Dieux Skin Instant Angel Barrier Repair Cream Review
One tube is sold every four minutes, according to its website
Hi Angels, welcome to the first original Cute, Kind Of post. I thought it would be nice to start out with a product review.
I tried this product when it was released a few years ago so it has been awhile since I have had it in my hands but I remember my general thoughts on it.
Also, I have tried other Dieux products and thought it was important to talk about this moisturizer first because my review on it goes along with the other product reviews.
Product Name: Instant Angel Lipid-Rich Barrier Repair Cream with Ceramides
Brand Name: Dieux
Price: $45 for standard size, $78 for value size
Amount: 1.7 oz for standard size, 3.3 fl oz for value size
Where To Buy: Dieuxskin.com and Sephora
Something cool about this product is $1 from every Instant Angel sold goes to an organization fighting for reproductive justice (although they don’t list the organization). In general, Dieux Skin donates $1 of each of their products sold to a different organizations.
Founders: Charlotte Palermino, Joyce de Lemos, and Marta Freedman. Marta left (?) Dieux to focus on other projects, namely a gifting suite company called Air Milkshake.
Investors: According to Crunch Base, Dieux received venture capital investments from True Beauty Ventures. True Beauty Ventures invests in beauty companies like Crown Affair, Ami Colé, K18, Youthforia (lol) and more.
I pulled this from their website:
“We strive to accelerate the success of female founders and funders. Female founders tend to seek out female investors, and the chances of successfully securing financing can rise with a female investor in the room.
With a portfolio of 75% female and/or BIPOC founders, an 80% female investment team, and a Latina Co-Founder and General Partner, True Beauty is dedicated to making a positive impact in both beauty and VC.”
Investments: According to Crunch Base, Dieux invested in the perfume company Ellis Brooklyn. Ellis Brooklyn is founded by Bee Shapiro who is a beauty writer/columnist at The New York Times. I have been following her since 2020-ish and I like her writing.
How is the product packaging?
The product comes in an aluminum tube and with its own squeeze key. The website notes that the reason they went with an aluminum tube is so the product can be easily recyclable. The tube itself is already made with 30% recycled aluminum.
Let’s talk about the splooge. Splooge is what happens when you use the puncture tool (on the cap) to break the seal, product will most likely begin to seep out.
This happens due to the air pressure in the aluminum tube. It is very common with aluminum tube products, like a prescribed trentinoion. So if you are doing air travel, more likely than not, you will have your aluminum-packaged product seep out once you open it up after traveling.
When I first tried the moisturizer when it was first released, I was impressed with how honest Dieux was about the splooge and how they explained how to handle this issue. Many brands would just ignore it and be like you are on your own.
The brand recommends having your hands, a plate, or the cap ready to catch any extra product. However, I would recommend having a travel container instead so you can at least safely store the product.
Recently, a way the brand says to combat this is to remove the cap, turn the tube upside down, and tap it down a few times. It is supposed to help combat the splooge, but I have not tried that.
They have a video on their website and on Charlotte’s instagram showing you what to do, if you found my explanation confusing.
Ingredient-callouts?
The Instant Angel, as well as other Dieux products, use ingredient blends called complexes. So it is not necessarily glycerin on its own, it is glycerin mixed with urea and other ingredients. Random: I love glycerin and urea as moisturizing ingredients.
Other random ingredients I see are coconut alkanes, derived from coconut oil. Also, castor oil/ipdi copolymer.
Something really cool about the Dieux Skin website is that under the ingredient drop-down, you can see a list explaining what the major product ingredients does for you. Then if you click on the full ingredient list, you can actually click on every single ingredient and the site will tell you what the ingredient is and what it is used for.
Update: I am editing this post and I checked the website and the full ingredient list is not available anymore. I asked customer service and the lovely employee looped their website team to find out why it went missing. Anyways, she gave me the full list below!
I am not a cosmetic chemist, so I cannot tell what each ingredient does, but I highly recommend checking it out for yourself. Learning what ingredients you like and don’t like is going to be integral in helping you find, buy, and use products that give you the skin you want.
How does the product smells?
No scent I can smell, or can remember.
How does the product taste?
Thank heavens, I have not accidentally tasted it.
How the product itself looks and feels?
It is a beautiful product.
With the ingredient list and how it is marketed, I initially thought it might be a heavy moisturizer. BUT it was actually really nice and not heavy at all.
Texture-wise, it honestly reminds me of the original Glossier Priming Moisturizer. I just cannot remember if it has the same makeup primer benefits as the priming moisturizer. Oh btw, I love the priming moisturizer line form Glossier.
However, the biggest takeaway is the dewy finish you get upon application. It is so goood! So pretty and angelic! If you have tried the Naturium Dewy Sunscreen, the Instant Angel’s has a similar radiance, but a bit softer. A true angelic dewiness.
Did I like it?
It is with a heavy heart I have to say it did not work for me.
I know I know, the finish and the formula are everything. However, it clogged my pores. This is the first product in many years that clogged pores. The pore-clogging criticism is a very common complaint from people who have tried the product.
I have oily, acne-prone skin and it clogged my pores. My sister has dry skin and it also clogged her pores.
It was very disappointing because the product itself because it has a beautiful finish, it is lightweight but still very hydrating.
Who would I recommend this to?
Now just because I was left with clogged pores, doesn’t mean you will.
My suggestion is I would HIGHLY recommend going to your nearest Sephora that carries Dieux Skin and getting a sample of this moisturizer to see how your skin reacts. I knew within two days my pores were clogged because of this moisturizer.
I personally think this moisturizer not only works well with dry skin, but amazing with combination skin. The formula works really well for you to control the amount of product and hydration you need that day. For example, if the weather gets drier and colder, I can use more to rehydrate my skin. While maybe in summer months, I can use a little less.
I know this is a given, but some hydrating moisturizers tend to be heavy upon first application which can make it harder for people with oily and combination skin to manage. I feel like the Instant Angel gives you better control.
Overall, very gorgeous moisturizer, just a sad outcome.
Leave a comment and let me know if you have tried this moisturizer and if you like it!