For those of us who are all aboard the Rationale bandwagon, the news of a new product is always a moment of excitement. And this latest launch comes at exactly the right time, as we begin to head into the warmer months of the year. A new addition to collection #1, The Resilience Collection, allow us to introduce you to #1 The Hydragel.
If you're familiar with Rationale, you'll know that this is a brand that doesn't release and create new products based on fads and trends. In fact, as we saw with the launch of #3 The Tinted Serum, many of the products from Rationale are decades in the making - and are specifically designed to address specific skin concerns.
When speaking to Richard Parker, founder of Rationale, he explained that this new launch, and also the launch of the new #6 The GelCreme comes off the back of the brand's international expansion, particularly into regions like Singapore.
"There's a change in the environmental challenges. Things like humidity, heat, radiant heat, more pollution, for example, in those urban environments. Those things have made us realise we need to and will continue to develop new formulations," he said
"As we expand, we're seeing that some skin subtypes or subgroups are not being addressed. One that we have identified is hyper sebaceous and hypersensitive."
Who is #1 The Hydragel for?
This product is a smart hydrator that provides intense skin nourishment while still comfortable enough to wear in high heat or by those with oily skin.
In hot weather, many skin types, particularly oily skin, can't handle the heaviness of a cream product or oil serum. I am certainly one of the people that fall into this group. The moisturisers my skin loves for the colder six months of the year, tend to make my face too sweaty and broken out in the warmer months.
"It's too much and there's a very good reason for that," said Parker. "People think that people with oily skin have very resilient and very tough skin, it's not true. People with very oily skin are often very, very sensitive. Sebum in itself is an inflammatory product. So we've had to address that need."
Since this product sits in the #1 collection which all about fortifying the skin barrier, this has been created for those with sensitive skin who need more protection. But it's also been particularly formulated for oily skin and high heat and humidity settings. It's a product almost tailor made for the Australian summer and for those who struggle to find products their skin can tolerate.
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What does #1 The Hydragel do?
This product is designed to be used and treated like a serum - your first step after cleansing. If you fall into the group of sensitive and sebaceous skin, you might consider replacing your existing serum with this one.
A daytime formulation, this one contains B-Group vitamins - including B3 aka niacinamide - to offer brightness, radiance, skin balance and oil control. The formulation is assisted by anti-inflammatory rich botanical extracts like betaine, allantoin and glycyrrhetinic acid. The other key thing is that this product boosts the hydration of the skin, which is key in supporting the skin's natural renewal process, ultimately leading to a healthier and younger-looking complexion.
But the effectiveness of this product is not just about the ingredients and actives chosen, but how those are actually given to the skin.
"It's not just about using different actives. There are times when [sebaceous skin types] need different actives. But it's also about the vehicle. The delivery system in this skin subtype is just as important as it is for people with dry skin. It needs to be totally different," says Parker.
Each of the ingredients has been formulated in a way that is can access and work for sensitive and oily skin - which is why this is not your ordinary vitamin B-style serum.
Upon using #1 The Hydragel, one the first things you experience is the cooling and soothing sensation. The type of cooling that pleasantly calms skin irritation. It's a lightweight, gel consistency that smooths and disappears easily into freshly cleansed skin. I noticed that my skin felt almost immediately plumper. It wears well under most other products, including sunscreen and makeup. And at the end of the day when it came time for my evening cleanse, there was no irritation or small breakouts that I sometimes experience when trying highly active serums.
As is typical of most Rationale products, #1 The Hydragel does exactly what it says it does.
