Origins Make A Difference Plus + Rejuvenating Moisturiser

Somewhere at the back of my bathroom cabinet there is a bottle of Clarins Hydraquench lotion emitting a lonely sigh. I started using it about five years ago and it was a hero for my normal-combination dehydrated skin, but I'm now convinced they changed the formula in some way last year and my skin is no longer a fan. Since then I've been on the hunt for a replacement and, whilst Caudalie Vinosource Sorbet (reviewed here) did a sterling job over the summer, I've been looking for something a little bit richer for the cooler months.

I'd heard lots about the original Origins Make a Difference moisturiser, after briefly thinking it was some sort of charity project, so news of the newly launched Make A Difference Plus + Rejuvenating Moisturiser* was particularly intriguing. Targeted at dehydrated skin, Origins claim the formula, fortified with Rose of Jericho, Lychee and Watermelon, has been clinically proven to increase skin moisture levels by 75% and improve moisture retention for 24 hours. I'll be perfectly honest, I wasn't expecting too much as I've not been blown away by some of Origins skincare (excluding their masks) in the past as neither GinZing eye cream or Checks and Balances cleanser worked for me. However from pretty much the first use it's been a winner.

MaD + is the perfect texture for normal to combination skin types, and whilst I can't vouch for the scientific claims, it manages to offer hefty boost of hydration without congesting the skin. The non-greasy almost gel-cream formula sinks in quickly and doesn't leave my face looking shiny or feeling suffocated, so I'm more than happy to slap it on in the morning or evening. In the evening I've been using a little bit of face oil or a hydrating serum (more on those soon) and then layering this on top for extra hydration and my skin is left feeling incredibly comfortable without any of the associated winter tightness. Despite the fruity ingredients, scent isn't cloyingly fruity (as I can sometimes find with Drink Up Intensive), it's just fresh and ever so slightly herby. The only thing that would make this better for me is if they launched a tube version, which wouldn't look as nice but always seems more hygienic even if I've just washed my hands and face.

Origins have just revealed their new London Selfridges counter, replete with a help-your-self sampling station. Whilst I don't think Make A Difference Plus + Rejuvenating Moisturiser is 'on tap' as it were, if you have a similar skin type to me I highly recommend popping down to any Origins counter to ask for a sample - it's lovely!

£33 for 50ml (50p cheaper than Hydraquench...hurrah), available from Boots, John Lewis and online.

Ingredients - water, butylene glycol, prunus amygdalus dulcis (sweet almond) oil, glyceryl polymethacrylate, caprylic/capric triglyceride, ethylhexyl hydroxystearate, glycerin, squalane, trehalose, dimethicone, stearic acid, lauryl lactate, hydrogenated palm glycerides, cetyl ethylhexanoate, myristyl myristate, citrus aurantium bergamia (bergamot) fruit oil, citrus medica limonum (lemon) peel oil, citrus aurantium dulcis (orange) oil, mentha viridis (spearmint) leaf oil, vetieria zizanoides (vetiver) root oil, cinnamomum camphora (camphor) bark oil, plumeria alba flower extract, magnolia acuminata flower extract, rosa damascena extract, iris pallida root extract, linalool, citral, limonene, litchi chinensis seed extract, citrullus vulgaris (watermelon) fruit extract, rhodochrosite extract, anastatica hierochuntica (rose of jericho) extract, coffea arabica (coffee) seed extract, salvia sclarea (clary) extract, pyrus malus (apple) fruit extract, lens esculenta (lentil) fruit extract, padina pavonica thallus extract, garcinia indica (kokum) seed butter, mangifera indica (mango) seed buter, theobroma grandifiorum seed butter, butyrospermum parkii (shea butter), mauritia flexuosa fruit oil, astrocaryum murumuru seed butter, acetyl hexapeptide-8, micrococcus lysate, lecithin, caffeine, peg-100 stearate, sodium lactate, sodium hyaluronate, caprylic/capric/myristic/stearic triglyceride, caprylyl glycol, hydrogenated lecithin, tocopheryl acetate, glycine soja (soyabean) sterols, sodium rna, potassium sorbate, dextrin, cetyl alcohol, tromethamine, sodium pca, carbomer, disodium edta, phenoxyethanol.