This cream can cost between $38 and $105 for 8 ounces, so what makes it so expensive? Let's take a look at what Sephora says about this product...
What it is: A cult-favorite moisturizer that gently hydrates, exfoliates, and protects the skin.
What it is formulated to do: Philosophy Hope in a Jar is a 99.9% oil-free, deeply hydrating, lightweight wonder designed to smooth the complexion while reducing the appearance of wrinkles and discoloration. Originally created for the medical market, this expert essential delivers soft, healthy, glowing results.
What else you need to know: This beloved formula contains antioxidants that protect skin against environmental damage and provides continuous exfoliation to keep roughness at bay. An infusion of yeast-derived beta glucan supports the skin's natural defense system and improves repair capabilities.
Let's take a look at the ingredient list!
Water - the solvent
Glycerin - our humectant
Rice Bran oil - our oil.
C12-15 alkyl benzoate - an ester that feels light and offers good slip and glide, as well as fragrance fixing properties.
Glyceryl stearate - part of the emulsification system.
PEG-100 stearate - a PEG ester that comes in a waxy format. It acts as a thickener, opacifier, and emulsifier. It's probably part of the emulsification system along with glyceryl stearate.
Octyldodecanol - A fatty alcohol, but one that comes in a liquid form. It offers thickening and emolliency to our products.
Cetyl Alcohol - A fatty alcohol that offers slip and glide, as well as thickening to our products. Also acts as an emollient.
Stearyl Alcohol - A fatty alcohol that will offer thickening to our products and it acts as an emollient.
Lecithin - An emollient and emulsifier.
Tocopheryl Acetate - Vitamin E
Retinyl Palmitate - Vitamin A
Arachidyl Propionate - A semi-solid wax that melts on contact with our skin. It's non-greasy feeling.
Ethyl Linoleate - an ester of linoleic acid
Ethyl Linolenate - an ester of linolenic acid
Citric Acid - pH adjuster
Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Salvia Officinialis (Sage) Oil, Limonene & Linalool - fragrance ingredients
Diazolidinyl Urea, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Propylparaben - preservatives
So what do we see in this product? We see water and glycerin as the first two ingredients - look familiar? - then rice bran oil and C12-15 alkyl benzoate as the emollients. As we go down the list we see quite a few fatty alcohols that offer thickening and emolliency to the product. We see some Vitamin A and E, and then a few interesting ingredients like the arachidyl propionate, ethyl linoleate, and ethyl linolenate, all of which are esters that offer a non-greasy feeling to the product.
This product should be a less greasy feeling product than anything made with mineral oil, so it lives up to the idea that it's lightweight - there's nothing really occlusive in it - and non-greasy.
Does it live up to its claims? Does it gently hydrate, exfoliate, and protect skin? Sure, I can see it hydrating and protecting the skin, but I'm not sure about the exfoliation. Retinoids or Vitamin A can help exfoliate the skin, but I doubt there's enough in there to cause exfoliation based on its placement in the ingredient list, but there's always a chance.
It claims to be 99.9% oil free, which works when you consider most of the ingredients are esters and fatty alcohols, which are oil free, but what about the rice bran oil? Are they claiming the rice bran oil is "An infusion of yeast-derived beta glucan supports the skin's natural defense system and improves repair capabilities..." because it's listed as rice bran oil in the ingredients. This is where I get confused! How can something be oil free yet list rice bran oil as the third ingredient?
I've never tried this product before and I'm sure it feels lovely, but is it worth $38 for 2 ounces when we compare it to other products? I don't know - value is an amorphous thing that changes from person to person. Can we make this at home? Sure, why not?
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