THE SCORE:

PACKAGING: 3/5 - Nothing too crazy. Clarins clean, simple white box on the outside, and a yummy looking, blue frosted-glass jar inside.
FRAGRANCE: 3/5 - Great! Clean, fresh, light.
FEEL: 5/5 - Rich and creamy, absorbs right away.
IMMEDIATE EFFECT: 5/5 - Easy to apply, goes on smooth, absorbs and stays silky.
LONG-TERM USE: 5/5 - Two weeks in, and I've definitely noticed improved elasticity, smoothness and evenness.
PRICE: $$ - $48 isn't bad. I imagine this will last me about 2 months, although I'm sure it's intended to last a little less. (I use it a bit conservatively, because it's precious.)
FINAL WORD: Luxe, and effective. Get it.

Two truths remain self-evident: 1.) SPF is not just a fair-weather friend; and 2.) living in the Northeast, where temperatures range from hot and humid to bitter and cold, wreaks havoc on skin (and your hair, and also your very soul.) Enter Clarins Hydra-Essentiel Moisturizer with SPF 15, a super creamy, super clean-smelling moisturizer that promises to intensely hydrate your face and repair damage caused by what Clarins calls “thermic shock” – in other words, the side-effects of basically being alive, indoors or out. Between dry, office-building air, biting wind and skin-ruining sun, your skin really can’t catch a break.

The alchemists over at Clarins, who, I might add, are seemingly always finding new, inspiringly-named plants and herbs to pop into their products, have turned to Leaf of Life (see what I mean about the name?), a succulent that grows in Jamaica and Africa and is mainly used as a cure for colds, fevers, and respiratory issues.

So surely it can take on some weather-beaten skin, right?

My verdict: YES.

Full disclosure – Clarins sends me new skincare products every year to test drive and review, which is awesome of them. But the reason I look forward to getting them in each February is because they work. They first won me over with the Double Serum, which literally made me glow. (Ok, maybe that’s an irresponsible use of the word “literally” – but short of emitting light, I feel radiant when I use it.) I’ve yet to try one of their moisturizers that hasn’t left my skin feeling super luxurious, soft, and smooth, and Hydra-Essentiel, the newest addition to their line-up, is no exception.

The first thing I noticed when I eagerly tore this one open was the fresh smell – it reminded me of..well, Europe, which I realize isn’t exactly a specific scent, but here, I’m using as synonymous with “clean,” “refreshing,” and “trust me, this works.”

I've been using it for about two weeks now, and I'm completely hooked. By which I mean, I rush through brushing my teeth and washing my face every morning so I can slather this on, and I quickly towel off after the shower at night to put more on. It's made my skin feel smoother, more hydrated, and also more elastic, to use a cosmetics term - that is to say, I feel like my skin is bouncier. It's like when models in shampoo commercials run down the street with perfectly bouncy coifs after a great shampoo and blowout, but for your skin.