New Algenist Splash Collection Gives Skin A Surge Of Hydration

If you read up on skincare basics, chances are you’ll notice the predominance of three themes: the importance of hydration, the value of antioxidants (and, moreover, SPF protection), and the need to jumpstart the skin’s own healing and regenerative frameworks as one begins to age in order to maintain elasticity. The new Algenist Splash collection, then, places a premium on the first of the aforementioned theme: hydration. On a very primal, practical level, everyone knows that dehydrated skin is both unseemly and uncomfortable — particularly once it’s reached that flaky, itchy, tight-feeling level. But parched skin has other less-than-ideal consequences — namely, that it can speed up the skin aging process (and yes, your complexion can make you look 10 and 15 years older than the age your birth certificate indicates). The Algenist Splash collection, then, helps the skin reach its ideal moisture levels, instantly plumping and smoothing the complexion’s surface while creating a water reservoir that ensures long-lasting hydration.

Each of the products in the collection feature Algenist’s new Algalyte Complex, along with its trademark alguronic acid. The Algalyte Complex includes a red microalgae polysaccharide that has been shown to protect the marine plant against water loss and that, when applied topically, can have the same water-binding effect on human skin. It’s also comprised of a mix of electrolytes and minerals — namely magnesium, zinc, and copper. Each of these minerals has been proven to play an important part in maintaining healthy skin. Applying magnesium topically, for instance, can help to restore the skin cells’ magnesium levels. This, in turn, is important since magnesium is necessary for the enzymes that regulate DNA repair. In fact, a study cited in the book The Magnesium Miracle showed that skill cells without magnesium were twice as likely to be attacked by free radicals. A magnesium deficiency can also translate into the skin having lower fatty acid levels which, in turn, can lead to decreased elasticity. Without magnesium, then, wrinkles and saggy skin are more prone to become an immediate reality. Zinc, meanwhile, protects skin’s lipids and fibroblasts, thereby playing a leading role in the skin’s defense system, ensuring that dermal cells continue to produce collagen and elastin. It also helps to heal wounds and to ward off acne breakouts. As for copper, this metal stimulates collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid production. Basically, these are the Three Wise Minerals when it comes to anti-aging!

The Splash collection is comprised of three delightfully lightweight, non-greasy, easily absorbed products. First, there’s the Algenist Splash Absolute Hydration Replenishing Emulsion ($54 at Algenist.com, QVC.com, and Sephora.com), a serum-like moisturizer described as a “water-gel emulsion” that combines alguronic acid with the groundbreaking new Algalyte Complex so as to replenish any lost moisture (even moisture lost during the skin cleansing process itself) while also helping to smooth out fine lines and wrinkles. The gel-like consistency means that the product is readily absorbed by the skin, and yet it has the long-lasting benefits of a heavier lotion. Packaged in a sleek ocean blue bottle with a pump applicator, this emulsion is the designed to be used morning and evening, after cleansing but prior to applying any denser moisturizers.

Next up is the Algenist Splash Absolute Hydration Replenishing Gel Moisturizer ($58 at . This moisturizer comes in a sleek blue jar and has a light aqua color. The texture, meanwhile, is slightly reminiscent of that of the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel, but their blue hues and gel-like textures aside, the two products have vastly different formulations. After all, the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel is centered on the hydrating properties of hyaluronic acid, whereas the Algenist Splash Absolute Hydration Replenishing Gel Moisturizer tackles not only long-lasting hydration but also improved cellular metabolism, skin brightening, and free radical protection. This  water-based moisturizer is denser than the Splash Emulsion, but it’s significantly more lightweight than your traditional face cream. As soon as you apply it to skin, you feel a slight cooling sensation and you can practically sense your skin sighing in relief, chugging down a glass of water as if it had been walking for miles in the desert heat. Not only does your skin feel soothed and comfortable, but you’ll likely notice your complexion looks brighter and more radiant, that pesky fine lines are less visible, and that there’s a more plump and resilient quality to your skin. The best part: these effects last all day! Even in the relentless Texas sun, I’ve gone a full 14 hours without having to spritz on a moisturizing mist thanks to the Algenist Splash Absolute Hydration Replenishing Gel Moisturizer providing my skin with enough of a hydration reserve to get me through the day — all without any tightness, without any discomfort. The only thing you should realize is that, since it doesn’t include SPF protection, you’ll have to apply your favorite sunscreen (or a tinted moisturizer with SPF protection) atop this cream so as to truly protect your skin from harmful UV rays.

The final offering in the Splash collection is perfect for those of us who cherish the notion of beauty sleep. The Algenist Splash Absolute Hydration Replenishing Sleeping Pack ($48 at Algenist.com, QVC.com, and Sephora.com) is one of the newest additions to the world of sleeping masks. These creams are designed to be applied prior to hitting the sack and they work in tandem with the skin cells’ own schedule, so to speak. Studies have indicated that skin cells repair themselves at significantly higher rates in the evening hours, while we sleep, and so these overnight creams capitalize on that phenomenon by providing the skin with nutrients meant to further boost these regenerative processes. The Algenist Splash Absolute Hydration Replenishing Sleeping Pack, then, should be applied at least 10 minutes prior to going to bed and left on the skin throughout the evening, only to be rinsed off in the morning. The amazing part of this sleeping cream is that it doesn’t leave your face feeling balmy or sticky — in fact, you forget you applied anything at all! If you wake up in the middle of the night to use the restroom and you happen to touch your face, you won’t feel any filmy or gelatinous substance on your skin. And yet, when you wake up the next morning and rinse your face, you’ll immediately feel that your skin is softer. Even better, the results are cumulative so that the more routinely you use the mask, the more noticeable the effects will become. Ideally, you should use the mask 2-3 times per week. Now, Algenist you can use the sleeping mask in lieu of your overnight cream, but I personally find that layering the Gel Moisturizer and the Sleeping Pack magnifies the effect (and since my skin is on the dry side, combining these doesn’t feel like overkill).

Whether you live in a dry and arid climate, you naturally have dry skin, or you’re dreading the onset of winter (and what it inevitably does to your skin), the Splash collection will quench skin’s thirst and, in the process, make your complexion look healthier, more radiant, and younger. Remember: water is life!