When I was in New York City, I purchased a lot of things: Marvis toothpaste, blue foundation (for uh, STAR WARS cosplay), a tube of Embryolisse, sheet masks, and some French skincare favorites. More specifically, Hexomedine, a topical acne medication, and Ialuset, a hyaluronic acid cream.

My skin loves hyaluronic acid. I’ve gone through numerous bottles of Hada Labo Lotion, which despite it’s name, is a watery hyaluronic acid-based serum. Despite this, I’m always looking to try new things, especially things that have cult followings.

First Impressions

I purchased Ialuset in store at New London Pharmacy for $34.00 USD. The ingredients were not listed on the box in English, so I went off of some cursory Googling on efficacy to make my decision. Here is the ingredient list I have found online:

Sodium hyaluronate, surfactant, oleic acid decyl ester, emulsifying wax, humectant, glycerol, methylparaben, propylparaben, dehydroacetate, acidifier, fragrance, water.

It comes in two forms: Cream in a metal tube and pressurized bottle. I purchased the cream version.

Ialuset is an opaque, white cream that has a very slight fragrance that I can’t quite put my finger on. In fact, when I first used it, I thought it had no fragrance because it just smells like a non-fragranced cream.

It feels extremely emollient when applied. It spreads easily, but needs worked into the skin a little before it settles in completely. This texture makes it feel fairly luxurious and moisturizing right off of the bat.

Once worked in, it dries down to a kind of dry, waxy feeling. Skin feels plumper and moisturized immediately.

The first time I used Ialuset, I didn’t give it a fair chance. My skin was a bit irritated from breaking out, travel, and some aggressive BHA and Finacea usage. Upon application over my topical actives, my skin lit up, turning red, hot, and uncomfortable.

I immediately suspected the fragrance listed in the ingredients and felt discouraged that I had found yet another product that my skin didn’t get along with. Instead of washing it off of my face, I applied some ice and waited to see how my skin felt in the morning (anything for science, right?).

Surprisingly though, it looked and felt plump and happy in the morning, despite the previous evening’s snafu. So I decided to try again once my skin was less irritated.

Days later, I applied the Ialuset once more, fresh out of the shower, while my skin was still damp.

And I waited… and waited…

My skin looked and felt great. It was not irritated at all, nor was it red. My rosacea didn’t flare or get bumpy. Everything was just fine.

Over the next couple of days, I used it in place of my Hada Labo Lotion, skipping the days when I was using topical actives like my Paula’s Choice 2% BHA Liquid or my Finacea.

Consensus

Ialuset has great reviews on Avibon’s site, and I understand why. It is considered one of the few pure hyaluronic acid products on the market, and it delivers in making skin feel and look more hydrated than it would with a moisturizer alone.

It is not a replacement for your moisturizer, and I would not recommend treating it as such. Based on my experience, I’d also be cautious about using it with your actives (AHAs, BHAs, topical prescriptions) or when your skin is irritated.

Will it replace my Hada Labo Lotion though? Probably not. It feels luxurious and emollient for sure, but my Hada Labo is a tried-and-true, inexpensive addition to my routine that just works.

You can purchase Ialuset for $34.00 USD on New London Pharmacy’s website.

Note: Ialuset is available on Amazon.com as well, but I did not recommend it here because I have received fake products from Amazon, such as fake Embryolisse that smelled very strongly of perfume. If you decide to purchase from Amazon, proceed with caution and only purchase from sellers you know and trust.