I’ve been using the IOPE Bio Hydro Cream on and off over the past year, especially this past Autumn/Winter and it always rescues my skin in its time of need so I thought I’d share exactly what makes this such a good moisturiser to have on hand.
IOPE is a mid-high end beauty brand and famous for being the first innovators of the cushion compact. I really trust IOPE in terms of their skincare and their dedication to scientific skincare R&D/technology, and I’ve not been disappointed with their products so far; I’m definitely keen to try more from their various product lines.
They have a few creams to target different skin types and concerns which you can find on their website here. The Bio Hydro Cream was the first moisturiser I tried from IOPE and it is one of their more affordable ones. I purchased mine from Jolse for about $35/£28 for 50ml, but its slightly cheaper on Ebay or from IBBI when they’re having a sale.
IOPE Bio Hydro Cream claims:
- Keeps dry, flaky skin moisturised for long hours by imitating the skin’s Natural Moistuzing Factor. (NMF).
(NMF refers to an array of ingredients including amino acids, peptides and minerals, that are found in the skin’s uppermost layers which ensures it stays hydrated, smooth and healthy. Skincare products therefore help reinforce the skincare barrier to ensure it is sufficiently hydrated.)
- Utilises Bio Hydro CoreTM which is a skin-friendly moisturising substance that penetrates deep within to provide more moisturised and radiant skin.
- Forms a non-sticky, smooth moisture film over skin as the cream penetrates quickly with its rich consistency and abundant moisture.
You can see the full (and long) list of ingredients on cosdna.
The cream comes in simple, minimalist packaging with an info booklet. (I can’t remember if a spatula came with it, but I’m pretty sure it didn’t.) The jar is plastic and lightweight which makes it more travel-friendly and comes with an inner seal to keep the product extra fresh.
The Bio Hydro Cream has a transculent, pearly-white colour with a watery, gel-type consistency. A little bit goes a long way because it spreads silky smooth and glides on your face very easily. Although it has a gel-consistency, don’t be mistaken that this is a lightweight cream because it’s not. It has a lot of slip but when you spread it on your skin it doesn’t sink in quickly; instead it forms a noticeable moisturising layer on top of your skin which feels like its trapping in all the moisture you’ve applied prior to this cream. I would’t say it acts as an occlusive because it’s not thick and heavy in that sense, but it IS very emollient. On my skin, it takes a good few hours for it to feel like my skin has drunk it all up.
However, this is exactly why this is a skin saver when my skin is parched and dehydrated. It works fantastically at eliminating dry patches if you use it consistently and also ALWAYS eliminates the dehydrated tightness I’ve had a few times this past winter. Once my skin is back to normal I always start switching up my creams again (because anyone who is skincare obsessed will understand this), so sometimes my skin will eventually go back to being dehydrated again. As soon as I go back to this IOPE Bio Hydro Cream, it resolves the issue and my skin recovers again. It’s such a reliable product to have in your skincare arsenal, and does for me what the Innisfree Green Tea Seed Cream used to do for me too. The texture is just very different.
If you layer a lot of products prior to this cream, or if your skin leans on the normal-combo side (which mine usually is), then this can feel a bit heavy. It leaves a very silicone type feel on the skin surface (this does contain dimethicone), so it slips and slides around and gives a very dewy/shiny finish. It is also so moisturising that I usually wake up the next morning noticeably more oily on the T-zone than I do with any other creams. For that reason, I only use this in my evening skincare routine and I’ve never tried it under makeup because I don’t think its a good combo (if you don’t want to look super oily by midday).
This cream has added fragrance as with most high-end skincare products, so this might bother sensitive people because it is quite strong. I personally think it smells perfumy with a hint of fresh cucumbers and doesn’t bother me nor make my skin break out.
To conclude, this is a basic moisturiser that doesn’t claim the world. It’s primary function is simply to hydrate and moisturise your skin. This therefore makes it great for dry/dehydrated people. Although the texture, slip and finish may take some getting used to, it’s worth it in my opinion when it moisturises so deeply it helps restore the moisture balance in your skin.
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