Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Review

I love hydrating and gel formula moisturisers as my skin can get dehydrated, so was looking forward to trying Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel.

For reference, my skin type is fairly normal though it can be combination at times - and I would always rather err on the side of dewiness rather than matte, so hydration is something I look for in moisturisers. I typically do use a gel formula moisturiser or serum layered underneath something thicker or an oil (the specific products vary a lot, but for example I often use Antipodes Joyous serum with argan oil layered on top).

During my trial of Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel I used it twice daily for approximately two week. I didn’t use any other moisturisers but did still use a sunscreen in the mornings.

The immediate effects of HBWG are fairly pleasant (provided you don’t mind the scent, as it’s fairly strong for a skincare product) - it’s quite cooling, refreshing and does visibly reduce dryness when applied. However I didn’t find that it kept my skin moisturised throughout the day the way that my usual serums and moisturisers do, and this is more of a priority than the immediate effects for me.

Overall after a couple of weeks of use my skin actually seems a bit drier than with my usual routine, but perhaps this is a good option for people with oilier skin or who prefer very light moisturising products. For me HBWG was okay, but probably doesn't quite live up to its claims and I wouldn't use it again as I already have other products that work better for my skin.

Unfortunately I used this once, it stung my face as I put it on and the next day was covered in a rash on my face, however my skin did feel nice to touch. I tried one more time, once again, slight sting followed by a rash. The Hydro Boost Water Gel is a nice texture and goes on easily. I gave the rest to my Mum and she loves it, I guess if you have sensitive skin avoid it, if not, love it and enjoy it!

I was very excited to trial this product, especially being Neutrogena as they usually make fabulous products, but unfortunately it's not what I had hoped. I found this moisturiser very appealing, the packaging looked very elegant and the cream, very luxurious. I trialled this product for two weeks to get a good feel for it and I found the gel felt very nice and cooling on my face, it had a pleasant, mild scent. However I didn't find it overly moisturising as it claims it is. My skin certainly didn't feel moisturised. I found it very average and would not use it again. Overall, It has lovely packaging and is nice and refreshing but that's as far as it goes. Not worth the money as far as I'm concerned.

I have been using this product twice a day for the last 10 days and I was more than a little disappointed with this particular product. To start with the positives, it is a very light gel and when I first apply it I find it to have a very soothing feel. It is very light and absorbs into the skin quite quickly. I have sensitive skin and this product didn't effect my skin at all which is great. It doesn't have an overpowering fragrance - just a nice light one. The thing I was not very happy with was the claim of hydration. I didn't notice any change in my skin at all and I did follow the instructions to apply it liberally. The other thing was that once it absorbed it didn't seem to leave a smooth layer that most creams do which makes the application of makeup easier. Not that I am talking about a greasy layer but a fine amount that smoothes the way for foundation. This product just seemed to absorb and that was it. The price also seems high, although if it hydrated the skin as it claimed then I would say it would be worth it. I was unhappy that this didn't live up to the majority of its claims as being an older person it would be great if it did. The reason I gave it 2/5 points for 'doing what it said it would' was the fact that it was a light gel and was obviously 'allergy tested'. Sorry but I wouldn't recommend it.

I purchased this a few weeks ago now as my skin has been getting increasingly drier due to the colder weather. I had read mostly good reviews about it so decided to give it ago over my usual moisturizer.

The packaging is attractive and sturdy, and looks high end despite the low to middle price. The product itself is pale blue and quite heavily fragranced (which was the first negative for me).

This gel feels nice on the skin when you first apply it, though it does semi feel like you're rubbing water all over your face rather than a moisturizer haha. It soaks in quickly and my skin felt nice for ten minutes or so, but after that it just got progressively drier and drier, resulting in drier skin than I had before!

I tried this several ways, reapplying, using in conjunction with other moisturizer, etc and unfortunately I just couldn't get it to work with my skin type. It did also end up breaking me out in a pimply type rash - lots of little red bumps under the skin, which is likely attributed to the ingredients that create the strong fragrance.

All in all, I'm really disappointed that I couldn't get this to work! I still want to try the eye gel version but I worry that it will just make my fine lines worse :(

When I first put it on, it was refreshing on the face, it said to apply liberally which I did, but for some reason my skin did not soak it up much, and it left quite a dewey look on my face. The next day I tried using half the amount, this worked better... but again it did not seem to soak in to my skin, it just sort of sat there like a layer on top of my skin. The fragrance is pretty non-existent which to me is a good thing... I have used it now for 10 days, I and it did not make any difference to my face at all. I personally didn't like the texture of it all, maybe my face was not dry enough to use it, I am not sure. I would not recommend it, as I feel for the price there are better options out there.

I have dry sensitive skin so when this range came out I thought it might be just the thing to rehydrate my skin....unfortunately it didn't work its magic on me.

First of all, I love the packaging of this product. It looks very classy and looks like something you would expect from a higher end brand. However the results I experienced with this were not anywhere near as impressive as the packaging.

The texture of this gel is interesting as I had never used a product like it before. The gel feels almost like a whipped gel...nice and light and not sticky (like I for some reason expected). The gel has a soap like scent which I don't particularly like, but, was quite refreshing when applied to the face. Initially my face felt moisturised and the gel sinks into the skin quickly, but, in less than quarter of an hour I felt as if I hadn't moisturised at all and needed to do so again. The fact that it didn't keep my skin hydrated long (especially considering it claims to keep skin hydrated all day) was very disappointing. I continued to use this for a couple of weeks hoping it would work better for me with not much luck. There are far better products out there for a fraction of the price.

Considering the price and the unimpressive results of this gel I wouldn't recommend it and won't be repurchasing in future.

I picked this up on a whim from Countdown as it was on special and I was very interested in the whole 'hyrdo' hype surrounding this product. I'm glad I didn't pay full price, because I absolutely hate it!

The texture was the stuff of a dream, it was smooth and gel like, which is what I was excited for. It was thick like a cream but, well, a gel. The smell put me off immediately, it was so soapy and horrible, it smelled like cheap nasty $2 shop beauty rather than something worth $30. First disappointment.

Second disappointment would be the fact that as soon as it hit my face, I was greeted with a tingling sensation. It faded, but the horrid smell never did and it was quite overpowering. Then, the final cherry on the cake, my face felt drier for using it. My skin is pretty dry, so I was excited for this and the promise of hydration, but it's just terrible. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone!