I’m a skincare snob and this cheap hydrating serum is my go-to in winter

If you love French pharmacy skincare brands, then the likes of Vichy, Caudalie and La Roche-Posay are likely on your radar already. For those of you not in the know, it’s time to get to know – especially with the colder months just around the corner. Specifically, Vichy’s mineral 89 hyaluronic acid serum booster (?28, Lookfantastic.com) – here’s why.

In a world where affordable skincare brands – think CeraVe, La Roche-Posay and The Inkey List – are becoming mid-range, cracking down on the ones that have kept their low price points is all the more important. Indeed, with CeraVe’s latest vitamin C serum release going live with retailers at ?29 (it’s the brand’s highest-cost item), I’m well aware that it’s becoming harder to keep skincare costs down. And, that’s why I felt the need to shout about this HA serum from Vichy.

Much like CeraVe, Vichy’s mineral 89 also borders on that all-important ?30 price line, but its French competitors La Roche-Posay and Avène are retailing their hyaluronic formulas for ?40. So, as a skincare snob, let me explain why Vichy’s is just as good, if not better.

How I tested

I tested the serum on bare skin (Lucy Smith)

I’ve been using this serum in one iteration or another – I’m fairly certain it’s taken over from the old Vichy aqualia thermal (which looks to be being phased out) – since I was 17. I’m 27 now and every autumn and winter I bring this little hydration hero out of retirement from my bathroom cupboard for another season of dry skin-inducing weather.

While I’ve tested it numerous times before, I reviewed it anew on bare skin. I applied the serum in the morning, post-cleanse, tone and eye cream application, and paid attention to its feel on my skin both immediately and throughout a blustery September day. I took note of how it worked with my other skincare and any shine that it might cause to my already oily skin. Keep reading for the results.

Vichy mineral 89 hyaluronic acid booster serum

Size: 50ml

Key ingredients: Humectant (water-attracting) hyaluronic acid, glycerin and water - i.e. no comedogenic oil base

Fragranced: No

Cruelty-free: No, according to PETA

Suitable for: All skin types

Why we love it

Weightless

Non-scented and suitable for sensitive skin

With a generous 50ml size (versus La Roche-Posay’s 30ml), Vichy’s mineral 89 is the ultimate elixir for skin that lacks hydration. On dry skin, it layers beautifully with oily products and, for oily skin types – like myself – it won’t break you out in blackheads, nor will it cause a build-up of midday shine.

The texture of the serum is gel-like and it seeps into the skin almost instantly, causing not pilling when combined with other products. Once absorbed, it leaves skin looking youthful without too much dew.

Despite having areas of irritated skin, I’ve not experienced any irritation when using it. In fact, often, it’s the only thing the delicate area around my nose can stand after a nasty cold has left the skin in tatters. With this test specifically, I found my skin felt as comfortable and hydrated by 5pm as it did when I applied it early in the morning.

My 60-year-old mum is the one who put me onto it, and I’m so glad she did.

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The verdict: Vichy mineral 89 hyaluronic acid booster serum

With this being my 10th year using Vichy’s hyaluronic acid serums, I won’t be giving it up anytime soon. What’s more, with the cold and dry weather just around the corner, I’m layering this back into my morning skincare in anticipation of some dehydrated patches around my eyes and nose. Granted, dryer skin types might need to layer it with their usual face oils and heavier moisturisers, but for dealing with dehydration as opposed to insufficient oil in the skin (dry skin types suffer with both, usually), it’s a godsend.

Plus, its price is rivalling competitors of a similar quality and its size is almost twice that of La Roche-Posay’s equivalent. I can’t recommend it enough.

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