Review: Gatineau Collagene Expert Hydra Essence

I can remember when my skincare routine involved just one product. It was a very, very long time ago, and if I'm going to be honest at this point, I think my current skincare routine is made up of about ten products. In my circle of friends, and also within my family, I get teased a lot about the sheer amount of skincare that I must plow through, and you know what? I'll be having the last laugh when my skin continues to glow for many years!

 

Truly, though, I do feel like my skincare routine has evolved beyond what I ever thought it could be, and while it may feel a little extreme, I do absolutely love every little bit of it because it isn't just about keeping my skin happy, but it's all about using my skincare routine as a self care/mindful exercise. I have now just added a new step with the Gatineau Collagene Expert Hydra Essence, and you know what, spoiler, this stuff is excellent! For those who are contemplating adding an essence into their skincare routine but don't know where it fits, this slots in after your toner and before the serum.

 

Gatineau was developed in Paris over 90 years ago in 1932 by Madame Jeanne Gatineau, a beauty therapist who opened her own salon at the same time of developing her own skincare products. I love this so much, because kickass women are amazing, and I can't imagine striking out on your own back in 1932 - that would have been a seriously uphill climb! She also opened the Jeanne Gatineau School of Beauty in Paris in 1950, and trained thousands of students, and was the first beauty house in the world to develop an exfoliator and alcohol-free cleansers. How cool is that?

 

I didn't know this when I started using the Collagene Expert Hydra Essence, but now that I do, that makes a lot of sense! This has been designed to help with hydrating, plumping and balancing the skin, while smoothing fine lines, allowing you to maintain a youthful complexion. This is rich in Tripeptide-5, ceramides, vitamins C, E and B3 (which is niacinamide) and hyaluronic acid. The packaging is a tall, slim bottle with a silver screw lid, and a small opening to allow the product to come out easily.

 

Those ingredients translate into a light pink liquid that looks like it should be a little viscous, but is relatively thin once you tap a few drops of this into the palm of your hand. Simply pat it into the skin and allow it to be absorbed. This doesn't have much of a scent, and while I didn't have high hopes for this initially, given that it's a step that I didn't have previously, I have really enjoyed using this, and it seems to have helped my skin feel smoother and plumper. You can order your own bottle via TVSN. What's your last TVSN purchase?

*This product was provided for editorial consideration