Dr Dennis Gross Hyaluronic Marine Oil-Free Moisture Cushion has all the right gimmicks:
- A cool, bluish tint that makes it stand out from the crowd
- An innovative “water-break” texture that lets the cream turn into a gel when you slather it on
- An exotic name that evokes some anti-aging gem fished out of the sea
But when put to the test, can it really turn dull, dehydrated and dry skin into a plump, dewy and hydrated complexion like it promises? Or are the gimmicks all it’s got?
Let’s take a look at the evidence:
- What’s In Dr Dennis Gross Hyaluronic Marine Oil-Free Moisture Cushion?
- Texture
- Fragrance
- How To Use It
- Performance & Personal Opinion
- Who Is This For?
- Who Is This NOT For?
- Packaging
- Does Dr Dennis Gross Hyaluronic Marine Oil-Free Moisture Cushion Live Up To Its Claims?
- Price & Availability
- Do You Need It?
- Dupes & Alternatives
What’s In Dr Dennis Gross Hyaluronic Marine Oil-Free Moisture Cushion?
HYALURONIC ACID TO HYDRATE SKIN
Technically, Dr Dennis Gross Hyaluronic Marine Oil-Free Moisture Cushion doesn’t contain hyaluronic acid. It has sodium hyaluronate, a derivative.
But, they do the same thing: attract moisture from the environment into the skin. Sodium hyaluronate does it so well, it can hold up to 1000 times its weight in water.
All that moisture is good news for your skin: it makes it softer and smoother, plumps it up and brightens it from within.
Related: Why You Should Add Hyaluronic Acid To Your Skincare Routine
Not sure what to use to treat your oily skin? Download the “Best Skincare Routine For Oily Skin” Cheatsheet below to find out. It includes product recommendation + the best application order:
ANTIOXIDANTS TO PREVENT PREMATURE AGING
I’ve got good and bad news for you.
Good news first: this moisturiser has its fair share of antioxidants, including Vitamin E and watermelon extract.
Bad news: they won’t be stable forever. It’s an open secret that antioxidants lose a bit of their effectiveness every time they’re exposed to light and air (read: every time you open the jar).
That’s a deal breaker for a lot of people (me included). But if you like its texture and hydrating power and don’t want to give up on it, use it quickly and close that lid tight super fast.
This isn’t a moisturiser you can forget in a drawer for months or leave open while you apply it. Got it?
DIMETHICONE TO FILL IN FINE LINES AND WRINKLES
Me loves some dimethicone:
- It gives good slip to a cream, so that it glides on the skin smoothly
- It fills in fine lines and wrinkles, so they look smaller (but the effect is only temporary 🙁 )
- It makes skin velvety soft to the touch
The best part? It doesn’t suffocate skin. Silicones have a weird molecular structure that’s made of wide molecules with big, gaping holes between them.
This allows Dimethicone to create a protective barrier on the skin that still lets perspiration out and actives in.
Related: Are Silicones In Skincare Good Or Bad?
CITRUS OILS TO… IRRITATE SKIN?
Just a quick note if you have sensitive skin: this moisturiser has citrus oils, some of the most irritating ingredients used in skincare.
I know it sucks. Lemon and orange smell so good (although this cream has a very mild scent so you won’t exactly smell like lemon cake….).
My skin doesn’t get irritated easily, so this moisturiser didn’t bother it. But if your skin’s very sensitive, better be safe than sorry.
Related: 7 Natural Ingredients That Can Irritate Your Skin
Texture
It’s so refreshing, lightweight and absolutely non-sticky.
Fragrance
Subtle and citrusy.
How To Use It
In the morning, in between serum and sunscreen. At night, it’s the last step of your skincare routine.
Performance & Personal Opinion
Dr Dennis Gross Hyaluronic Marine Oil-Free Moisture Cushion claims to be a godsend for dry skin but, in my experience, it works best for oily skin. Huh?
Well, for once it’s oil-free. If there’s a skin type that doesn’t need more oil is oily skin.
Then, there’s the texture: it’s lightweight, refreshing, and delivers a lot of moisture to the skin. BUT it’s not enough for dry/dehydrated skin.
My skin has gotten drier since I moved to London, but it still gets a little oilier on the t-zone. Granted, even that isn’t as oily as it used to be, but I still get a little excess shine there.
This moisturiser worked wonders on my t-zone but, on the coldest days of the year, it left my dry cheeks crying for moisture. On some mornings, my skin felt so tight, I had to apply an extra dose of cream to keep it happy.
I also stopped using it at night when I realised I’d often wake up with slightly dry skin. Instead, I put it on in the morning after a hyaluronic acid serum. This combo definitely works best for dry skin.
My oilier patches couldn’t be happier with or without the hyaluronic acid serum. The cream made them softer and smoother and had a lovely glow.
If you have oily skin and are willing to use it quickly/supplement with a separate antioxidant serum, you’ll like this. But if your skin is dry, a hyaluronic acid serum followed by a facial oil would work better.
Who Is This For?
- Combination Skin
- Dehydrated skin
- Oily Skin
Who Is This NOT For?
- Dry skin
- Sensitive skin
Packaging
A blue jar. I love the cheerful colour. It reminds me of water and hydration. But I don’t dig jars. They’re not the most hygienic and make antioxidants spoil that little bit faster.
Does Dr Dennis Gross Hyaluronic Marine Oil-Free Moisture Cushion Live Up To Its Claims?
| CLAIM | TRUE? |
|---|---|
| An all-day, oil-free hydrator with a unique water-break, gel-cream texture. | True. |
| Fragrance-free and hypoallergenic. | It has no added fragrance, but it does have essential oils that make it smell nice and could irritate sensitive skin. Hypoallergic is a marketing term that is NOT regulated in any way. You could put common allergens in hypoallergenic products without breaking the law. |
Price & Availability
$60.00/£59.00 at Cult Beauty, Dermstore, Look Fantastic, Net-A-Porter, Nordstrom, Sephora, and SpaceNK
Do You Need It?
If you have oily and/or dehydrated skin, this is a good option to consider.
Dupes & Alternatives
Ingredients
Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Stearyl Dimethicone, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Octadecene, Glyceryl Behenate, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caulerpa Lentillifera Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, Phospholipids, Citrullus Lanatus (Watermelon) Fruit Extract, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Fruit Extract, Citrus Sinensis (Orange) Fruit Extract, Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract, Saccharide Isomerate, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit/Leaf Extract, Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid, Saccharum Officinarum (Sugar Cane) Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Fruit Extract, Acer Saccharum (Sugar Maple) Extract, Collagen Amino Acids, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Lactobacillus Ferment, Acrylates/Carbamate Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Polysorbate 80, Dimethicone Crosspolymer-3, Ethylhexylglycerin, Isododecane, Disodium EDTA-Copper, Ceteareth-20, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Sorbitan Oleate, Linalool, Limonene, Fragrance (Parfum), Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Citronellal, Hydroxycitronellal, Citral, Citric Acid, Sorbic Acid, Phenoxyethanol
