Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Daily Face Moisturizer with SPF 30 + Hyaluronic Acid
Neutrogena’s newest product attempts to make life easier by adding your daily dose of SPF right to your morning moisturizer.
Overview
Everyone knows that the key to looking and feeling younger is healthy skin. And healthy skin starts with keeping it moist and keeping it protected. Having a daily moisturizer with SPF already included seems like a natural fit, like cookies and milk. Delicious on their own, but even better together. Packed with powerful moisturizers and stuffed with even extra SPF, this daily use cream appears to be a two-in-one you can’t afford to miss. Why didn’t anyone think of this sooner? Well, turns out it’s not so easy to toss together a quality moisturizer with highly effective sunscreen and get perfect results.
Two-For-One: Is it always a better deal?
Neutrogena exclaims this formula is “supercharged”, not only enhanced with the most highly effective moisturizers and wrinkle fighters, but topped off with sun protection to boot. This product relies on wrinkle-wrestling powerhouse, Retinol SA, as does their entire Rapid Wrinkle Repair line. Retinol SA is a special formulation of the popular vitamin-A derivative, one processed and patented by Neutrogena themselves. Tests conducted by the big brand show it to be so effective that results can be seen as soon as one week, but be aware that in-house tests always have the potential for hidden bias.
Aside from Retinol SA, this moisturizer prizes itself on the inclusion of another humescent hero, Hyaluronic acid. Neutrogena claims that together, these offer an enhanced moisturizing effect, for refreshed, youthful skin. These ingredients are also present together in another product in Neutrogena’s Rapid Wrinkle Repair line: their Regenerating Cream. For an in-depth review on that product, please feel free to check out our article here.
But there are things which a moisturizing cream does that you might not want from your sun protection. Moisturizing is about letting the good things into skin, allowing it to absorb and plump up for that youthful glow. Sun protection is about creating a barrier to keep harmful rays out. And there are additional ingredients which get a free ride into the deeper layers of the dermis, where they should not be.
Positives
- Two-in-one application saves time in busy mornings
- Helps fight the appearance of wrinkles, whether fine or deep
- Applies well under daily makeup
Negatives
- Some ingredients can be abrasive to the skin
- Doesn’t offer enough SPF to get through a day without re-application
- Lack of outside testing on primary anti-wrinkle ingredient, Retinol SA
Active Ingredients
Most ingredient lists read like the inside of chemistry textbooks nowadays, but that doesn’t necessarily mean everything inside is hazardous or even dangerous. In fact, many of the ingredients which Neutrogena includes are excellent for the skin, which is why they’re in there. But others have some disadvantages and less than desirable interactions with others. Below, we break down the most important ones, for those of us without a science degree.
Hyaluronic Acid
This fluid naturally occurs in the human body, and is most prevalent around the eyes and in bones. In order to harvest it for use in beauty products, it is extracted from rooster combs or man-made utilizing controlled bacteria in a laboratory. It is FDA approved for surgical injection into the eyes to help replace the natural fluids. However, there is no definitive evidence that topical, non-surgical applications can help fight the effects of aging. Some dermatologists say that since Hyaluronic Acid is humetic that it helps retain the appearance of youth by drawing moisture to the skin, while others disagree and advise that while it draws moisture, it doesn’t help the skin actually absorb it permanently.
Homosalate
Homosalate is widely used in almost half of sunscreens across the United States, as it readily absorbs a broad range of UVB rays. It is widely thought of as ‘safe’, though research has surfaced showing that it can break down into less than ideal chemical compounds with prolonged exposure to the sun. Additionally, since it is applied so broadly to the skin, it can be absorbed by our bodies too, and allows the barrier down to bring in additional chemicals present alongside it, for instance, anything else your skin might come in contact with.
Silica
Everyone has opened a snack from the gas station or grocery store and found a tiny packet inside labeled in big red letters ‘DO NOT CONSUME’. What’s in that packet that’s so dangerous? Why, Silica! It is a compound made of silicon and oxygen, which sounds harmless by itself. It’s primary use is as an anti-caking agent, since it readily absorbs water. It’s also the primary component of sand, which as anyone who has ever gone to the beach can tell you, is pretty abrasive stuff. It’s not something you want to eat, and most dermatologists recommend thinking twice before rubbing it on your face.
Xanthan Gum
This particular compound is finding its way into experimental kitchens across America, but can also be found in a plethora of non-edible products as a stabilizer. Xanthan Gum has been called the thickener of the future, used in everything from sauces to diabetic aides. It is a natural sugar derivative, created in sterile labs by controlled bacterial fermentation. The problem with Xanthan Gum isn’t that its creation hinges on bacteria, but rather than it can have laxative-like effects in those with tender tummies, and can also interact poorly with certain medications.
Full List of Ingredients
Avobenzone 2%, Homosalate 4%, Octisalate 4%, Octocrylene 2%, Water, Dimethicone, Isononyl Isononanoate, Glycerin, Trisiloxane, Cetyl Alcohol, Styrene/acrylates Copolymer, Steareth-21, Nylon-12, Dimethicone/vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Retinol, Hydrolyzed Myrtus Communis Leaf Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Bht, Silica, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caprylyl Glycol, Stearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Peg-100 Stearate, Acrylates/c10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Xanthan Gum, Polysorbate 20, Disodium Edta, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Fragrance.
Directions
Neutrogena recommends applying before makeup to a cleansed face and neck every morning. It can be used in conjunction with their other products in the same line, or with non-Neutrogena skincare items. Push on pump to apply small dollops to fingertips, and massage into the skin in gentle strokes. Be certain to turn the pump to the ‘closed’ position between uses to avoid spills.
As with any new skin product, it is always best to apply in a small test patch prior to full application on your face.
Don’t Quit Your Day ‘Screen
Both moisturizers and sunscreen are an important part of routine skincare, and should be applied daily. Whether or not they should be applied in one product is up for debate. It is a time saver to only have to apply one in the morning, but is it a skin saver? With conflicting ingredients and only enough SPF protection for a few hours, this product seems more miss than hit. If it’s the only SPF you are going to apply, then by all means. Some SPF is undoubtedly better than none. But if you have a favorite sun protector, don’t cast it aside for this quick fix.
For more information on Neutrogena’s other Rapid Wrinkle Repair line products, and all of your other health and beauty needs, please feel free to check out our other articles.
OUR BEST RATED PRODUCTS
- #1 recommended to support younger-looking skin.
- Clinically shown to reduce fine lines and wrinkles.
- Rescues and protects skin from damage.
- Deeply moisturizes to reduce fine lines and wrinkles.
- All-in-one, full spectrum anti-aging serum
- Repairs and fights damage to keep skin healthy and youthful
- Contains Ritapro 165, a next-gen moisturizer
- Helps to reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles
