Earlier this year, Hard Night Good Morning sent me a slew of products from their skincare line. In July, I reviewed their Facial Cocktail Serum, which I liked. The last couple of months I’ve been using their Daytime Moisturizer. Will I view it as positively as I did the serum? In a nutshell, yes.
According to the product website, “Nourish your skin with our emollient-rich Aloe Vera based daily moisturizer that contains powerful antioxidants to help defend the skin from free radicals in the environment.” It contains ingredients to help with lifting and firming, moisturization, and collagen production, and also botanicals such as baobab (also in the serum), green tea and pomegranate.
The Good: In the letter that Hard Night Good Morning creator and founder D’Andra Simmons included with the products sent to me, she writes the following: “The Daytime Moisturizer can be used at night if a person wants a lighter moisturizer. It has proven to be very effective for Rosacea and sensitive skin or skin prone to breakouts. It contains Alguard™ which is effective for plumping, tightening and to combat irritation.”
You’re probably wondering, what’s Alguard™? I wondered that, too, so I did some searching on the interwebs and found that it’s a polysaccharide derived from a special type of microalgae. Basically, it’s a natural, active ingredient that claims to decrease wrinkles, smooth and protect the skin.
I can’t really speak to those claims, but I will say that the emollient nature of the moisturizer feels very hydrating and protecting. And while I only have circumstantial evidence, I do think it had a calming effect on my rosacea. I was also impressed that it felt light on the skin, betraying the fact that this moisturizer is thick enough to come in a jar.
The Questionable: For my morning skincare regimen, I first apply my Estee Lauder serum and let it absorb for a couple of minutes. Then I apply the Hard Night Good Morning Daytime Moisturizer, and because it’s so emollient, I give it about five minutes to absorb. Then I can apply my final layer of Coola sun protection. I wish this moisturizer contained sun protection so I could downsize to just two morning skincare products. As a non-morning person, the absence of SPF in this moisturizer adds valuable minutes to my morning beauty routine that could be spent sleeping. And seeing how HNGM makes a separate nighttime moisturizer (which I didn’t like as much as this daytime moisturizer), it seems odd that the daytime doesn’t contain sunscreen.
The Verdict: In spite of lacking SPF protection, I really like this moisturizer. At first, I thought it would be too heavy due to the thick texture. However, after application, it feels light on the skin, yet protective due to the emollient nature of this moisturizer. After it absorbs, it leaves my skin feeling dewy and plump.
Unlike the serum in this product line, the price point of this moisturizer is not too terribly expensive at $34.99 for the 1.7oz jar. I just spotted it at my local Central Market, in addition to being available at Whole Foods. This is a great option for a vegan product loaded with organic ingredients.
Rating (out of 5): 
I received a free jar a year a ago and put it in the bathroom. I pulled it out and tried it a year later. I loved it! I no longer use my old brand. I hate myself for not trying it sooner. I feel I missed out on great moister for my aging face. I have dry skin and the Hard Night Good Morning is perfect, not greasy and doesn’t disappear in five minutes. I use it before make-up and at night. This is the best product I have ever accidentally come across. This is also my sunscreen. I don’t have to worry about break outs or black heads which can be caused from oils. The best feature is you don’t need to use much and the product will last a long time! I don’t like to skip because I don’t like my skin texture without it. I am sold and can’t say enough about this product. And when people try to guess my age they are always wrong. They guess to young and I just love it. I don’t even avoid the sun. I don’t feel I need to with this product on my face.