Refined me? I think not! (Boots No7 Hydro Quench Pore-Refining Serum)

Member Name: xxfoxyredxx

Product:	Boots No7 Hydro Quench Pore-Refining Serum
Date:	23/03/09 (428 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Does make my skin glow slightly and matifies skin whilst it's on

Disadvantages: Doesn't hide open pores

When it comes to open pores on my face they really do drive me crazy! This is really a problem for me along with blackheads and the usual pains from time to time that insist on appearing!

I love No7 products (as a rule) from Boots and when I saw this product on offer for £6.00 instead of its usual price tag of £11.50 it almost jumped into my basket all by itself! It seemed by title the perfect product for me!

The Packaging....

Light blue cardboard oblong box with the gold No7 embellished on the front and then all in dark grey writing under that I'm told it is 'Hydro Quench Pore-Refining Serum' that 'Instantly reduces the appearance of pores for smooth, radian skin' and that it's for Normal/Combination Skin and is Hypo-Allergenic. On one side of the box ingredients are listed, the recycle symbol is displayed, contact details for Boots are given and the size is stated (30ml). On the back of the box I'm told a bit about the product and what to expect from it, given directions for use, a promise from Boots about the quality of this product is given and on the bottom of the box there is a bar-code on there. The bottle itself is long, white and slightly frosted excellent quality glass with a shimmery white plastic lid that covers a white plastic push button dispenser that is integrated into gold giving it a really classy look. On the front of the bottle once again I'm told what it is and who it is by and on the back told what it is and given directions for (use once again), contact details for Boots are given, size and the recycle symbol are once again shown. I really do like the bottle of this and appreciate the large size of it and although it is frosted I can see the white liquid through the bottle so I know when to replace it (if I want to of course!).

A Bit About The Product According To The Back Of The Box....

Disappearing Act....

Instantly reduce the appearance of pores with our ever-so-clever skin perfector. The cooling, hydrating serum gets to work straight away, then improves skin condition day by day so your complexion looks healthier, brighter and more even.

After 2 weeks, 76% of our testers said their pores were less visible.

Created With Care....

We've created this hypo-allergenic product using only ingredients we know and trust.

It's been tried and tested by customers with even the most sensitive skin, so you know it'll be good to yours.

Directions For Use....

Apply to clean, moisturised skin, blending in gently where your pores are most visible. Use alone or under foundation.


My Experience Using It...

Well it pumps out of it's dispenser really easily. It's a really light pinkish/white lotion that smells mildly fruity (but only gently so) and in a none in your face way or anything distinctive and once you've used it, it loses that smell immediately anyway. Not really creamy, it's more runny than anything and not at all an oily consistency I was expecting from a serum.

It's a very, very runny lotion (so be careful handling it) and it doesn't blend so well. By that I mean skin drinks immediately but when your rubbing it into your face because skin drinks it a little doesn't go far of this product so I apply some (to clean skin that well moisturised and dried in as directed) and keep adding more as I go along so I don't get into a mess with it.

As I say as you touch the skin with it skin absorbs it so you have to quickly and gently sweep it over the face so no hard rubbing is required and it feels quite a dry lotion really. Weird to explain but it doesn't feel like using a moisturiser and this feels like it puts a 'film' on the skin.

The problem is although the lotion gets absorbed and it feels light on the face (eventually) for about an hour after using it my skin feels a little clammy and sticky to the touch and a tad tight. Not badly or anything and it's ok if I'm not wearing make up and that feeling does eventually wear off however if I want to apply my make-up over this I do have to let that feeling wear off over time before any make up application. Once the feeling is gone then you can put make up over the top very well indeed and it does give a smooth base to start with.

Results....

I hate to say this but it does nothing for me really and I'm disappointed with it. I have visible open pores and even my little ones it makes no immediate difference to at all. I have been using this on a regular basis over 3 weeks and nope... my skin is no better in general sadly. I have to say that in my view it's even dried out a little of my skin and I feel that's due to it's quick absorption and gooey feeling left behind it. It hasn't given me any more spots or made my skin react to it in a negative way though and the only benefit of this is in the short term When I do apply it I do feel it gives me a touch of glow and does give radiant, dewy and fresh looking skin, but that's it.

However pores.... nothing. If you can pick this up cheap by all means have a go with it and its not a complete dead loss as it does give the appearance of healthy looking skin after-all but if it's not on offer and your paying out over a tenner? Nope I wouldn't bother. Believe me I have persisted with this and I'm sadly going nowhere fast! lol

Only available in Boots.

Summary: Don't bother