OSEA Malibu – Hyaluronic Sea Serum Review

CLEAN INGREDIENT SCORE

The Osea Malibu Hyaluronic Sea Serum has earned a Clean Ingredient Score of an “A+” for its cruelty-free, gluten-free, vegan, all-natural, and organic formulation. This hyaluronic acid serum is made with just 11 ingredients including three forms of organic algae for extra nourishment (gigartina skottsbergii extract, macrocystis pyrifera extract, and undaria pinnatifida extract). Other ingredients include two forms of hyaluronic acid (both large and small molecular sizes), Japanese honeysuckle extract, chlorophyll (for pigment), and two natural preservatives. The Hyaluronic Sea Serum lost a few points for its preservative system, potassium sorbate. Potassium sorbate is a naturally-derived food-preservative that has been linked to skin irritation in high concentrations. Osea Malibu uses very low concentrations of potassium sorbate (based on its placement towards the bottom of the ingredient list–indicating low quantity relative to the other ingredients on the list). During our two week review process, the Skin Care Ox team experienced no signs of irritation while reviewing the Hyaluronic Sea Serum.

PRODUCT DESIGN & EFFECTIVENESS

The Osea Malibu Hyaluronic Sea Serum claims to be a lightweight serum that adds a burst of hydration to your skin care routine. We put this fan favorite to the test and added the Hyaluronic Sea Serum to a variety of daily routines for two weeks. We tested the serum with various other serums, moisturizers, and experimented with wearing it by itself after cleansing. At the end of the trial, this organic moisturizer earned a Product Design & Effectiveness Score of an “A+” for it’s lightweight, fast absorbing, non-sticky formula. Here’s the deal with this serum: it cannot be worn by itself. Hyaluronic acid works as a humectant which draws moisture from the environment towards and into the skin. If no additional moisturizing product is layered over the Hyaluronic Sea Serum, there is very little moisture in the environment for the hyaluronic acid to draw from. This can cause the skin to feel dry, tight, and dehydrated. Through our trial, we discovered that the best way to wear this serum is alongside a water-based moisturizer or serum. When applied after cleansing or toning, this serum has a very lightweight gel texture that absorbs quickly into the skin. There is a slightly tacky feeling left over for a few seconds as the serum seeps into the skin. Once absorbed, it was easy to layer on another serum, facial oil, or moisturizer without feeling weighed down by all of the layers. The Hyaluronic Sea Serum has practically no scent and a little of this serum goes a very long way. The texture is so easy to spread around the skin that we were able to get away with using one very small drop per use.

ONLINE CUSTOMER REVIEW SCORE

We’ve analyzed 305 customer reviews for the Osea Malibu Hyaluronic Sea Serum from 7 different online retailers (including stores like Detox Market, Follain, Credo, and Petit Vour). Across all retailers, the Hyaluronic Sea Serum earned an average customer review of 4.6/5 stars–earning a grade of “A-” for our Online Customer Review Score. After analyzing the reviews, it was obvious that the main complaint about this serum is that it doesn’t behave like a true moisturizer (i.e. it can’t be worn solo as a moisturizing serum, it must be paired with other serums or moisturizers). Customers who wore this serum on its own mentioned experiencing “dry,” “tight,” and “dehydrated” skin. Customers who used the Hyaluronic Sea Serum with other skin care products were more likely to leave positive reviews. On the positive side, positive reviews raved about this serums ability to create a dewy, hydrated, glowing appearance with both day and night use. Other positive comments include the serums easy-to-apply texture, fast absorbing formula, and ability to work for sensitive and acne-prone skin. See Pros & Cons below for a full summary.