Review: Josh Rosebrook Hydration Boost Concentrate
It's no secret that Josh Rosebrook is one of my favorite skincare lines out there. The formulations and ingredients he chooses for his products are really outstanding to me and actually make a difference to my dehydrated skin.
Josh was teasing us for a while about his latest product that he finally launched beginning of October: the hydration boost concentrate - a facial hydrating serum that boosts skin hydration. I am all about hydration and plump skin, so I couldn't wait to try the product myself and see if it's that good.
What it's about
The Hydration Boost Concentrate is an oil-free and essential oil-free formula that works to significantly increase skin hydration.
The Key Ingredients
Indian Senna Seed - one of the main ingredients in this serum and a botanical form of hyaluronic acid which helps to bind water in the skin cells to prevent hydration loss. It's also an ingredient that is used in some of his other products in the line.
Horse Chestnut - promotes hydration and prevents the loss of the body's hyaluronic acid. It's an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.
Hibiscus Flower Acid - promotes skin cell renewal, exfoliates and increases hydration. It also improves skin elasticity and barrier function.
Other ingredients worth mentioning are antioxidants like Green Tea, Chamomile, Burdock extracts and Cacao. I'm impressed by the high-quality ingredients and formulation.
The Ritual
After cleansing you're supposed to apply the hydrating accelerator to prep your skin for the hydration boost concentrate, so all the ingredients and hydration can penetrate better into the deeper layers of the skin. While your face is wet, you follow with the concentrate and apply two drops and massage it into your skin.
I've been using the hydration boost concentrate for almost 4 weeks now, and I started using it during a time when the seasons changed - the temperatures dropped, heating is being used. The perfect timing to put this to the test to see if it actually does what it promises.
I know that I am probably not the only one, but especially in autumn and winter I struggle with dehydration and I get dry, patchy skin especially on my forehead. I used this serum morning and night and even though the temperatures dropped my skin didn't freak out as it usually does. My skin felt and looked surprisingly hydrated, plump and was just somehow balanced - how it should be.
Is it worth it?
A big plus for this product is the oil-free and essential oil-free formulation which makes it perfect for anyone with sensitive, rosacea or acne-prone skin. I think every skin type would benefit from it.
It is a concentrate so you only need a small amount (it's recommended to use two drops). I do wish it came in a slightly bigger bottle though, maybe 30ml, as I feel like I will run out of it quite quickly.
EDIT (July 2020): I used it up in April 2020 and I can now share my full thoughts after using it for this long. Unfortunately, it's not as hydrating as it claims to be in the long run. I liked it and it was hydrating but it doesn't give me the boost that I expect from it. I get much more of a hydration boost when I layer other toners/essences. Furthermore, it only contains 15ml which seems too little for what it does. I prefer many other products from his line over this one.
The product contains 15ml and retails for 45€.
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