Skyn Iceland Pure Cloud Cream

RRP: $75 or £57.40 for 50g (£51.66 if you buy 2 or more)

--What does the promo say?--
"Symptom: Winter weather can ravage your skin. Cosmetic procedures put it through the wringer. What you're left with is stressed, irritated, uncomfortable skin that needs immediate relief!

Solution: Pure Cloud Cream is the cosmetic equivalent of kid gloves. Incredibly soothing and comforting, this light-as-air cream provides hyper-protection and healing relief for super-sensitive skin. Formulated to rescue skin from external aggressors like harsh weather and provide comfort after dermatological procedures and surgeries, it pampers and calms seriously stressed skin. Irritation and inflammation are soothed away by aloe and oat extract while peptides stimulate the release of feel-good endorphins. Hydrolyzed rice protein and ImmunoBoost help bolster skin’s immunity and inhibit collagen breakdown for improved healing."

--Ingredients--
Water (Aqua), Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Hydrogenated Didecene, Angelica Archangelica Root Water, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Canola Oil, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Bisabalol, Buddleja Davidii Extract, Thymus Vulgaris (Thyme) Flower/Leaf Extract, Simondsia Chinensis, Vaccinium Macrocarpon (Cranberry) Seed Oil, Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil, Avena Sativa (Oat) Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Tocopherol, Retinyl Palmitate, Calcium Carbonate, Magnesium Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Gold, Silver, Copper Sulfate, Glycosphingolipids, Cetyl Alcohol, Oleth-10 Phosphate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetyl Ricinoleate, Stearic Acid, Sorbitan Monostearate, PEG-75 Shea Butter Glycerides, Lecithin, Zea Mays (Corn) Starch, Perfluorodecalin, Polyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Trideceth-6, Lauryl Glucoside, Laureth-3, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Peel Oil, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol

--Packaging--
Really nice opaque, dreamy-looking pot that is really reminiscent of clouds of white, adorned with minimal writing in a simple grey font. Utterly luxurious and almost breathtaking. The lid is a simple white plastic screw top, and there's little/no risk of leakage.

--Application--
Sweep a little out of the pot using your finger, and apply to your face. Very little is needed to moisturise the whole face.

--Appearance--
Quite a thick, stiff cream, but still smooth rather than lumpy. A real creamy white colour that's just a joy to look at. On the face, it doesn't leave any visible residue.

--Texture/consistency--
Stiff - it stands up on its own as egg whites would do. However, it's still very easy to rub in and it absorbs really well.

--Scent--
My first thought was that it smelt of lemons, which was a very pleasant surprise. On closer inspection, though, there is also a chalkier, more powdery smell in there. The grapefruit scent comes through nicely though perhaps it would be nicer to be able to smell the other scents, like aloe vera, as well.

--Does it do what it says it will?--
Yes - my skin felt fabulously smooth even after going out in strong winds (well, if it can withstand Iceland, it can handle merrie old England, right?). However, it didn't do anything that my Liz Earle intensive treatment doesn't do. (Please note that my skin is too oily to use this as an everyday moisturiser, so I am using this as a rescue treatment only.)

--Value for money--
I was disappointed to find that this product was so expensive: not because I didn't like it, but because in principle I refuse to spend that much on a face cream. If I was going to buy it, I would buy it in America, where at today's current conversion rate it is approximately £20 less than the current British RRP. I'd guess that a pot would last quite a long time, seeing as each application requires so little of the stuff, so given that, and given that it works so well, it probably is good value for money in a sense. Oh well. Perhaps one day when I am rich...