I Stopped Waking Up With Dry Skin After Using This Face Cream

It can take a while for your skin to get used to the changing of the seasons and I've had a particularly rough go at it this winter-to-spring. Despite keeping up with my usual skincare routine, my face has been reeling from dryness from the second I wake up. As an unfortunate side effect, my makeup has looked extra cakey, too.

Levelling up my moisturiser during this tricky, transitionary time seemed like the smart thing to do, which was what led me to test out Beauty Pie's popular Youthbomb Biologic Collagen Peptide Cream.

A few things about this product jumped out at me straight off the bat: it's created in Japan, one of the cradles of beauty innovation. The formula — devised by celebrated dermatologist Dr Andrew Markey — contains a laundry list of active ingredients, including peptides (proteins that strengthen the skin), collagen (which keeps skin plump) and niacinamide (reduces excess oil and protects the skin's barrier). This cream is designed to complement Beauty Pie's YouthBomb 360° Radiance Concentrate Serum, already a cult favourite among beauty insiders.

With so much promising hype, I decided to try out this collagen cream for four weeks to see if it would make an impact on my dry skin. Keep reading for my honest thoughts on the product, as well as the lowdown on how the Beauty Pie membership pricing model works (which could help you get the cream a lot cheaper).

To be completely honest, I wasn't super convinced when I opened the lid: the cream felt richer and stickier than my usual moisturiser. I generally prefer something more watery and lightweight, especially for the daytime. The texture (which falls somewhere between a thick cream and a milky jelly) meant that it was harder to spread out across my face compared to what I had been used to. It came with a very faint, almost undetectable fragrance, which I appreciated.

According to the instructions, you are free to use the moisturiser in the morning and evening. Even though the cream did melt into my skin instantly and felt very soothing, I decided that it was a bit too heavy for my taste as a day cream and opted to use it every night before bed.

Even though I had some initial reservations about the product, I’ve been really impressed with its performance as a night cream when layered on top of my usual hyaluronic acid serum. I woke up without the parched and stretched or tight sensation that I typically get in drier months. My skin looked visibly dewier and healthier like I'd been dutifully chugging eight glasses of water a day. This can be credited to collagen peptides, an ingredient that works hard to restore the skin's moisture barrier and plumpness.

There was a big difference in the next-day results compared to when I used my usual nighttime moisturiser. My makeup glided onto my skin a lot easier, with my concealer, blush and eyeshadow blending in nicely. The cream also helped to ease the random breakouts and redness I've been having during the transitional weather, which I think is down to a Japanese grass stem ingredient found in the formula.

The brand has labelled this cream a "first-class upgrade" of your typical moisturisers and I'd say that's pretty accurate. While it's a bit too rich for my morning skincare routine, I was very impressed with its hydrating qualities and the ability to help my skin retain moisture overnight. If you struggle with dry skin in winter, this will be a very effective tool to combat it.

If you're also looking to tackle dullness and uneven skin tone, Beauty Pie recommends pairing this cream with YouthBomb 360° Radiance Concentrate Serum, packed with antioxidant peptides (you can purchase both products as part of a combo). Using a serum that contains retinol or vitamin C will also help you achieve faster-brightening results.

With a retail price of £175, the product does cost quite a lot more than your average face cream. A Beauty Pie alternative that is on the more affordable side includes the Super Healthy Skin Daily Moisture Lotion, £19 (members' price).

Looking elsewhere, Naturium Multi-Peptide Moisturiser, £21, and Pacifica Vegan Collagen Overnight Recovery Cream, £25, contain some of Youthbomb's star ingredients for a fraction of the price.

If you can't get enough of Beauty Pie, it might be a good idea to take out a membership so you can access members-only prices on its entire lineup. Products are heavily marked down for members: for example, this Youthbomb Biologic Collagen Peptide Cream is discounted to £44 from £175.

You can either pay £59 for an annual Beauty Pie Plus membership, which comes with a shopping allowance of £3,600 each year or pay £10 a month to receive a monthly shopping allowance of £300. You can read our full deep dive into how the Beauty Pie membership works here (including our reviews of some of their bestsellers).