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| Costco's bulk deal |
I’ve seen Pond’s products everywhere for as long as I can remember. I still have this vivid memory of being seven years old at Honest Ed’s in Toronto, pointing at a jar of Pond’s Cold Cream and asking my mom what it was. But despite seeing the brand all around me — on shelves, in ads, in random stores — I’ve never actually used any Pond’s products in my life. No one in my family or friend circles uses them either, so it’s always been one of those brands I recognize… but have zero personal experience with.
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| packaging |
That changed when I spotted the Pond’s Fresh Hydration Hyaluronic Acid + Vitamin E & B3 gel moisturizer at Costco. On Amazon, one 3.4 oz (96.4 g) jar costs $19.25 — but Costco had three jars for $17.99. A deal like that? I couldn’t resist. π
After doing some quick Googling, I discovered people calling it a “dupe” for Clinique’s Moisture Surge Gel — which is about four times the price. If you’ve been here long enough, you already know how I feel about dupes… so yes, I was skeptical.
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| You can see the big hollow hole before I even opened the product |
𧴠First Impressions
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flimsy plastic container
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strong scent (reminds me of hair conditioner)
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skin absorbed it immediately
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moisturizes, but causes random bumps
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The jar wasn’t filled completely (and the plastic bends easily)
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| There's not a lot of product in the jar |
When I opened the jar, the product looked a bit… sad. Not fully filled, and the cheap, bendable plastic didn’t add confidence. The gel itself was firm, almost “bouncy,” which made the hollow indent inside even more noticeable.
The scent is very strong — not bad, but definitely bold. To me, it had a base note that reminded me slightly of sunscreen mixed with shampoo or hair conditioner. Some people might enjoy it, but for me, it felt overwhelming.
Texture-wise, it reminded me of Neutrogena Hydro Boost, but firmer and with a more silicone-like slip. The intensity of the scent is on par with Hydro Boost as well — not the same smell, but equally pungent.
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| Pond's Fresh Hydration |
π§ Hydration Performance
It does moisturize — but only on already healthy skin. On dry, dehydrated, or slightly irritated skin, it didn’t do very much. It claims 24-hour hydration, but realistically… I had to reapply every 5–6 hours.
⚠️ The Dealbreaker: Random Bumps
This is where things went downhill.
After a few uses, I started noticing random bumps on my nose and forehead — areas where I never get bumps. The more consistently I used it, the more bumps appeared. I’m not sure if I’m reacting to an ingredient or the formula as a whole, but my skin definitely did not like something in here.
I really wanted to love this — it looked promising, affordable, and had great ingredients on paper — but unfortunately, it didn’t work out for me at all.
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| product and packaging |
⭐ Final Thoughts + Score
Pond’s Fresh Hydration has a nice texture and provides light moisture, but the strong scent, flimsy packaging, and unexpected breakouts make it a no for me. If your skin is extremely tolerant and you want something inexpensive, it might work… but I personally won’t be repurchasing.
Score: 3/10 (Moisturizes, but gave me random bumps ππ»)
Website: https://ponds.us/en-ca/products/hyaluronic-acid-vitamin-e-b3-gel-moisturizer
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