Review: Nature Republic Super Aqua Max Moisture Watery Cream

I don’t know if you guys had the same experience, but before I started getting seriously into skincare, I had this impression that an expensive cream would solve all my skin issues. Finding a miracle cream that didn’t cost a fortune is actually how I first got more interested in skincare.

Spoiler alert – I didn’t find one. But the frustration of trying so many creams that claimed to be anti-aging (but actually weren’t) is what pushed me to learn about the ingredients affect your skin, and how to build a routine that encompasses much more than just moisturizer that can tackle all of your skin issues at once.

To be clear, there are definitely creams out there that can drastically change your skin, and any additional moisturizer to your own natural oils will stave off wrinkles for a bit longer. But creams that make a noticeable difference in your skin right away? Those are harder to find, and they tend to be more expensive.

And you typically get more bang for your buck from other steps in your skincare. A good essence or serum can make some pretty significant changes in your skin relatively quickly compared to what a moisturizer will give you. Don’t get me wrong, there are some amazing moisturizers out there, but in my experience, they start to make significant changes to skin around the ~$50-$60 range (but if you know of a cheaper one, let me know in the comments! I’m always on the hunt for a great, reasonably priced moisturizer). Since that’s more than I can spend on a single step in my routine, I stick to basic moisturizers, and amp up the other steps of my routine.

At its most basic, your moisturizer should keep your skin feeling hydrated all day. That’s it. The rest of the layers of your skincare do the heavy lifting, and your moisturizer should just seal it all in. That being said, it can still be difficult to find a moisturizer that keeps your face feeling hydrated all day without feeling too dry or too greasy.

Enter gel creams

Gel creams, or watery creams, are a hybrid moisturizer with the lightweight feel of a gel, but the hydrating power of a cream. People with oily skin have traditionally favored gel creams because of their lightweight texture, but they work really well for dry skin, too. They’re an especially nice way to get used to layering products if you’re just getting started with a routine, because they layer easily with other products without feeling heavy or greasy on the skin. The texture is a little weird if you’re used to using products with a cream consistency, but it’s quickly become my preferred texture for moisturizers.

The Nature Republic Super Aqua Max Line

One of my favorite aspects to this moisturizer is that it comes in varieties for dry, combination, and oily skin. This review is focused on the moisturizer for dry skin, because that works best for me, but having options for different skin types is a nice feature to this moisturizer. It comes in a glass tub with a plastic lid that looks like a swirl, and is a different color based on skin type. The packaging is really pretty and it has good weight to it from being glass.

The moisturizer itself is also a different color based on type, and has a light, floral scent that disappears once absorbed. A little goes a long way with this moisturizer too, which is something I really appreciate – a dime-sized amount covers my whole face, and if I need a little more moisture, it layers up really well without feeling greasy.