Review: Avene Hydrance Hydrating Sleeping Mask

When it comes to skincare, there are certain things I wouldn’t be without (cleanser, moisturiser, SPF) and there are other little luxuries that are lovely to have, but they definitely fall into the ‘unessential’ category. For me, sleeping masks really dominate in that department. They’re not something that I regularly reach for, but for times when I’ve done my PM skincare routine early in the evening (before 5pm) and I want an extra layer of something before bed, the Avene Hydrance Hydrating Sleeping Mask ticks the ‘overnight mask’ box really well. Unlike a thick moisturiser, these are designed to sit on top of the skin at first without clogging pores or causing congestion and they aim to give the skin a boost of moisture as you sleep.

What Makes It Special:
The Avene Hydrance Hydrating Sleeping Mask has some seriously cool technology inside what is a fairly boring look pot of opaque, white gel. Inside you’ll find microspheres capable of transporting water into the skin gradually over time (which gives longer-lasting hydration) and Avene’s patented CohedermTM complex which contains three types of lipids that help to restore the skins natural hydration barrier, improve the cohesion between skin cells and replenish the natural water balance in the skin. I think you’d be hard-pressed to find a face that wouldn’t benefit from all that. The formulation also contains Pre-tocopheryl (an antioxidant) and Dextran Sulfate (a decongestant) to protect the skin from free radical damage and to help detoxify the skin.

Why I Like It:
The mask has this wonderfully watery, gel consistency, and it has a great cooling and refreshing effect on my skin. I used this recently on a particularly warm evening after doing an early evening routine and it was just the moisture quencher my skin felt like it needed before bed. It applies just like a thin gel, and although it doesn’t absorb straight away – you’ll looked glazed for at least 10 minutes – it doesn’t feel heavy or sticky on the skin either.

What I Don’t Like About It:
Despite Avene Hydrance Hydrating Sleeping Mask eventually soaking into the skin, and being able to see a visible benefit from it when I wake up, I can still feel this in my skin when I touch my face in the morning. It means that I definitely need to remove it with a cleanser, which isn’t something I always start my morning routine with. Personally, I find that cleansing in the morning (no matter what I use) tends to make my skin feel out of balance, so for me, warm water and a face cloth work best normally.

Application:
Apply a thin layer of the Avene Hydrance Hydrating Sleeping Mask over your skin after the rest of your evening skincare routine, less is more here. Personally, I do my PM skincare earlier, and then apply this just before bed on nights when I feel like I need it.

Product Claims:
soothe and detoxify dehydrated skin – agree about the soothing, wouldn’t say this is particularly detoxifying
extremely refreshing aqua-gel texture – agree, it feels so refreshing in warm weather
skin is immediately comforted and soothed – agree
the skin is intensely hydrated, luminous and smooth – definitely hydrated, no change to skin smoothness though

Ingredients:
AVÈNE THERMAL SPRING WATER (AVENE AQUA). GLYCERIN. PENTYLENE GLYCOL. 1,2-HEXANEDIOL. DIMETHICONE. ISOCETYL STEAROYL STEARATE.TRIETHYLHEXANOIN. CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE. BETAINE. METHYL GLUCETH-20. POLYGLYCERYL-10 MYRISTATE. ACRYLATES/C10-30 ALKYL ACRYLATE CROSSPOLYMER. BHT. BIS-PEG-18 METHYL ETHER DIMETHYL SILANE. C12-20 ALKYL GLUCOSIDE. C14-22 ALCOHOLS. CARBOMER. CITRIC ACID. CUCURBITA PEPO (PUMPKIN) SEED OIL (CUCURBITA PEPO SEED OIL). FRAGRANCE (PARFUM). PHYTOSTEROLS. POTASSIUMHYDROXIDE. SODIUM CITRATE. SODIUM DEXTRAN SULFATE. SODIUM HYALURONATE. SQUALANE. TOCOPHERYL GLUCOSIDE. WATER (AQUA).

Available From:
Priceline
Chemist Warehouse
Adore Beauty

Details:
50ml – $56.99

Repurchase:
It’s effective, and I think it’ll really come into its own in the warmer weather. It’s a perfectly lovely non-essential, but it’s a non-essential that I like to have around.