Weekly Review: ElishaCoy Moist Up Super Hyalurone Cream

This week's review is of the ElishaCoy Moist Up Super Hyalurone Cream, a product I purchased on a whim while buying Mizon's Snail Recovery Gel as my first foray into snail skincare goodness after my success with the Mizon Snail BB cream.

As you can see from the image above, I waited until I had emptied the jar before reviewing the Moist Up Hyalurone Cream, because I wanted to give it a chance to win me over, which in the end it did not. (Unlike the Snail Gel, which is angel dust in a tube an upcoming review. Edit: reviewed here!)

We will discuss how the Snail Gel makes me want to devolve into hoarding like Gollum on a bender another day, because this review is about Moist Up Cream, not about magical unicorn tears the Snail Gel.

But what if we RUNS OUT of the Preciousness again?!  

Actually that reminds me, I should check to see how much is left in my current tube.  I may need to indulge in a shopping frenzy.  We will return to your regularly scheduled blogging shortly.

[...]

Ok, now that I may or may not have preemptively ordered enough Snail Gel to last me 6 months, let's get on to this week's review!



ElishaCoy, for those who are unfamiliar with the brand (I've reviewed their BB cleanser as well), is a Korean brand but with "European style" products which means an emphasis on organic and natural ingredients.  Everything I have purchased from them has been consistently good quality, even if it wasn't something that thrilled me, such as this Moist Up Cream.  As per the info below from their site (en), this cream is supposed to provide an ultra moisturizing effect that lasts up to 24 hours:

Details:
Full product name: ElishaCoy Moist Up Super Hyalurone Cream
Purpose: A hydrating-style moisturizer with hyaluronic acid in it, which allegedly is used to promote wound recovery while discouraging scarring, and as a humectant is supposed to attract/retain moisture.
Texture:  Gel, despite being labelled a "cream".  Although it's richer than your average gel, (hence the super hydration), it's definitely not a "cream".  It's oil-free sinks into the skin quickly.  It's also pink, for reasons unknown.
Scent:  Minimal.  Faintly floral/herbal but not noticeable on the face.
Packaging: An elegant glass jar with a metal lid, perfect for displaying your fingerprints if you don't care to polish your beauty products along with your flatware.  Comes with a spatula for hygiene.  One thing I appreciate about ElishaCoy products is how beautiful and elegant their external packaging is, so I have included pictures below.  All their boxes seem to have a foral/herbal motif that fits their focus on natural ingredients.
Quantity: 50ml, which I went through fairly quickly.
Availability: I bought mine on ebay, but it's also available from amazon, and possibly other places online.
Price: $15 and up, depending where you get it
Rating:  3/5
Repurchase: No.  There's nothing wrong with it, it was serviceable?  Fine?  Nice?  Sufficient?

Onward to the review of this remarkably unremarkable product!

Full Review:

First, I will fully admit maybe I am being overly demanding of this moisturizer.  I could be spoiled by the fabulousness of the Skin79 White Reviving Cream and of my one and only true beauty love Mizon Snail Gel, but based of based off the marketing copy (SUPER HYDRO! WATER DROP JELLY! FULL MOIST! RADIANT WATER COATING! 24 HOURS!) I really was expecting more hydration out of this product.  (See an English version of it's remarkable claims, courtesy of the ebay seller I used)

I have used face masks with hyaluronic acid before and found them to be very hydrating, and although the scientific jury is still out on whether the proven effects carry over to topical cosmetic applications, hyaluronic acid is already used in medical treatments in other forms.   Between my positive experience with the masks, the research I found online, all these dazzling claims featured on the promotional info of this cream, I was expecting it to be intensely hydrating and with a long-lasting effect.

As you can see in this photo, despite being called a "cream", it's most definitely a gel.  That wasn't a red flag for me, as the masks I use are soaked in a clear gel and their moisture effect lasts through the night in the desert with no issues.

However, once it quickly sank into my skin, I found myself having to layer additional moisturizers on top of it to sustain a "moist" feeling, which I need to maintain moisture for any length of time in this desert climate.  It's possible that it's brilliant as a summer moisturizer, but in my experience, it didn't live up to the implications of the product name or claims.

I used up the entire jar, however, due to terrifying delay between running out of my regular moisturizer and the arrival of it's replacement.  I found I had to use an amount twice the regular size to cover my whole face, so I burned through it quickly, and it still wasn't as effective.

Ironically, even though this struck out as a moisturizer, I discovered on accident that it was wonderful for massaging my face after cleansing to de-clog my pores.  By using the Holika Holika Sore Pore Deep Cleansing Oil, I had kick-started a massive unblocking of my pores, which would continue to clear as I briefly massaged my face every night before bed.  For some reason, the ElishaCoy Moist Up cream was the most effective at pulling things out of my skin, perhaps because it was absorbed so quickly.

As I mentioned above, ElishaCoy's packaging is always gorgeous and definitely brings a luxurious feel to their products:

Final thoughts:

If you are looking for a hydrating gel suitable for oily skin, humid climates, or perhaps a summer moisturizer, you may find this product suits your needs.  Otherwise, despite it's affordable pricepoint in comparison to other ElishaCoy products, I'd pass.

If you've tried out this Moist Up cream, drop me a comment on how it worked out for you!
All the best,
-Cat

*Disclaimer: All products I review are 100% purchased with my own money and my opinions are entirely my own.