FREE UK SHIPPING ON ORDERS £50+
I am thrilled to have created a trio of incredible moisturisers that literally has every consumer and concern covered. With our OG everyday Moisturiser designed for every skin, our dry-skin-quenching Rich Moisturiser, and our light, gel-cream formula that’s perfect for oily/combination skin, it’s a trio that I know serves every skin type. Yet few people (with the exception of industry insiders) know the development complexities (and far from glamorous graft) that goes on behind the scenes to bring these formulations to life.
So, I’m here to share some of the highlights and curveballs that came my way en route to moisturiser perfection.
Get Your Coat
You may have heard me describe moisturisers as your ‘coat’ in years gone by. As good an analogy now as it was then, it’s your all-important barrier against the elements, and the final step of your skincare routine pre-SPF. Considered by many to be the top layer of ‘bread’ that completes your sandwich of treatment ‘fillings’ (serums et al), it may not be the product you choose to spend most of your money on, but this does not mean you should cut corners.
Yes, if budgets are tight, I’d advocate for putting your money ‘in the middle’, but for specific skin types and concerns your coat is absolutely as key as your outfit. Just make sure you’ve done the groundwork: buying a brilliant moisturiser is utterly wasted if you’re not prepping your skin well or wet wiping your face into oblivion.
The Power of Three
It was always my intention to have at least three moisturisers — I mean, using the coat analogy again, I bet most wardrobe wishlists would include a light summer jacket, a heavier winter warmer, and a classic goes-with-everything trench. My moisturiser ‘coats’ follow a similar principle: universal staples that cover all eventualities and can be layered/interchanged depending on exactly what you need at the time. To find your match, head here
The Light Moisturiser
Formulated with skin-conditioning and barrier-boosting actives such as pro-vitamin D3, a desert succulent stem cell active, a ceramide precursor, and the same Lipid-Advanced Complex that features in several of our key Skin Rocks formulations, The Light Moisturiser works effectively to replenish the skin barrier, and has a light, gel-cream texture that provides instant hydration. The desert succulent stem cell active is the formulation superstar here — derived from a plant that has adapted to manage water and light in some of the harshest, driest climates on earth, this ingredient helps to boost hydration, maximise water retention and plump the skin by aiding the absorption of water and the production of vitamin D.
. 
The Moisturiser
Suitable for all skin types, this formula combines skin-conditioning and hydration-boosting actives such as pro-vitamin D3 and ceramides alongside antioxidants to bolster your skin. It has a super smooth, whipped texture that absorbs perfectly, and was the first Skin Rocks product to feature our Lipid Advanced Complex: a luxurious blend of botanically sourced actives, phytosterols, jojoba oil, macadamia seed oil, squalene and vitamin E that supports the skin barrier and mimics the lipid profile of youthful skin to help improve hydration, firmness and elasticity.
.
The Rich Moisturiser
Formulated with dry skin types in mind, this is an intensely nourishing, barrier-replenishing moisturiser that drenches your skin in moisture to leave skin soft, conditioned and resilient. Addressing dryness at its core, The Rich Moisturiser is powered by a curated blend of barrier-strengthening ceramides and lipid-rich oils that reinforce your skin barrier, reduce sensitivity and improve your skin's ability to retain water. With a luxuriously rich, velvety texture, this is your dry skin saviour.
.
Testing Timelines
To the outside world, the development of new products seems to be lightning fast, and with the volume of beauty launches every week it feels like they happen almost overnight. This could not be further from the truth for the vast majority of products, especially skincare with serious clinical claims. From initial concept to retail-ready, a formulation can take anywhere from 3-10 years to get right (some technologies even longer) and will likely go through countless iterations.
For the three formulations in the Skin Rocks Moisture category —and to get each texture spot on for its purpose—this meant respective timelines of 4 years (The Moisturiser), 2 years (The Rich Moisturiser) and 2 years (The Light Moisturiser).
Some of the most memorable behind-the-scenes challenges were trying to balance the textural nuances whilst maintaining formulation integrity:
The Moisturiser—Achieving the beautifully whipped texture whilst stabilising actives and ensuring the preservative system worked was a tough balancing act (there were 20 iterations of this). I loved the texture, and my NPD team had to nail the formula shifts without any compromise to this.
The Rich Moisturiser— This had to be the heavy-hitter in terms of moisturising even the driest of skins, but it also had to have no greasy feel. Flipping the myth of ‘heaviness = performance’, getting the best of both worlds was a 2-year labour of love.
The Light Moisturiser—Again, hitting the textural sweet spot took some serious work. It needed to be light as air, non-sticky, and leave skin comfortably soft with a fresh, invisible finish. We won’t talk about one of the earliest iterations where the gel was so thick it came out of the jar in one whole piece!
Trials and Tribulations
One of the greatest frustrations in the skincare world is when brands confuse clinical results with consumer trials. One is fact, the other is opinion, and it never ceases to amaze me how many brands say the product is clinically tested/proven when in reality it’s based on a consumer testing panel. Furthermore, many brands claim that their products have clinical proof, when the data actually relates to a specific ingredient, not the formula in its entirety. Raw material suppliers will clinically test their individual ingredients, but it’s then over to brands to clinically test whole formulas. Claiming that the final product is clinically proven when in reality it refers to a single ingredient is very misleading, as it implies the overall product provides the clinical results when in fact it’s ingredient-only data.
Clinical proof is the absolute bedrock of performance skincare, and there will never be a Skin Rocks product that doesn’t undergo rigorous clinical testing (including clinical whole formulation testing for measurable efficacy, not just single-ingredient clinical claims). Yes, consumer studies are important too—as ultimately, they reinforce what the clinicals are saying—but evidence is what I’m after, and our formulations have it in abundance.
With the average clinical study taking 4-24 weeks and a consumer trial 4-12 weeks, there are always multiple hoops to jump in the ambition for top scores across the board. We have reached the highest levels of clinical efficacy every single time, and not only that, but our consumer testing results are also outstanding. We will not approve a formulation until we reach these targets, and every Skin Rocks customer knows that if it hasn’t hit the highest bar, my name is not going on that packaging.
Just to recap on our Moisture category’s impressive results:
Our Moisturiser formula is clinically proven to:
Increase skin elasticity by 42% after 1 week. *
Increase skin firmness by 31% after 4 weeks. *
Increase skin moisturisation by up to 42% at 4 weeks. *
Improve skin texture by up to 32% at 4 weeks. *
Our Rich Moisturiser formula is clinically proven to:
Increase moisturisation by 50% after 1 hour. *
Increase skin elasticity by up to 149% after 4 weeks. **
Increase skin moisturisation by up to 39% over 4 weeks. **
Maintain the skin barrier and increase skin elasticity and moisturisation. **
Our Light Moisturiser formula is clinically proven to:
Increase moisturisation by up to 141% after 1 hour. *
Increase skin elasticity by up to 53% after 4 weeks. **
Reduce skin sensitivity by up to 100% after 4 weeks. **
Reduce red spots by up to 51% after 1 week. **
Three incredible coats, a combined NPD timeline of 8 years, and there you have it: The Skin Rocks Moisture family is complete.
Words by Caroline Hirons, Skin Rocks Founder and Skincare Expert.
References:
The Moisturiser
*Based on 49 participants using the product daily for 4 weeks. Independent Clinical Study 2022.
The Rich Moisturiser
*Based on 53 people after a single application in a clinical study.
** Based on 52 participants with dry skin, using the product daily for 4 weeks in a clinical study.
The Light Moisturiser
*Based on an independent clinical study of 52 participants, after a single application, compared to untreated skin.
** Based on an independent clinical study of 50 participants, using the product daily for 4 weeks.
