There’s no getting round it: if your skin’s very dry, you need an oil. Alpha-H Essential Hydration Concentrate has 9!
No wonder the brand claims it’s like a hug in a bottle. Oils envelop your skin in a protective embrace that helps it withstand the attacks of scorching hot weather, freezing cold temperatures, pollutants, and everything else that attacks your skin on a daily basis.
Do you need it? Let’s find out:
What’s In Alpha-H Essential Hydration Concentrate?
APRICOT KERNEL OIL TO MOISTURISE SKIN
Pretty much every oil here is moisturising, but I’ll focus on those that do the heavy duty job. Like Apricot Kernel Oil.
A colourless oil derived from the kernels (seeds) of apricots, it has a lightweight texture that sinks in fast without leaving a greasy mess all over your skin.
It works thanks to its high fatty acids content. Fatty acids create a protective barrier on the skin that slows down water loss. Without a way out, moisture is forced to stay into the skin – just where it needs to be to keep it soft and supple.
Plus, this protective barrier has a second job: it protects it from harsh weather, pollution, germs, and all the other crap that attacks skin on a daily basis.
The stronger your skin’s protective barrier is, the less likely you are to experience dryness and irritation.
Related: The Complete Guide To Apricot Kernel Oil In Skincare
Need help creating the best skincare routine for you dry skin? Sign up to the newsletter below to receive the “Dry Skincare Routine Cheatsheet” (it includes product recommendations, too!).
ROSEHIP OIL TO SLOW DOWN PREMATURE AGING
If I could only use one oil for the rest of my life, I’d pick rosehip oil:
- It’s super moistuirizing: it’s loaded with omega-3 fatty acids that keep skin soft and reduce inflammation
- It has antioxidant properties: it’s a natural source of vitamins A (retinol) and C that fight free radicals and boost collagen production
- It helps treat acne: Acne-prone skin lacks Linoleic Acid, one of the main components of rosehip oil. Add it back into your skin and you can reduce the size of mini pimples.
If you’re looking for a natural antiaging oil, this is it.
Related: How To Use Rosehip Oil (All Your Questions Answered)
ESSENTIAL OILS TO MAKE IT SMELL GOOD
Alpha-H Essential Hydration Concentrate contains a few drops of geranium and lavender oils. They make the oil smell good, but can irritate sensitive skin. If your skin can’t tolerate essential oils, this is NOT for you.
Related: Is Fragrance As Bad As Paula Begoun Says?
Texture
A little greasy but it sinks into my skin fairly quickly and doesn’t leave a mess on my pillow.
Fragrance
Herbal and lovely.
How To Use It
It’s the last step of your skincare routine at night.
Performance & Personal Opinion
I use Alpha-H Essential Hydration Concentrate in the evening at the end of my skincare routine. You could use it during the day, too, but I find oils too rich for daytime. My skin isn’t that dry.
I find this oil very moisturising: in the morning, when I wake up, my skin is softer to the touch, my fine lines look a little smaller and my whole complexion subtly glows.
There’s not much more to say. Doesn’t matter how much pollutions and weather try to harm my skin during the day, I know this oil can patch up the damage at night and keep my skin in good condition.
If yours is seriously dry and dehydrated, this can nurse it back to health. Just give it a few days to work its magic.
Who Is This For?
Dry skin.
Who Is This NOT For?
Oily and/or acne-prone skin.
Packaging
A white bottle with a dropper applicator. Beautiful and practical.
Does Alpha-H Essential Hydration Concentrate Live Up To Its Claims?
| CLAIM | TRUE? |
|---|---|
| Essential Hydration Concentrate is a replenishing, preventative treatment oil which re-stabilises the lipid barrier, preserving the integrity of the skin’s matrix. | True. |
| Soothes and repairs dry, mature, stressed and sun damaged skin. | True. But just so we’re clear, “repair” here means that it moisturises skin. It can’t do anything for wrinkles or dark spots. |
| Repairs cell damage, diminishes signs of ageing. | Just no. |
| Rehydrates stressed, abused skin. | True. |
| A “hug in a bottle” for damaged, chapped, fragile, dehydrated skin. | True. |
| Alleviates discomfort, redness, irritation on supersensitive skins. | It’s soothing for most skin types. But if you’re allergic to essential oils, this can trigger a bad reaction. |
| No chemical preservatives, fragrances or binders. | True, but it has essential oils that are just as bad as synthetic fragrance. Just because it’s natural, it doesn’t mean it’s better or safer. |
Price & Availability
£29.99 at Beauty Bay and Cult Beauty
Do You Need It?
If you have dry skin, you’ll like this.
[penci_review]
Dupes & Alternatives
- Eve Lom Radiance Face Oil (£60.00)
- Dr Hauschka Clarifying Day Oil (£21.00)
Ingredients
Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Oil, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Rosa Rugosa (Rose Hip) Flower Oil, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Sorbitan Oleate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Polysorbate 80, Triolein, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Vitamin Liposome Complex, Pelargonium Graveolens Stem Leaf Oil (Pelargonium Graveolens (Sweet Scented Geranium) Oil), Glyceryl Dioleate, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Linalool, Citronellol, Geraniol, Calendula Officinalis (Calendula) Flower Extract, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Seed Extract, Citral, Limonene.
