My NIOD Hydration Vaccine review after 2 years

Truth be told, I got my NIOD Hydration Vaccine about 2 years ago when I was in my NIOD-fanatic phase. Unfortunately, I used it as a moisturiser and was disappointed that it didn’t help my dry skin at all.

In fact, I thought it made my skin even drier than it was before.

Wait, is the Hydration Vaccine a moisturiser?

If I had read the instructions, I would have known that the Vaccine wasn’t a moisturiser at all but instead acts as a ‘moisture-evaporation protector’. I found out the truth much later but my spark of interest in the HV was gone and I didn’t bother trying it out again.

So it sat patiently in my vanity drawer for the last 2 years while other moisturisers came and left. Until one day, with my face all inflamed (a story for another day) and so dry that it was itchy and peeling, I had a lightbulb moment.

Check it out on Amazon

Or get it directly from DECEIM and check out some of their other amazing products. 

Could the NIOD Hydration Vaccine be the answer to my dry, peeling skin?

In desperation, I applied my usual night moisturiser, let it absorb for a while, then smothered my face with the Hydration Vaccine. As I went to sleep that night, my face felt weirdly like the hairy surface of a peach. But it didn’t feel tight and stinging for a nice change.

The next morning, my jaw dropped when I looked in the bathroom mirror. My peeling skin and dry patches were better. My face wasn’t healed. The skin was too damaged to heal overnight. But there was a definite improvement.

When I touched my face, there were only minimal traces of the Vaccine but instead of coarse, dry patches, the skin felt… a little less dry.

I know that doesn’t sound very miraculous but you gotta understand, I’ve been dealing with this painful inflammation for weeks. My face was getting drier and redder by the day no matter what I did. I used night moisturisers in the day, and used the most hydrating night masks every night. I was taking a Hair, Skin and Nails supplement and vitamin C. I was glugging water and eating as much fruit and veggies as I could stomach.

Nothing worked. But within one week of using the NIOD Hydration Vaccine over my usual moisturizer, my overall skin condition was almost back to normal.

Before

After 1 week

Further reading: What triggers seborrheic dermatitis?

What does NIOD Hydration Vaccine do?

On hindsight, it makes sense that the Vaccine worked a treat. It’s a hydration seal that protects againsts moisture loss (their words, not mine).

My skin was inflamed and had loss its protective barrier. That was why my face was getting worse by the day. The more damaged it got, the more moisture was lost. And the dryer it got, the more the damage worsened.

The NIOD Hydration Vaccine functioned like a rainforest canopy, protecting the immediate microenvironment on the surface of my face, and preventing moisture loss from my already dehydrated cells.

Protected from further insults, this allowed my skin cells to slowly but surely heal itself over time.

For this, I will be eternally grateful to the NIOD Hydration Vaccine and will never look down on it again. This little bottle has earned a permanent home in my vanity cupboard.

Check it out on Amazon

Is the NIOD HV an occlusive?

An occlusive is a moisturizing agent that forms a protective layer on the surface of your skin and creates a barrier to prevent moisture loss. This is exactly what the NIOD Hydration Vaccine is. It has a balm-like texture and you can actually feel that there is a ‘layer of cover’ on your face.

 

Did it clog my pores?

Some people worry that using an occlusive will prevent their skin from ‘breathing’ properly and result in clogged pores.

I can’t speak for everyone and people get clogged pores just from touching their face.

All I can say is that it didn’t make my pore issues worse.

What is the best way to use the NIOD Hydration Vaccine?

There is, however, a trick to using it. You will get the best results when both your skin and your environment is dry.

If it’s already hot and humid, using the HV will only make your face feel heavy and I imagine would cause clogged pores.

What you use with the HV is just as important as the HV itself. What you apply underneath it is what’s going to keep your face moisturized and nourished. HV just prevents moisture and the product from getting lost into the environment.

You can use it in the day or at night. I certainly did while I was trying to heal my skin. The only problem with using it in the day is that if you’re wearing makeup, you need to let it dry fully before you apply anything else on top. Otherwise it causes your foundation to pill.

I also found that it was best to let my moisturizer get fully absorbed first before applying the Vaccine. And yes, a thin layer of HV is enough protection.

Take note, the DECEIM website actually instructs you to apply serums first, followed by the Hydration Vaccine, followed by creams (I assume moisturizers) and sunscreens on top.

Check it out on Amazon

This doesn’t make sense to me since the HV is a moisture-protective barrier. Wouldn’t the moisturizer then just sit on top of the HV?

Anyway, I’ve been applying my serum and moisturizer first before sealing off with the HV and it works amazingly well for me.

Is the Hydration Vaccine anti-wrinkle?

The HV is marketed as an anti-aging treatment to middle-aged women like me and NIOD makes brave claims that it can make us look 20 years younger.

That’s obviously bullshit. No topical treatment will take away your wrinkles.

But the NIOD HV keeps your skin hydrated and ‘plump’ looking, which always does wonders for your complexion, camouflages your wrinkles a bit better, and helps you look more youthful.

Who is NIOD Hydration Vaccine for?

I would recommend the NIOD Hydration Vaccine to older women (or men) for treatment of dry, damaged skin. As you can see, it did wonders for me. The HV serves as a knight protector for your stressed skin. Shielding it from the harsh environment allows your skin cells to heal themselves.

You can also use the HV as part of your maintenance regime if you merely have dry skin and live in a drier climate or is in air-conditioning a lot.

By the way, drinking water is the best thing you can do for dry, dehydrated skin.

Check it out on Amazon

Who is it not for?

Young women would hate this product. The balm-like texture on their faces would feel too heavy for the youthful, who have no need for it anyway.

If you have oily skin or suffer from clogged pores already, I wouldn’t recommend you get the HV.

However, if you have managed to damage parts of your skin by over-zealous acne treatments or peeling regimens, spot-treat these areas with the HV to give these damaged patches the chance to heal.

To wrap up

I wasn’t a fan of the NIOD Hydration Vaccine but am now simply amazed at what it can do. Once my damaged skin heals, I probably won’t use it every day. But I will always make sure I have a bottle in my arsenal for dry winter days and when my inflammation rears its ugly head again.

Are you a NIOD fan? Check out my review of the NIOD Sanskrit Saponins Cleanser.