I really enjoy trying new skincare brands, especially the ones that use evidence-based ingredients. But (like anybody) I hate wasting my time and money. That is why I constantly repurchase the same products, with a bit of variation sprinkled in every once in a while. Some brands just tend to work well for me in particular areas, like for example Purito with their moisturizers and Paula´s Choice with treatments. The Purito Oat-In Calming Gel Cream is definitely a staple – I am already at the end of the third tube and this thing is huge. It is a refreshing, soft gel, which moisturizes, soothes and calms the skin without greasing it up. So if you find yourself hating on heavy face creams that make your sunscreen and makeup slide off your face you might be interested in it!
Table of Contents
What I enjoyed about it
- Lightweight, but effective moisturizer that is perfect for oily skin
- Great ingredients
- Suitable for around the eyes
- Refreshing and calming
- Perfume- and essential oil free
- Big tube that lasts quite a long time
- Recycled packaging
What I disliked about it
- Not moisturizing enough on its own if you have really dry skin, but perfect if layered with other products
Product claims
Let start first with what we are told by Purito. The Oat-In Calming Gel Cream:
- is vegan and cruelty-free;
- does not contain perfume or essential oils, making it suitable for sensitive skin prone to allergies;
- is fungal acne safe = does not aggravate fungal acne eruptions or feed Malassezia folliculitis.
The Oat-In Gel Cream is geared more towards people with oilier skin types (most gels are), however that does not mean it may not be beneficial to others. It is meant to be lightweight but moisturizing, while helping replenish skin´s capacity to maintain moisture through skin barrier support. It contains calming and soothing ingredients, such as Oat Seed Water, which have been known to help with reducing dryness, itchiness and can even help alleviate symptoms of afflictions such as atopic dermatitis and psoriasis. Purito also strives to reduce the environmental footprint associated with consumption of their products by manufacturing tubes that are part plastic, part paper with a cap that is 100% made out of recycled plastic and can be recycled in its turn. I applaud anything that can help us reduce plastic in our lives and I hope that more brands in the future will try to find more sustainable options (by popularizing refillable cosmetic packaging for example).
Ingredients
- Avena Sativa (Oat) Seed Water is the main ingredient of this formulation. It represents a little more than ¾ of the content (77%) and is a popular addition to skincare products. Oat is not only good for us when we consume it every day with our morning müsli, it is also a skincare superhero, which hydrates, boosts the skin barrier and acts as a prebiotic to feed the good bacteria present on the skin. It is also effective at treating red, irritated and dry skin, while making it feel plump, soft and moisturized.
- Beta-glucan is a complex sugar naturally derived from the cell walls of some algae, yeasts, bacteria and cereals such as oats. It is a powerful humectant (at least as if not even more effective than hyaluronic acid) that has so many beneficial effects on skin that it would take too long to list them, such as reducing redness, dryness, irritation and strengthening our skin´s defense against UV radiation. It has also been shown to ameliorate the appearance of wrinkles after regular use.
- Squalane is a skin-identical emollient which is very similar to a compound found in our own sebum called squalene, but differentiates itself by being more stable and thus more effective in skincare. It is lightweight, helping keep skin looking healthy and reducing transepidermal water loss. It has been proven that skin production of squalene diminishes with age, leading to dryness and lack of plumpness. Other reasons squalane has been added to many cosmetics are its effectiveness and its high tolerability. It is generally also suitable for acne-prone skin.
- Panthenol or provitamin B5 is commonly used in treating damaged or dry skin, but it might also have the capacity to promote wound healing.
About my skin type
- Acne prone
- Combination skin type – oily around nose and normal to dry everywhere else
- Sensitive
- First signs of aging starting to appear
My experience with the product
I have used the Purito Oat-In Calming Gel Cream on and off for a few years now and it is honestly the perfect summertime moisturizer for me. If you have oily skin it might be the perfect moisturizer for you all day every day, all year round, as it is lightweight, refreshing and does not leave your skin sticky or greasy. It doesn’t leave that film on the skin that gel moisturizers sometimes do, rather it soaks right in, providing an adequate step before applying your facial sunscreen (especially if you want to avoid making it even greasier). It is so light that even my boyfriend (who hates creams on principle) does not object to having it on his face when I finally convince him to do it.
The texture is of a creamy gel (as the name suggests), but it spreads easily without it being tacky. It is cooling, soothing and it instantly removes the feeling of tightness in my skin that I sometimes get after cleansing. I find that it works well under makeup and I can also apply it around my eyes with no problem (Eye cream? I barely know her).
I also like that there is no scent or potentially allergenic essential oils in it, because I think that that is very important in products aimed towards people with sensitive skin. The Oat-In Gel Cream comes in a bigger tube than usual (100 ml) and it usually lasts me way more than a month (that also might be because it is not the only source of moisture in my routine). Speaking of which, buyer beware. If your skin is super dry, this will moisturize it but might not be enough on its own during the colder season. Even though it is quite effective enough on dry patches it does not leave that pleasant feeling of having something really moisturizing on your face (if you know what I mean). That is why I usually use it during the morning routine when I feel like it is perfect under sunscreen or when I would wear my glowy face base makeup and I don’t want it to melt off my face. In the night however I prefer to feel slippery and soft like a slug (try and research the slugging method). We also know that transepidermal water loss increases significantly during the night, so I either apply an oil on top OR go directly in with another Purito product, this time from the Dermide line.
Conclusion
I really enjoy the Purito Oat-In Calming Gel Cream, especially as a combination/dry skinned woman who wants to give proper hydration to my skin and take care of it in the long term. For me it is perfect for use in the summer or in the morning routine when I don’t want to be sticky or greasy, though it might not be enough on its own for the evening or when I have really dry skin. I combine it however with an oil or a mask (always applied from thinner to thicker layer) and it works perfectly. I think this routine is great for oilier skin types, particularly when you are trying to simplify your skincare and not use two different moisturizers every day.
