I have to agree with previous reviewer.....They call this thing Oprah in a Jar because after she reviewed it, EVERYONE and their mother went out to buy it...including me...I just didn't get it....I'm a huge fan of effective skin care no matter how expensive, but this stuff did nothing, and really disappointed. I love the line for it's innovativeness, but this cream is nothing special. I'll stick ot my Hauschka thank you very much. If you're looking for great cream, definitely check out my reviews for this!

Nothing special about this cream. It was relatively moisturizing but didn't really have anything else going for it.

This is a no big deal not very emollient moisturizer. My skin is normal/dry, and it's barely moisturizing enough for day and certainly not for night. There are just so many better alternatives out there that I can't see buying more.

i had a problem with this moisturizer making my eyes sting and water like crazy, but it has a nice texture and is very moisturizing. not sure about the brightening claims though.

I used this for the first time last night after cleansing with Purity, and found it to be too light for nighttime use. My skin is normal to dry, and although I liked the cream, I think it's best for me as a daytime moisturizer. I live in the Seattle area, and it doesn't get very hot around here in the summer, so I can get away with something more emollient than this cream. However, since I wear BE makeup, Hope in a Jar, with the Supernatural Poreless Flawless over it is a terrific combo under the BE foundation. Makes the BE minerals glide on easily. I will continue to buy this cream for that purpose, but will try something else at night. I like the light scent, which doesn't interfere with my fragrances.

Isn't this just about the most annoying product on earth?

Hard-to-resist little blurb on the jar, kind-n-caring website, charity-partnerships... oh, it's just so goshdarn CUTE!

But then you have this stuff. And I don't know whether I love it or hate it, and I don't think it's actually doing anything for my skin, but I know I WANT TO KEEP USING IT.

Damn you philosophy! *shakes fist*

OK, now that I've got that out of my system, here we have a gimmicky moisturiser that's been hyped beyond reality. It comes in a jar, see. And is supposed to give you hope to "reduce the appearance of wrinkles, skin discoloration, rough texture and dehydration"*. So hence the name, Hope in a Jar. Pretty simple, eh?

So how come my skin looks almost the same after three months of use? And how come, despite fitting their description of who should use this ("your skin is normal with a traditional t-zone"*) perfectly, I've got a few pimples from it that I didn't have before? And how come it's so expensive? And how come it burns my eyes if I get it near them accidentally?

This has a weird texture - kinda like water mixed with air. It's not a cream, not a lotion, and not a gel - a "souffle"*. Hence, it can be a bit difficult to apply - I've found that if I scoop a little blob out of the jar and pat it between my fingers and then press it into my skin I have more luck than trying to apply it directly to my face. Also, as above - avoid your eye area - I don't know if it's the HIAJ or the fragrance, or a combination of both, but if I accidentally get this in my eyes it stings really badly.

The actual moisturising properties of this are pretty good. I don't have overly-dry skin but it does a decent job at sorting out dehydrated patches in winter - better than some of the lighter lotions I've tried, but because of that my t-zone seems to be slightly oiler than it has been previously. It also seems to leave my skin "moist" for a long time after application. I only use it at night because it obviously doesn't have an SPF - I don't know how great it would go under my speedy morning foundation application owing to the time it takes to sink in, but that's not a problem if all I'm doing once I've slapped it on is going to bed.

On the fragrance - I actually like the lavender smell, it's probably the most therapeutic part of the whole product and one of the attributes which sets it apart from other lactic-acid based moisturisers. On the packaging - well, I know it's called HIAJ for a reason, but it's not exactly the most hygienic or effective way of storing products, especially those that claim to be "loaded with antioxidants"*. At least the jar's plastic so that it doesn't smash and waste the incredibly overpriced contents when I accidentally drop it. *shrugs halfheartedly*
And that's pretty much what has made me the most sad about this product - the price. For a simple moisturiser that hasn't really changed my skin much, it's just too expensive to justify. But then there's the gimmick ... and I'm back to square one.

Will I buy it again? Well, for the sake of my purse, I hope not, and I've said no above. I hope I can be strong and resist the marketing. Cross your fingers for me, fellow MUA-ers.

* from the philosophy website

I love this product. Love the smell - which is, as many of the Philosophy face products are - a little earthy and medicinal at the same time, which I like. I don't use this for a moisturizer during the day... but I use it at night in place of any other blemish-control product. I don't have terrible breakouts, but I do get clogged pores and the occasional pimple. I have used Proactiv, Clearasil, Stridex, and a few other anti-acne products against the low-grade breakouts I get and this product works so much better than those. I use it overnight and I DEFINITELY see results in the morning - my skin is clearer. I use it the night before I have some kind of event (like a wedding or something like that) to make sure that my skin is clear.

I have been using this moisturizer for a little over 3 weeks and thought I would review it.
I really don't like it. Very greasy, just ok at moisturizing, too many ingredients and doesn't do much.
Other moisturizers do more than this one and feel and smell better. Some even cost less.
I am going back to my Zia products. Love them.
This promised too much and I guess tries to do to much.

I love hope in a jar. Makes my skin soft and glowly. I don't see why people say this stuff stinks. Heaven in a bottle.

I have oily, acne prone skin and wanted to give this high profile product a try. It delivered on its claim on "instant results" -- the lactic acid was a gentle and effective constant exfoliator for my often bumpy skin. Plus, I totally got the "rosy glow" in my cheeks.It mosturized quite well while still having a lightweight feeling. I found it a little too much moisture for my skin in the summer time -- it's VERY humid in the summer where I live. Overall, liked the product enough to repurchase, I would like to see this in a pump though.