Battle of Beauté : Chanel Hydra Beauty vs. Dior Hydra Life

I'm a huge cosmetics buff, and trying new skincare products is one of my guilty pleasures. Fortunately, I've always had okay skin -- I had the normal bouts of awkward teenage zits, and now in my early twenties though most of that has cleared up, I still suffer from occasional breakouts on the hollows of my cheeks where there are definitely noticeable acne scars, hormonal zits that show up in an extremely timely fashion {to my huge and utter disappointment} once a month on my chin, and the stray pimples that pop up here and there in my t-zone and along my hairline. But for the most part, I don't complain about my skin that often or find it all too problematic because I know there are people who deal with much worse, and to be honest, I suffer from a bad case of chronic chest and back acne that I have yet to find the cause or cure, so I definitely sympathize with everyone out there suffering from skin problems. 

Today I want to share a review of two comparable skincare lines, both of which I've tried for myself, and one of which is a serious all-time love. Just for reference, I have pretty normal to combination skin -- an oily t-zone with some dry patches. I'll match the two moisturizers and serums up against each other, and then review the remaining products separately.

- Price :You're going to notice the hefty difference in price between these two lines. In the case of the serum, the Chanel serum is almost double the price of the Dior serum. 
- Scent : The Dior serum has little to no scent, while the Chanel serum definitely has a distinct smell to it {I personally really like the smell} -- it is a bit flowery and sweet
- Effectiveness : The Dior Hydra Life Serum Sorbet is more watery and thus, a little less hydrating in comparison with the Chanel Hydra Beauty Serum which has more of a light gel-like consistency. I feel like the Chanel serum makes your skin feel smoother immediately after application. However, both absorb into the skin quite quickly! I actually found that you can get a similar result if you use the Dior Hydra Life Serum Sorbet in conjunction with Kiehl's Vitamin C Concentrate {a personal favorite of mine}. 
 - Packaging : I think the Dior serum definitely has a higher-end packaging feel with the glass bottle and the mixed metal/plastic pump whereas the Chanel packaging is 100% plastic. Neither pump gives you more product than desired though, which is especially nice in the case of the Chanel serum at almost $100 a pop.
- Overall : I would re-purchase the Dior Serum over the Chanel Serum for two reasons. First, the Dior serum is much more affordable. Second, since I use the Kiehl's Vitamin C Serum on the regular, I feel like I can achieve the same results the Chanel serum gives me when I use the two together. And as consolation, I do like the packaging just a hair more on the Dior serum than the Chanel serum. 

- Price : Price here isn't as disparate as the difference between the serums, but still almost a $30 difference!
- Scent : Similar to the serum, the Dior Sorbet Creme has little to no scent while the Chanel Hydra Beauty Gel Creme has the same sweet floral scent that the serum has. Again, I really love the scent of the Chanel hydra beauty products so for me, this is a plus!
- Effectiveness : I think this is the biggest difference between the two products. I first bought the Chanel Hydra Beauty Gel Creme, and after going through two of them, I decided to look for a more affordable option {not that $60 is soo cheap...but hey it's $27 cheaper okay?}. What I loved about the Chanel Gel Creme is its consistency -- it has the same light-weight gel texture that the serum has and it absorbs into the skin so well. I am, admittedly, horrible at removing my make-up every night before going to bed, so often times I'm essentially setting my skin up for a bad day by clogging up my pores. My little Chanel regimen was like my secret weapon, and I could literally apply this moisturizer and wake up the next morning with beautiful skin. After two pots of this stuff, I stumbled across the Dior Sorbet Creme and I thought, why not give it a try? It's packaged similarly, marketed similarly, and is essentially targeting the same end result and same customer but with a more appealing price tag. Unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed. Not only does the Dior Sorbet Creme lack the amazing smell of the Chanel Creme, it also isn't nearly as moisturizing, nor does it absorb as well or give the same beautiful skin results in the morning. I almost feel like it's a cross between a moisturizer and a day cream {but without the SPF}.
 - Packaging : Again, the Dior comes is much more substantial packaging, as the pot is a super thick glass, while the Chanel comes in the same grade plastic container as the serum. Albeit, the Dior is not travel friendly, it does look much nicer sitting on my bathroom shelf ;) 
- Overall : I will re-purchase the Chanel Hydra Beauty Gel Creme a hundred times over again. I am nearly done with the Dior Sorbet Creme and this first pot will probably be my last. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it, but maybe it's because I spoiled my skin first with the Chanel Hydra Beauty Gel Creme. I will say though that if you don't compare, the Dior Sorbet Creme is actually a great product and I would choose to use it if the Chanel Hydra Beauty Gel Creme did not exist because I do think it is better than your typical run of the mill moisturizers. 

- Price : For an eye cream, I think this is a pretty standard price as most eye creams run on the pricey side. I actually think this is one of the more affordable price points you'll find. However, for the amount you get, I actually think the $56 is completely worth it!
- Scent : Consistent with the rest of this line, there is no noticeable scent to this product.
- Effectiveness : I would only recommend this eye cream if you are looking for a light-weight, super hydrating eye cream. I think for younger skin (aka late teens into your 20's) this is the perfect eye cream if your only concern is hydration. I actually have pretty bad puffiness under my eyes, and this will not help with that at all, so I think it is safe to say that it will not help in reduction of dark circles, wrinkles, etc. either. 
 - Packaging : Same packaging as the Sorbet Creme, but just a smaller version :)
- Overall : I probably will not be re-purchasing this eye cream simply because it does not meet all of my needs. I originally purchased it because I was experiencing dryness under my eyes which was noticeable with makeup application, and this did help eradicate that issue, so if you are looking for a  solely hydrating eye cream, this is your girl! However, since I do suffer from pretty severe puffiness and some darkness under my eyes, I will probably look for a more all-encompassing product that both hydrates while addressing those additional issues.

- Price : For a cleansing milk priced at $45, I think this is a bit on the excessively expensive side...
- Scent : Light floral scent similar to the hydra beauty line
- Effectiveness : I'm extremely particular about how well a product removes my makeup because in the case that I do take the time at night to remove my makeup before sleeping, I like to make sure I have a clean slate to start with before I begin my evening skincare regime. I definitely think this does the job when it comes to face makeup, however it will not remove your eye makeup effectively and I do find myself using a separate oil-based product to remove my eye makeup before cleansing my entire face with the Chanel Lait Confort. 
 - Packaging : Same plastic packaging as the rest of the Chanel products
- Overall : The one winning point of this product is how gentle it is. It removes all of the excess makeup and dirt from your face without excessive scrubbing or multiple wipes or washes {like I find myself doing with let's say, Neutrogena cleansing wipes}. However, at the $45, I do not think this product is worth it as I have used better products than this with a lower ticket price and I will not be re-purchasing. 

- Price : For most people, I think $45 is pretty pricey for a face cleanser, but priced the same as the Lait Confort, I do think this one has a little bit more worth to its name
- Scent : Light floral scent similar to the hydra beauty line
- Effectiveness : I'm not a huge fan of gel cleansers because for the most part, I find them all to be extremely drying as they strip away too many of the skin's natural oils. Like I mentioned, I have normal to combination skin, so with cleansers like these, my skin gets super dry super easily and my dry patches become very noticeable. However, in the world of gel cleansers, I think this one is one of the better ones. It definitely feels like your skin has been fully cleansed after using it, and it isn't nearly as drying as other gel or even foam cleansers have been on my skin. 
 - Packaging : Same plastic packaging as the rest of the Chanel products {identical to the Lait Confort...to the point where I've grabbed the wrong one!}
- Overall : I've found my holy grail of face cleansers, and this one isn't it. But if I had to recommend a gel cleanser or use one personally, this one would be it. It's a pretty decent size so it has lasted me quite some time, and it's gentle like its cleansing milk counterpart. If in the future I ever needed to purchase a gel cleanser, I would re-purchase this one. 

Overall thoughts? If you haven't noticed, I have practically nothing bad to say about the Chanel Hydra Beauty Line. It is one of my all time favorite cosmetic lines and I will continue to re-purchase my faves from them {particularly the Hydra Beauty Gel Creme}. As much as I love the serum that goes with it, I didn't find it life-changing when used together and I could really live without that serum as long as I continue using the Dior serum in conjunction with my Kiehl's Vitamin C Concentrate. {For reference, I went through my entire first pot of the Chanel Gel Creme without using the Hydra Beauty Serum, so I've tried it both alone and with the Hydra Beauty Serum}. 

I'd love to hear your feedback in the comments below as I haven't done a beauty post in EONS. Let me know your holy grail skincare products {I'm on the hunt for a good day cream with SPF!!} or let me know if you'd like to see more reviews! Hope this was helpful and hope you enjoyed!


Besos, 
RC

2 comments

  1. These look like really good Makeup Products :) Will check them out

    xx

    Maliha
    Rao / Red Alice Rao

    ReplyDelete
  2. Because sometimes you have to splurge on the good stuff!

    xo, Jessica || The Petite Diaries

    ReplyDelete

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