Ponds Super Light Gel with Hyaluronic Acid + Vitamin E
Review
Super Light Gel with Hyaluronic Acid + Vitamin E from Pond’s does not do what the marketing says.
Glycerin and four different forms of hyaluronic acid are the primary hydrating ingredients in the product. The product does a good job in the hydration department.
But let’s not get too excited. Keep reading…
The primary job of a moisturiser is to add hydration to the skin and help retain that hydration it adds. However, it is common for moisturisers to have at least one or two ingredients that can strengthen the skin’s barrier function and brighten it.
Let us now analyse what exactly this moisturiser can and can’t do…
The product adds hydration to the skin.
Only the ingredient dimethicone can help retain the hydration the product adds. This ingredient alone is not enough. If you use this product, it is essential to add a different cream on top of this product to help retain the hydration it adds. Otherwise, the hydration the product adds will evaporate.
Tocopheryl Acetate brightens the skin. It is a derivative of Vitamin E, not the pure form. The Pure form of vitamin E is unstable, so many skin care products use Tocopheryl Acetate. Though tocopheryl acetate is good, it is not as effective as the pure form of vitamin E. The product’s marketing mentions the benefits of vitamin E. Yes, vitamin E is good. However, note that this product uses vitamin E’s derivative, which is effective but not as much as pure vitamin E.
The product has niacinamide, which can help brighten the skin. However, the concentration of niacinamide is very low. We know this because niacinamide is below Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer in the ingredient list. This means its concentration has to be lower than Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer. In skin care products, the concentration of Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer is usually up to 1.2%. So, the niacinamide used has to be lower than 1.2%. At this low concentration, niacinamide is ineffective and can’t do much for the skin.
The product’s lovely texture and colour suggest it can add lots of hydration to the skin. However, this is purely a selling tactic. Don’t buy the product because of how it feels or looks. This product is not as good as it looks and feels.
A word of caution
The product has multiple fragrances, including perfume, citral, citronellol, geraniol, limonene, and linalool. Fragrance is irritating to the skin and weakens its barrier function. When the skin’s barrier function is weakened, it loses hydration and becomes susceptible to breakouts like pimples and acne.
The product marketing mentions 24-hour moisture lock technology, but these words are purely a marketing gimmick—they have no real substance.
How to use the product?
How to use the product?
If you use this product, make sure you apply a thicker cream on top of this product.
Ingredient 1 – Water
Function: Solvent
It helps in dissolving other ingredients in the product.
Dissolved ingredients can spread better on the skin.
Ingredient 2 – Dimethicone
Function: Emollient, Texture enhancer
It adds a thin layer on top of the skin and thus reduces the evaporation of water from skin’s surface. This keeps the skin hydrated.
It also enhances the texture of the product. It gives the product a silky feel.
Ingredient 3 – Glycerin
Function: Humectant
It is a water magnet. It pulls water molecules from the atmosphere to the top layer of the skin. This way, it hydrates the skin.
Ingredient 4 – Butylene Glycol
Function: Solvent, Penetration enhancer, Humectant
Dissolves ingredients that are not water-soluble. Dissolved ingredients can spread and penetrate better.
It helps other ingredients, such as salicylic acid, to be more effective by enhancing their penetration.
It attracts water molecules from the atmosphere and thus hydrates skin.
Ingredient 5 -Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer
Function: Thickener, Texture enhancer
It binds ingredients together, thickens the product and enhances the texture of the product.
Ingredient 6 – Niacinamide
Function: Anti-inflammatory
It reduces redness and calms the skin. By reducing redness, it brightens the skin.
In this product, it is used at a very low concentration. Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer, the ingredient before this, is usually used at very low concentrations of around and up to 1.2%. Since niacinamide is listed after that, it is most probably appearing at a very low concentration. And hence cannot contribute its benefits to the product well.
Ingredient 7 – Linoleámidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate
Function: Emollient
Conditions the skin. Skin conditioners leave skin soft and smooth. They work by forming a thin layer on top of the skin and reducing water loss from skin through evaporation.
Ingredient 8 – Phenoxyethanol
Function: Preservative
Preserves the product.
Ingredient 9 – Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Function: Emulsifier
Keeps the oil-based and water-based ingredients in the product together – blends, unlike ingredients. Without emulsifiers, ingredients in the product will separate.
Ingredient 10 – Dimethicone
Function: Emollient, Texture enhancer
It adds a thin layer on top of the skin and thus reduces the evaporation of water from skin’s surface. This keeps the skin hydrated.
It also enhances the texture of the product. It gives the product a silky feel.
