hydrates, it doesn't actually feel like you have a layer of gunk on your skin at all.


L'Oreal HydraFresh Supreme Emulsion: Probably the lightest-feeling cream I've ever come across, that still hydrates!
The ingredients for the HydraFresh Supreme Emulsion are pretty moisturizing. there is good ol' glycerin (always one of my good old favourites as far as skincare is concerned), and butylene glycol, as well as some slip and skin conditioning agents that make the cream feel oh-so-smooth on the skin, such as dimethicone (which, despite the worries of some parts of the less-informed internetz, is actually unlikely to break the majority of people out - I have sensitive skin, but dimethicone has never been an issue for me), but I was quite impressed by the addition of apricot kernel oil, which is less common in brands that are in L'Oreal's price range. It's usually found in more expensive products. Of course, the Grape Seed Extract and Sodium Hyaluronate make an appearance too, for anti-oxidant and moisture respectively. This light, blendable texture means that the Supreme Emulsion work really well under makeup as well, if you are using it during the day as well as night.

So, now that you've seen my embarrassingly geeky, nerdy skincare junkie review, what would I recommend from the range? The most popular products (and the main ones) of the HydraFresh line are the Mask-In-Lotion as well as the Supreme Emulsion so those are good places to start. But, the Softening Spa Water was also a pleasant surprise, as I ended up liking it more than I thought I would. The entire range sinks in fast leaves no residue, and is very cosmetically elegant. If you're planning on shopping around for a skincare range that works well under makeup, is fuss-free, easy to use, and absorbs quickly without leaving any strange sticky residue, and that helps to hydrate your skin with a little antioxidant bonus, this might be one to check out.

(Product was sent for review. Review is my complete and honest opinion. I am not affiliated with/compensated by the company.)