MACRENE Actives High Performance Cream is a great pick for normal to combination skin. Described as a “moisture-rich dose of 55 powerhouse ingredients,” the cream is nourishing without leaving a heavy film. If you have any environmental- or product-related dehydration, it takes away that tight-skin feeling almost immediately. It’s suitable for day and night, and because of the texture, I do let it sink in for a few minutes before going in with any makeup.
My skin has been particularly dehydrated lately due to a combination of dry air and use of benzoyle peroxide to clear up some lingering breakouts. (Benzoyle peroxide is my tried and true! I’ve tried salicylic acid and other chemical exfoliants to combat breakouts, and nothing works quite like BP!) That has led to fine lines that immediately plump up when my skin is properly hydrated. I like that I can treat this as a one-and-done product, i.e. I don’t have to go in with other serums and essences in order to create a moisture sandwich.
When evaluating a mosturizer, one key criteron is whether it plays well with my existing makeup routine, as I really like the base products I’m already using. I’m happy to report that this cream pairs well and doesn’t cause any negative impacts like reduced wear time for my foundation or oil break-through by the end of the day. The High Performance Cream has a very light scent that dissipates quickly, which is another pro.
Per the brand website, the ingredients are:
Water (Aqua), Squalane¹²³, Glycerin¹, Cetyl Alcohol¹, Hydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate¹³, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil Unsaponifiables¹, Acetyl Glucosamine, Stearic Acid¹³, Sorbitan Stearate, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables¹³, Copper Lysinate/Prolinate, Resveratrol¹, Scenedesmus Rubescens (Microalgae) Extract¹, Plankton Extract¹, Arabidopsis Thaliana Extract¹, Micrococcus Lysate, Leontopodium Alpinum (Edelweiss) Flower/Leaf Extract¹³, Ergothioneine, Coffea Robusta (Green Coffee) Seed Extract¹²³, Ilex Paraguariensis (Yerba Mate Tea) Leaf Extract¹²³, Chrysanthemum Parthenium (Feverfew) Extract¹²³, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter¹²³, Palmaria Palmata (Red Algae) Extract¹, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp (Silver Ear Mushroom) Extract¹³, Caffeine, Bisabolol¹, Sodium Lactate, Arginine¹, Aspartic Acid¹, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Valine¹, Proline¹, Threonine¹, Isoleucine¹, Histidine¹, Phenylalanine¹, PCA¹, Sodium PCA¹, Lecithin¹³, Methylglucoside Phosphate, Alcohol¹, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Sodium Methyl Stearoyl Taurate, Hydroxypropylmethylcellulose Stearoxyether, Sodium Phytate¹, Hydrogenated Lecithin¹³, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil¹, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Tocopherol¹, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Extract¹, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract¹, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Extract¹, Maltodextrin, Citric Acid¹³.
¹Plant-Derived • ²USDA-Certified Organic • ³Third Party-Certified
The product is packaged in a glass jar for a luxe feel that matches its pricetag – $225 an ounce! I love how glass packaging looks on my vanity, but from a practical/travel standpoint, post-consumer-recycled PET material remains one of my top choices for sustainable packaging. The brand recommends keeping and using the jar’s dust cover to help prevent the cream from drying out.
The cost is probably the biggest wildcard right now. I’ll be curious to see how long a jar lasts, as you do only need a pea-sized amount to cover your face. I don’t mind investing in my moisturizers since they sit on the skin for a prolonged period of time (AB falls into this!), so time will tell on some of the more long-term claims of brightening as well as softening of fine lines and wrinkles.
This, That, or the Other 