Review Paula's Choice Hydralight Skincare Range

Paula's Choice Hydralight Skincare Range is focused on those with combination skin. This range that I have here is suggested by Paula's Choice for my skin and this is my experience using it.

Update Dec 2020

I wrote this post not knowing much on skincare, but nowadays I've been doing quite a number of readings and now I could say I have good exposure about skincare. I became to realise that Paula's Choice is a highly trusted brand for skincare addicts around the globe and their founder Paula Beagon really take skincare ingredients into count. Their products are made with purpose to help and mostly without containing harmful ingredients. I've also been looking into their website to do reference on skincare ingredients. I didn't know skincare ingredients were important back then but I do now. I don't have the time to fully update this post but you can read on this see how this range worked on me. I'll probably try new products from them soon and do a new set of review. Until then, stay updated to my current skincare review.

Skincare should be something you should choose very carefully and wisely and I've been guilty of not following that. From the past year, I've changed from multiple skincare and sometimes didn't even use them at all. My pregnancy hormones made me too lazy to do so, but now I'm now seeing the consequences. It hit me one day when I realized that I looked old beyond my age with fine lines appearing, seeing dull and oily skin was also a problem. Gosh! I'm only 26 and I can't look like this, even though I'm staying at home most of the time, I still need to take care of my appearance especially in front of my husband. So, of course, good skin is a basic need, as I'll need it to look strongly pretty even without makeup. LOL... And I know that all starts with skincare so I've been on a hunt for the right one and Paula's Choice made an appearance. It was my first time hearing about Paula's Choice since it's not a brand you find in drugstores so I did a little background research which in the end got me to give it a try. 

Paula's Choice was founded in the USA 20 years ago by their founder Paula Beagon which showed a passion for skincare and the beauty industry. With deep studies and experience, she launched skincare that is fragrance-free, clinically proven, and also with no animal testing. It's great to know that more brands are part of the Leaping Bunny Program now and of course, brands like these should be supported. What really got me to try out this brand was the positive reviews from their customers which I found after going through their paulaschoice.com US website. Well of course not all reviews were positive but most of them were good ones and it made me eager to try it out myself, so I did. 

I had combination skin so I was recommended Paula's Choice Hydralight range which specifies oily and combination skin. So below are the products that I've tried out.

1. Paula's Choice Cleansers

I tried out 2 cleansers which are:

Earth Sourced Perfectly Natural Cleansing Gel

This cleanser contains 99% natural ingredients which help remove impurities and makeup. It doesn’t cause redness or dryness and has a soft gel texture that helps to preserve the skin's surface which results in visibly smooth skin with each use. Earth Sourced range is said to be even safe for babies too since it's 99% from natural ingredients.

Hydralight One Step Face Cleanser

It's a gel cleanser for oily and combination skin that easily removes excess oil, impurities, and makeup while leaving the skin feeling refreshed and smooth. This mild cleansing cleanser helps with brown spots, extra sensitive skin, redness, and rosacea which results in healthy luminous skin. It's lightweight but with a concentrated gel formula. It's ideal for those whose skin has minimal to visibly oily areas anywhere on the face. It is also ideal for those struggling with an oily T-zone (forehead, nose, and chin) yet dry skin everywhere else.

I'm using both cleansers and it's so hard to choose which one I like the most, but since I'm trying out the Hydralight range I'm using the One-Step Cleanser for my skincare routine day and night. While for the Earth Sourced cleanser I'll use it before I'll apply on face masks, usually in the afternoon when it's my sons' nap time and I'm on my me-time/work mode.

Both cleansers are fragrance-free, produce minimal foams especially the Hydralight, it doesn't even produce foam at all so I'll use quite an amount of product for one use. No wonder their packaging is rather big from usual cleansers because you'll tend to use more products since it doesn't produce foam. Honestly, at first, I thought the Earth Sourced cleanser was shampoo since it's in that kind of packaging. 😅

The texture of both products is rather watery but the Hydralight is kinda thicker since it's a gel form but still, both cleansers are lightweight and so nice to use. I feel fresh instantly and what I love the most is that the Hydralight cleanser removes excess makeup wonderfully. I'm the lazy type that removes makeup without cleaning it properly, so there will always be black stains under my eyes from mascara and eyeliner even after cleansing. But now, it washes off so easily even without putting effort, seriously. Now I get to sleep with a clean face easily on a lazy day.

2. Paula's Choice Toner

Hydralight Healthy Skin Refreshing Toner

It's an ultra-light liquid toner that helps to restore and refresh skin while providing antioxidants that protect against environmental damage. Suitable for all types of skin including sensitive skin it can also help to balance combination or oily skin while delivering just the right amount of hydration.

This toner is almost the same as most toners I used and I just love watery toners instead of gel ones. Liquid toners feel more refreshing when applied to the skin and indeed this one does it as well. The only difference that determines my liking for toner is if it's sticky afterward and for Hydralight's toner, the skin feels smooths. The toner fully absorbs in the skin before the next step could be applied.

3. Paula's Choice Exfoliant

Skin Perfecting 2% BHA (Salicylic Acid) Gel

Different from other exfoliators, this is a leave-on gel water-light formula exfoliant. It functions to remove layers of dull skin resulting in smoother and radiant skin. It also shrinks clogged pores, diminishes the appearance of wrinkles, and improves skin tone. This exfoliant has a pH range of 3.2–3.8 and is clinically proven to be non-irritating. It works to create a younger glowing appearance. It also provides long-lasting hydration for healthier-looking skin. 

This exfoliant is not from the Hydralight range but it's suggested for combination skin. Usually, the 3rd step is to apply the cream but for this routine, I'm using this exfoliant instead and it's also a new step for me too. The first time I tried it I was worried it's going to leave a sticky feeling afterward since the formula is rather sticky once pumped out but it proved me wrong. The exfoliate absorbs really well into the skin and once it's fully absorbed, there isn't any stickiness felt. But still, it does take some time until it fully absorbs, so you'll need to keep rubbing it in until the stickiness goes away.

4. Paula's Choice Moisturizers

I tried out 2 moisturizers as well, which are:

Hydralight Shine-free Mineral Complex SPF30

This moisturizer has an antioxidant-enriched formula that provides gentle, pure mineral broad-spectrum sun protection to defend skin from premature aging. It also helps with acne breakouts, brown spots, extra sensitive skin, redness, and rosacea. Suitable for oily and combination skin. It also leaves a soft imperceptible finish on the skin. Its smooth texture applies easily and works beautifully around the eyes and under makeup delivering a soft matte look. Soothing ingredients work to restore skin and defend against environmental concerns. It provides ample hydration as well.

This moisturizer is the last step for the morning skincare routine. It's applied liberally 15 minutes before sun exposure. If you don’t apply liberally, you will need to reapply every two hours after your skin is exposed to direct sunlight. If you plan to swim or perspire you must apply a water-resistant sunscreen.

I'll only use this moisturizer when I go out so it's not really my daily choice since I'm at home most of the time now. The consistency of it is rather thick but still lightweight and it absorbs quickly into the skin as well. Somehow I feel this moisturizer is a good makeup base too since makeup blends perfectly well with this.

Hydralight Moisture-infusing Lotion

While for this moisturizer has a light-as-water formula that replenishes and restores lost moisture without clogging pores so skin looks healthier. It's suitable for combination and oily skin with acne breakouts, extra sensitive skin, redness, and rosacea. It also helps reduce wrinkles and stimulates collagen growth. It leaves a smooth matte finish that’s never greasy or shiny. It's able to produce enough hydration and leaves skin looking renewed, plumped, and smooth. Moisture loss is also prevented without leaving the skin feeling dry or tight. Its unique blend of antioxidants helps to reduce the effects of environmental stress.

This has been my daily choice moisturizer for the past 2 weeks and I'm loving it truly because of its watery texture. I kinda hated day creams before because it leaves a heavy feeling after cleansing the face but for this infusing lotion, I find it so light that it still maintains that fresh feeling after cleansing even if it is the last step of the routine. This moisturizer is also not sticky and absorbs really quickly.  The perfect moisturizer for those who stay at home most of the time. Just a small amount is able to cover the whole face. 

5. Paula's Choice Serum

Skin Balancing Super Antioxidant Concentrate Serum With Retinol

This is a skin-renewing serum loaded with antioxidants specially designed for normal to oily skin that helps develop a balanced-looking complexion while also helping to defend the skin against environmental stressors. Simply, it's an anti-aging treatment to soothe skin, minimize wrinkles and uneven skin tone, and unclog congested pores.

The first time I saw this I didn't know what treatment was, but then I came to know it's actually a serum. Serums are usually applied before creams since their consistency is lighter and so does this. The only difference is that the consistency of this gel-like treatment is rather thicker than the daily moisturizer I chose. But even though it's thicker, it's still lightweight and absorbs quickly into the skin too. It's advised to shake well before use, which is because if it isn't shaken, water will be dripping out while the consistency you'll need to get is in a gel-like form. It happened to me once and I actually was surprised why the product suddenly became watery.

My Say On Paula's Choice Hydralight Skincare Range

p/s: Lighting difference causes the pictures to turn out different colours

After 2 weeks of using Paula's Choice Hydralight range, I could feel a big difference with my skin but you may not see many changes visually though. Referring to the picture above, if you look closely, my T-zone is rather shiny showing that oil is visible and if you look at my undereye area my eye bags are huge, I know, which also caused me to look really tired. Even with makeup on, you could see fine lines showing and I look rather old than I'm supposed to. While looking at the after photo, I noticed that my t-zone is no longer oily and my under eyes have improved a bit. I kinda look a bit younger, don't I? Haha... It's only 2 weeks, I should give it some more time to see the changes.

Overall, I could say this range matches my skin and I feel that my skin is clearer and smoother. My t-zone is less oily now and I feel more confident going out bare-faced since my skin isn't as shiny as before. I also love that this skincare range blends easily with makeup as well and the product that totally won me was the cleanser. I never yet came across a cleanser that could get rid of access makeup so easily without much effort put in it.

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Product Details

1. Hydralight One Step Face Cleanser (237ml) | RM 110.00 | $50.00
2. Hydralight Healthy Skin Refreshing Toner (190ml) | RM 110.00 | $34.00
3. Skin Perfecting 2% BHA (Salicylic Acid) Gel (100ml) | RM140 |
4. Hydralight Shine-Free Mineral Complex SPF30 (60ml) | RM140 | $42.00
5. Hydralight Moisture-Infusing Lotion (60ml) | RM135 |
6. Skin Balancing Super Antioxidant Concentrate Serum With Retinol (30ml) | RM165
7. Earth Sourced Perfectly Natural Cleansing Gel (200ml) | RM110 | $34.00