Okay so you know how I’ve been using this balm for like two years and told everyone it was the only thing that saved my face in January? Yeah. They reformulated it. I found out because my last jar felt different by day three — and not in a fun way.
The brand swapped the shea butter for a lab-grown lipid complex to boost their 72-hour hydration test scores. Spoiler: the test might pass. My skin? We’re negotiating.
It’s a $68 balm in a frosted glass jar. The old formula absorbed in 10 seconds flat and sat under makeup like a dream. The new one claims 72-hour moisture — which is weird because you wash your face before that anyway.
New Lipid Matrix
Feels like a fancy silicone hybrid — smooths immediately but sits on top
No More Shea
They swapped the OG butter for something called “beurre bio-synthétique” — sounds expensive, acts confused
Fragrance Shift
Same rose scent but now there’s a plasticky undertone that lingers 20 minutes after application
Photo: Content Pixie / Unsplash
Here’s the thing — the old formula was boring and it worked. Shea, squalane, ceramides. Done. The new one has a lab-grown lipid that’s supposed to mimic your skin barrier’s natural fats. Sounds great on paper. My face disagrees.
- Beurre bio-synthétique: Claims to rebuild barrier but left my cheeks tight by 4pm
- Squalane: Still there, still fine — the reliable friend
- Ceramide NP: Present but diluted compared to old formula
- Glycerin: Doing ALL the heavy lifting now — you can feel it evaporate
Photo: Poko Skincare / Unsplash
First application: silky. Like a primer-meets-moisturizer hybrid. I almost loved it. Then by hour six my chin felt like I’d washed with dish soap. The old formula kept me hydrated through a 10-hour flight. This one barely made it through a workday.
Week two update — I’ve started mixing it with my drugstore squalane oil just to make it functional. That’s not a $68 experience, babe.
Photo: Jocelyn Morales / Unsplash
Measurable results: my skin stayed soft overnight — that part’s true. But the “72-hour hydration” claim is marketing math. By morning two, my fine lines looked the same as when I skipped moisturizer entirely. The glow? Gone by lunch.
Photo: freestocks / Unsplash
They fixed something that wasn’t broken and made it worse. If you find old stock anywhere, buy it. Otherwise, let’s both move on to something better.