Review: Iluka Light Day Cream with SPF

After trying Iluka’s Nourish Cream Cleanser a few weeks ago, I was looking forward to trying a few more Iluka products. Iluka products are based around natural-botanical ingredients and they are quite affordable. The line is inspired by Natalie Imbruglia and I am also super happy that the products are made here in Australia. As Natalie has acne prone-oily skin (she told me so you see!) the products are light and perfect for oily to combination skin types. The Light Day Cream is of course no exception. I’m surprised at how much I liked this day cream despite having normal to combination skin myself. I figured it might not give the skin enough moisture by using ingredients which ‘dry out’ the skin instead – which is a terrible idea btw, as all skin types need moisture, just the right kind of hydration! Luckily, this day cream still hydrates the skin – albeit in a ‘light’ and refreshing kind of way.

A light hydrating day cream enriched with natural emollients and antioxidants to help maintain hydration and ensure suppleness.

1. Anti-aging active to fight dehydration, improve skin barrier function and improve tissue quality (Teprenone)

2. Natural emollients to maintain the skin’s hydration and suppleness (Grape Seed Oil, Shea Butter, Macadamia Oil, Avocado Oil)

3. Natural humectants for hydration (Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycerin) + Manuka Honey

4. Anti-oxidant (Vitamin E, Kakadu Plum Extract)

5. Contains a UV abosrber to help protect against UV rays

The moisturiser is like a light lotion. What is great about it, is that it doesn’t leave a shiny film on your skin at all – despite containing moisturising oils. It isn’t sticky either and sinks in very quickly. If you get quite oily during the day, this moisturiser won’t help you combat that issue per se, but it will be the perfect base for makeup and will make sure that your skin doesn’t get dehydrated. If you use a mattifying moisturiser, makeup primer, foundation/powder, you will find that all the different layers of makeup won’t ‘gel’ well and you will have texture issues (and you will probably dry out your skin to the point where it can’t protect itself from the elements). In saying that, I would still describe this moisturiser as light and it probably wouldn’t be enough hydration for me in the Winter time (I am in my late 20s though 😛 ). It doesn’t break me out and I believe Natalie Imbruglia would have made sure that the moisturiser is non-comedogenic, having acne prone skin herself. The addition of manuka honey is great for breakout prone skin, as it has antimicrobial and antibacterial power, which promotes wound healing by stimulating the immune system and providing nutrients for cell metabolism and rapid tissue repair. Because honey works to heal skin and wound infections, it makes it perfect for soothing inflammation on the skin. Honey is also a humectant (it draws moisture into the skin) as is sodium hyaluronate and glycerin. This means that the lipid barrier is re-enforced thanks to the oils in the moisturiser (providing occlusive power, so that moisture can’t evaporate from the skin) but the humectants also draw moisturise into the skin.

The moisturiser also contains an SPF of 15+. Sunscreen in the mornings is a must and while I would have liked this moisturiser to have a sunscreen which was at least 30+ for this climate, it’s probably hard to do whilst keeping the moisturiser as light as possible. It just means that I need to apply another sunscreen on top of this moisturiser in the mornings, but for more incidental UV exposure, it will suffice. I don’t mind all of my products containing some sort of SPF – hopefully that kind of layering just means I am extra protected! 😀 I also like that the moisturiser contain anti-oxidants. This means that your skin is protected from free radicals and oxidative stress. The more anti-oxidants the better in my opinion, but it’s great to see complementary anti-oxidants in the formula (i.e. kakadu plum extract is high in vitamin C and vitamin C and E work brilliantly together). The scent of the moisturiser comes from the addition of lime oil, which makes it ‘feel’ quite refreshing upon application. Do note however, that citrus oils aren’t the best for sensitive skins, as they can make skin UV sensitive.

Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Glycerin, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Isopropyl Myristate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Carbomer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Teprenone, Honey (Mel), Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Oil, Eucalyptus Dives Leaf/Twig Oil, Citrus Aurantifolia (Lime) Oil, Backhousia  Citriodora Leaf Oil, Pearl Powder, Xanthan Gum, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit  Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Limonene.

Coming in at $29.99, I think the range in general is quite affordable. Iluka used to be easily accessible at all Priceline stores, but lately I’ve seen the line disappear from shelves 🙁 Luckily, you can order any product from their official website and get free postage to boot. If I had to recommend this moisturiser for any group in particular, then it is perfect for teens and those suffering from acne or combination skin. Do I think it’s super anti-ageing? Probably not, but if our skin is in good condition and you don’t need much to keep it happy and want something light, then you will be happy with this moisturiser! Hydration is the number one ‘duty’ of your moisturiser. Sometimes after all of my potent, active-serums, I am happy with a good and ‘simple’ moisturiser, to finish off my routine and lock in all the goodness of my skincare products.

Hopefully Iluka will keep on expanding, despite disappearing from Priceline shelves. A mask would be lovely, as would a facial sunscreen with a high SPF!

What do you look for in your day-time moisturiser beauties? Let me know in the comments below!

Catch ya next time,

Beauty Bee~

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