Skyn Iceland Winter Rehab Kit: round-up with mini reviews

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I unboxed this kit three months back (gosh, was it that long ago?) and I've made my way through most of the products now with only two being on their last legs - so I'm ready to write my usual round-up post.

Do note that I've reviewed the three larger products separately (see my links below) so you can look at those if you want to, but the aim of this post is to give you a snapshot of the products and let you know what I think of of the set as a whole.


In the kit you get:

  • Glacial Face Wash (30ml)
  • Pure Cloud Cream (10ml)
  • Arctic Face Oil (30ml)
  • Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels (2 pack)
  • Icelandic Relief Eye Pen (4ml)

I bought the set for $72 AUD and it's not currently available online. Perhaps you can still buy it in-store.

Apparently these products should target parched, dehydrated winter skin, and should also protect and restore skin to health during the harsh, cold winter months. It's described as a moisture-replenishing collection of dry skin saviours.

Let's have a quick look at each item in turn.


Skyn Iceland Glacial Face Wash (RRP $44 AUD for 150ml)

Full review here. I've really enjoyed this face wash but I need to point out from the beginning that it has a pH of between an eight and a nine, which is of course very high. 

While it doesn't contain any SLS or its derivatives, something in the ingredients is making it so alkaline (and making it lather/foam, but not too much) so it's worth asking your dermatologist whether it's ok to use or potentially damaging to skin.

That aside, I really enjoy this product. Despite the high pH, it's never felt as though it's stripping my skin or that it's too astringent, so I was honestly surprised when I tested it and saw how alkaline it was. 

It lathers up beautifully and feels so creamy and velvety on the face, plus it cleans well and it's been the perfect in-shower cleanser for me. It's one I would have bought before I tested the pH, so what I plan to do is ask my own dermatologist whether it's ok to use long-term.


Skyn Iceland Pure Cloud Cream (RRP $80 AUD for 50g)

I didn't end up reviewing this cream because it's only 10g in size so I didn't get a good-enough feel of the product when I used it.

What I do remember, though, is that it wasn't that good - so I'm surprised to see that it has 4.7 stars on Mecca's website, especially given that it's expensive for what it is. 

It was quite thick but it thinned out nicely when applied and although it was hydrating and nourishing, it wasn't the most hydrating/nourishing product I've put on my face and I've used budget face creams I prefer. Yes it was nice, but not $80 AUD nice. 

Worth noting is that I normally remember products very well unless they're a bit meh, and since this one hasn't implanted itself in my memory, that tells you something.


Skyn Iceland Arctic Face Oil (RRP $51 AUD for 30ml)

Full review here. I like this product but it's also expensive for what it is and I personally don't think you need to spend this much to get a good facial oil. Indeed, it hasn't done any more for me than the oils I've tried from cheaper brands (eg The Ordinary) so I wouldn't buy it because I would prefer to spend my skincare dollars elsewhere.

It's a very thick oil that does feel rather heavy on the skin and also leaves a greasy residue, so if you have oily skin or you don't like the feeling of rich oils on your face, then this mightn't be for you. 

If however you have dry skin like I do, then this might suit you. I've found it especially good during the cooler months, and while it would be too much even for my dry skin in summer, right now it's exactly what my skin needs. 

It also has a protective element because it's so thick - meaning it's great for overnight use, because it seals in my other products - but I wouldn't use this in the morning below makeup because it's too slippery for that.


Skyn Icelandic Relief Eye Pen (RRP $29 AUD for 4ml)

This didn't do a huge amount for me and you get less than 4g in the pen so it wasn't very good value, all things considered. Full review here

It's a lightweight cream that's meant to offer 'relief' to dry eyes, and while I found it to be reasonably hydrating, it didn't pack the punch I was expecting and it also wasn't cooling or soothing at all. 

Plus it's marketed as travel-friendly but it comes in a rather long, twist-up container - which happens to be at least twice the size of the 7.5ml eye cream I'm currently testing, meaning the latter contains almost twice the amount of product for less than half the volume, and the tube will get even smaller over time as I use more. So which one's really travel-friendly?

I think you can do a lot better than this, especially considering that, at this price, a standard 15ml of this would cost close to $100 AUD. Yikes.


Skyn Iceland Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels (RRP $44 AUD for eight; received two)

If you read this blog, you'll know that I'm no friend to sheet masks - including eye masks. I just don't feel that they do anything for me, and I also don't like how expensive they are for single-use products and how much packaging they use for one application.

These were useless. They've had some good reviews but they did nothing for me, and if anything I found them to be rather uncomfortable to wear (they felt sticky and heavy, and my eyes didn't like the feel of them on) so I struggled to use them. 

I used two sets of these while we were away and I didn't enjoy having them on for a moment, plus my eyes looked exactly the same after use.

In sum

Obviously this didn't end up being a great kit for me, which is a bit disappointing but at least I now know that Skyn just isn't my brand.

While I fell in love with the cleanser before discovering how alkaline it was and I also think the oil is great for winter, the set overall didn't grab me so I don't plan on going back to the brand anytime soon. 

At least the cleanser and oil were the largest items in the set! This of course means that I got my money's worth from those two products alone, turning a potentially bad buy into a good one.

Also note that I plan to do some research on the cleanser. If I discover that a high pH product doesn't necessarily equal a potentially damaging one (it may be more related to what ingredients it contains, as opposed to the pH reading alone: I'm not an expert so I couldn't tell you), then I can see this becoming a staple for me because I've enjoyed it that much. If not, then I'll leave it be.

That's all from me. Let me know in the comments if you've tried anything from this brand and what you think of it if so: I'd love to hear.

Hope all's well with you, and speak soon x


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