amarte aqua cream

Reviewed by Gunilla on July 7, 2014

1 Comment

When I was first asked if I wanted to try the Amarte Aqua Cream ($65), I went online to check out the website of the company and became — as is almost always the case with the company behind the products I’ve been asked to test — very impressed with the story and philosophy. Amarte combines the best of Korean skin care knowledge with American dermatology, and the product line seems top of the line.

The Amarte Aqua Cream is described as a “brightening antioxidant facial moisturizer with 1% retinol.” The active ingredients — Amarte labels it ActivExtract® — are many and varied, but the main ones seem to be arbutin (whitening and anti-inflammatory/antibacterial), retinol (proven anti-aging qualities), argan oil (emollient and skin conditioner), ginkgo biloba nut extract (aids fibroblast production of collagen and elastin) and adenosine (proven anti-wrinkle and skin-smoothing capacities).

So, what did I expect of this product and how did it match my expectations? Well, being at the very end of my 50s, my skin is in dire need of moisture, not to mention anti-wrinkle and anti-sag! I expected this product to primarily deal with the moisture issue, with perhaps a little skin brightening on the side.

I’ve used the Aqua Cream both morning and evening after cleansing and applying serum. Right away I fell in love with the fragrance — to me, it smells like grapefruit, but according to Amarte it is oroblanco (which turns out to be a cross between acidless pomelo and white grapefruit, no less ) — and when I’d applied the cream to my face and neck, I was very happy with the way it absorbed, leaving my skin feeling fresh and hydrated. A little really goes a long way here — I’d estimate that this bottle will last at least three months, which makes it something of a bargain at less than $30 a month.

This product is a bargain pricewise, but what of efficacy? Well, after using it for a month I can only confess that I really, really like this moisturizer! It keeps my skin hydrated and soft, and I would even stick out my neck — my somewhat smoother and less wrinkly neck, no less! — and say that it has raised the bar for moisturizers substantially. All in all, it’s a very good product I wholeheartedly recommend.