Sometimes, skin just gets so irritated from environmental stressors, or after an intensive skin treatment, that you feel like you need to throw a bucket of ice cold water over it in the hope it calms down.
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| Image description: Retail packaging for Hydromerse. 3 containers; a large white tube, a clear spray bottle with a white lid, and a lip balm tube laid out on a white and pink watercolour background. |
Don't worry, Hydromerse is here to give you a better way to cool, refresh, soothe, and hydrate your skin without having to hose yourself down!
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Hydromerse Beginnings
The brand was founded by skincare lovers Graham Stevens, a pharmaceutical sales specialist, and Gregory Anthony, a visual artist and barber.
Graham, who has a background in microbiology, worked in medical sales for several pharmaceutical companies in the dermatological sector. While on the job, he was offered a session of Fraxel laser by a dermatologist who was a client, but found that it was very painful and was advised to use Bepanthen ointment (nappy rash cream) as post-treatment care. At the time, there wasn't much available for at home care after having aggressive laser treatment.
After moving to a new role for a pharmaceutical firm selling a burn gel, Graham had laser treatment again and while the burn gel worked, he found that the product just slipped off his face. He thought there must have been a better way.
Greg is a visual artist who captivates his audience with stunning real-to-life portraits and abstract art using various painting mediums and digital platforms. He studied sound engineering (like me!) and has also taken on the barbering trade. While working as a barber, he created his own line of beard care products, including soap bars and lotions.
Greg inspired Graham to move out of the corporate world and they began making Greg's signature black soap in their kitchen. This lead to the realisation that maybe they could create their own product line. Drawing inspiration from the burn gel, they contracted their cosmetic chemist friend to develop Hydromerse, and thus, the brand was born.
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Product + Claims
The debut product from Hydromerse is the two step Skin Recovery System. The kit comes with two components, a hydrating gel and an activator spray to set it in place, plus a bonus hydrating lip balm.
The Skin Recovery System is designed for both professional and home use. It can be incorporated into facial treatments in salon, or used by clients at home post-treatment. Each kit offers 5 full face treatments or 30 under eye treatments.
The concept is part way between an alginate mask and a sheet mask. In salon, alginate masks are mixed in a bowl and applied in a thick layer over the entire face, sparing the nostrils. This entire process can be extremely claustrophobic for some individuals. I've done it a few times myself, including when I did a face cast (non-beauty related), and it wasn't the most pleasant experience because I have chronic sinusitis and a blocked nose. As for sheet masks, a lot of hydrogel types don't stay put. You can't move your face while you're wearing one because it might end up sliding off! A lot of sheet masks also have excessive packaging, which is annoying.
The product claims to cool, refresh, soothe, and hydrate skin. That's it.
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Key Ingredients
Step 1
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| Image description: Retail packaging for Hydromerse Step 1, a white tube on a white/pink/blue watercolour background. |
1.95% Hyaluronic Acid - the hydration powerhouse
Sodium Alginate (gelling agent) - to set the mask into place
Menthyl Lactate - an ester of menthol and lactic acid that isn't quite as intense as menthol on its own. It provides the cooling sensation of menthol without the burn or the overbearing aroma.
Step 2
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| Image description: Retail packaging for Hydromerse Step 2, a clear spray bottle with a white label on a white/pink/blue watercolour background. |
Calcium Lactate Powder (activating agent)
+ 50ml Water (added prior to first use)
Calcium Lactate and Sodium Alginate, when mixed together, form a gel. It is commonly used in the culinary arts to make fruit juice jelly balls and faux-caviar. The juice is mixed with the alginate and then dropped into the calcium lactate solution to form spheres that burst in your mouth. Same concept.
I did raise concerns about a preservative system as water based products do need them, but I was assured that the solution has been tested for microbial growth and it will stay usable for up to 12 months after mixing. To err on the safe side, I used boiled water that had been cooled to room temperature.
BONUS Lip Balm
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| Image description: Retail packaging for Hydromerse Lip Balm, a white tube with a white label on a white/pink/blue watercolour background. |
Certified Organic* Palm Oil - a semi-solid oil
(*I assume it's RSPO certified too)
Beeswax - to give the balm hardness
Shea Butter - deeply nourishing plant butter
Coconut Oil - a lip balm staple
Rosa Eglanteria Seed Oil - the other Rosehip Oil, high in antioxidants
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Physical Properties + Packaging
Step 1 is a thick, translucent white gel that immediately feels cold on contact with skin. It smells slightly minty.
Step 2 is a white powder that dissolves completely clear in water. It has no fragrance.
The Lip Balm melts on contact with the lips and has a mild cooling sensation plus a faint nutty aroma.
The products are packaged in simple recyclable plastic containers, nothing too fancy as this product is more function than aesthetics. Hydromerse aim to be carbon neutral with their production and shipping by using compostable mailers and Sendle as their carrier.
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How To Use
As with any skin treatment, cleansing skin is the first step.
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| Image description: Lara, a pale skinned person, staring into the camera and smiling slightly. She is wearing a black headband and her skin is clean. |
Apply Step 1 to cleansed skin in a 1mm thick layer, do not rub in.
I tried using a silicone mask applicator the first time (as photographed), then opted to just apply it with my fingers when I used it again. About 1 tablespoon worth of product should cover the face and chin area.
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| Image description: Lara applying the Hydromerse Step 1 product, a clear gel, to her face with a silicone applicator. |
It doesn't look like much when it is applied, but I could definitely feel the cooling sensation almost immediately.
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| Image description: Lara staring into the camera. She has the Hydromerse Step 1 product, a clear gel, applied to her face. |
Spray Step 2 liberally over each area from 15-20cm away.
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| Image description: Lara spraying the Hydromerse Step 2 product to her face. Her facial expression is grimaced as a mist of the spray reaches her skin. |
Now it's time to sit back and relax. You can wear it for as long as you like, if it dries out too much, just spray again with Step 2.
The good thing at this point is that you can move around without worrying about the mask falling off your face, like hydrogel and sheet masks do. You can move your face freely, talk, drink, do whatever, it won't fall off.
When done, simply peel off* and rinse off excess product.
*Not that simple
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| Image description: Lara peeling off the set Hydromerse product from her forehead. |
It doesn't peel off in one piece unless you really use a lot, so instead, rub it gently with a bit of water until it balls up, and then dispose of the pilled up product in the bin - it's not wise to put Algin down the drain because it will block it.
Use a face cloth to remove excess product.
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| Image description: Lara looking directly into the camera after rinsing off the Hydromerse product. Her skin is clear and she is squinting at the camera. |
Apply skincare as normal. The cool sensation can last up to 30 minutes after rinsing!
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Thoughts?
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| Image description: Lara, a pale skinned person with neon pink chin length hair, smiling at the camera after applying moisturiser. Her head is turned slightly and her skin is glowing. |
It does everything it sets out to do - my skin feels cool, refreshed, soothed, and hydrated.
I absolutely love the idea of this product and how it can be used in ANY skincare routine or any kind of in salon/clinic treatment! I've used it several times already on both angry and not angry skin, where it calms my angry skin, and hydrates my not angry skin.
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Hydromerse Skin Recovery System RRP $89.99AUD with bonus Lip Balm + FREE shipping (in Aus) is available online from https://www.hydromerse.com/, and as part of treatment at selected salons.
Hydromerse are certified by Choose Cruelty Free.
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Putting together blog posts such as these take a lot of time and effort, so I don't publish them often and leave this space for reviewing unique and unusual beauty products and trends. If you enjoy these posts, please consider buying me a coffee on Ko-Fi!
My regular beauty related content can be found on Instagram.
This product was supplied as a PR sample for review, my thoughts are honest. For more information, please read my Disclosure Policy.
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