Reviewed: Summer Fridays' Cloud Dew Moisturizer

To be honest, a face cream is like my Dyson vacuum to me—I usually forget that it’s there, and when I see it, I can’t believe I ever forgot about it. For as long as I can remember, my skin has been dry and I’ve been slathering on face creams and lotions to keep my dinosaur skin at bay. Gel moisturizers never seem to be quite moisturizing enough for me, so I’ve tended to favor creamy, emollient moisturizers. But I’m always willing to be proven wrong when it comes to beauty.

When I first set eyes on the Summer Friday Cloud Dew Oil-Free Gel Cream, I thought immediately of post-shower skin: satiny-soft, dewy, plump, and deeply moist. Then, I saw the promises of skin-plumping hydration with three kinds of hyaluronic acid, a fortified moisture barrier with ceramides and amino acids, and an evened-out tone and texture with antioxidants and pineapple enzymes. Yes, please. It’s also vegan, cruelty-free, paraben-free, and sulfate-free, with no added synthetic dyes or fragrances. Needless to say, I slathered it on my skin immediately.

Summer Fridays Cloud Dew Oil-Free Gel Cream $44.00

Shop

About My Skin: Dry and slightly sensitive

My current adult skin is both minimal and fussy: it’s dry, slightly sensitive, it doesn’t really like it when I layer on products, and it’s quite reactive to my environment. Poor sleep quality leads to acne and haggardness, low water-intake triggers dehydrated flaking, and a dry apartment leads to flaking and stinging skin. Oh, and don’t forget that slight smattering of hyperpigmentation along my cheeks. Most products tend to pill the second I start layering them, and I’m also prone to congestion. So, I tend to prefer products that can address a few of my skin problems at once.

The Feel: Bouncy and lightweight

The initial texture is lightweight, cool, and bouncy—almost wobbly. It’s a pretty baby pink color, and true to claims, it has no distinctive scent. As I worked it into my skin, the gel seemed to liquefy beneath the heat of my fingers, which gave it more slip without compromising the textural integrity of the cream. It made me think of what it might be like to swipe my fingers through an actual cloud: wet, but not completely liquid. When smoothing it over my face, it felt like I was taking a gulp of cool water through my skin. As it absorbs, the initial tackiness feels pleasantly moist, then seems to mattify slightly.

The Results: Calm, glowing skin

I was initially a little concerned about how my dry skin would take being away from my beloved oils and creamy emollients, but I was pleasantly surprised. My skin looked calm, glowy, and moist. I didn’t notice much of a change in my hyperpigmentation or my texture, but I noticed that I had fewer sebaceous filaments on my nose, which is a win in my book. I will say, however, that when my apartment humidity fell lower than normal (a whopping 30 percent), using the cream on my dried and sensitized skin stung a little bit and I needed to layer another moisturizer on top of it. Other than that, it layers beautifully with my sunscreens and foundations without a hint of pilling.

The Value: Slightly pricey, but worth it

A 50 ml container for $42 is quite generous for a moisturizer, when I consider my own personal needs and what I expect from my moisturizer. But considering how it managed to keep my parched dinosaur skin sufficiently moist and healthy even in winter, I’m quite impressed and I think that this cream would be an excellent choice for people with dehydrated, oily skin types. The environmentally conscious packaging, strong performance, and ingredients have me leaning to repurchase it when I’m finished with it.

If you’re looking for a lightweight cream that will quench your complexion, you have a slightly more generous budget, and you’d like to purchase from an environmentally conscious company, I think the Summer Friday Cloud Dew Oil-Free Gel Cream is an excellent choice. I know that when warmer weather rolls around and my skin gets a little oilier, I’ll be absolutely slathering myself in this.