Review (3/5): Minty & Cooling, Heavy & Doesn’t Absorb Well, Agitates My Sensitive Skin-Some Good Ingredients
﻿I’m in my 50’s and have dry, sensitive skin and also have some contact allergies. This Murad Hydration Intense Recovery Cream is pale green and has a nice, light spearmint scent that may be from mint oils, such as Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil and Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil, as chemical fragrance isn’t listed. This cream has an unusual balmy texture that feels slippery and silky. It oddly feels like it just sits on top of my dry skin rather being absorbed. It’s not greasy, but it feels heavy like a barrier cream. I’m not crazy about that feel. I do like that it’s thick and has somewhat of a firming feel.
I’d be okay with the texture at night (not for daytime), but this cream imparts a strong cooling sensation (possibly from mint oil as this is alcohol free) that doesn’t feel pleasing to me. Instead of feeling soothing and calming, it feels stimulating and kind of agitating. My skin gets itchy and prickly, so I’ve had to wash it off as my skin feels uncomfortable and like it might blister or get a rash (though it hasn’t in the short time I’ve left it on). It feels better rubbed on my arm, so maybe it’s good for other skin types.
I can’t gauge how well this hydrates as I had to discontinue use. It has some good stuff like apple fruit extract (scavenges free radicals) and algae (antioxidant and hydration). It also has moisturizing and/or soothing ingredients, such as glycerin, vitamin E, butylene glycol, macadamia nut oil and shea butter. However, it also has known sensitizers, such as spearmint and mint oils, that get “poor” ratings by Paula’s Choice. This generally seems like a quality cream, but it feels heavy and irritating to my sensitive skin. 3.5 stars.