Hello! I am returning from vacation and back to the world of updating regularly. ;) I had a wonderful trip to WA state! I am unfortunately kind of under the weather now though. My allergies were going nuts up north and I’ve kinda felt yucky ever since I got on the plane to come home. Blah. Thus, I haven’t felt too inspired to play with makeup lately. It’s a huge bummer since I have lots of new stuffies to play with.
When it comes to moisturizers, I have a few requirements. It has to sink in nicely and not make my skin feel greasy. It also has to wear nicely under makeup. I hate when I apply a moisturizer and then my makeup applies like crap on top of it. Yeah I have primers and such I can use to help prevent that but I don’t want to have to use primer. I typically leave primers for special occasion products when I want to look extra perfect. ;)
Facial Moisturizing Tips
For the best results, apply your moisturizer and then wait anywhere up to about 15 minutes or so before applying makeup. Take the time you are waiting and do your hair, brush your teeth, groom brows, or whatever else you have to do. If you’re a tooth whitener person, this is a great time to pop in your trays or slap on some white strips.
How much moisturizer to use? Usually the total amount of product I use when applying moisturizer amounts to about the size of a kidney bean or less. This includes my neck. You don’t want to slather on tons of moisturizer. If you are finding that such a small amount does not fully moisturize you, you’re better off using a richer cream than just adding tons more of the one you have. Using too much “stuff” on your face can clog pores. Yuck.
If you use one that has a pump and it gives you too much, use the remainder on your hands. The anti-aging properties in many facial moisturizers work wonders on keeping your hands looking young.
Everyone should have at least some sun protection on every day. This is especially true if you use any acne-fighting products that might make your skin more sensitive to sun. Wearing sun protection not only prevents sunburn, it also helps prevent wrinkles, age spots, freckles, and other discolorations of the skin. It’s really tricky sometimes to find a sunscreen product that plays nicely with your skin and any other products you might use. I’m not totally married to one yet, though I do like MAC’s Prep + Prime Face Protect as well as Avene’s SPF 50 emulsion. Neither one of those is a moisturizer though, and I really would rather find a moisturizer with SPF that I like so that I don’t have to apply so many products. Still working on that one. Sunscreen is an incredibly complex genre of skin care product that I still do not know very much about, but as I learn I will keep sharing with all of you!
Facial Moisturizer Favorites
I have said it many times, but Alba Botanica + my skin = BFFL. I’ve tried 3 different moisturizers by Alba and my skin loves them all. For combo or oily skin I recommend either the Sea Lipids Daily Cream or the Aloe & Green Tea oil-free moisturizer. Sea Lipids is almost watery in consistency but wears very well under makeup. It smells a little funky to me, and it does contain fragrance, as well as oil. However, oil isn’t a bad thing in a moisturizer. The oils in Sea Lipids Daily Cream do not break me out. If scent is an issue for you, or if you really want something oil-free, you’ll love the aloe & green tea moisturizer (which has fragrance sourced from botanical fragrances, not artificial parfums). It smells so good. It also has hyaluronic acid, which is an ingredient that I cannot stress the amazingness of enough, especially for oily skin. For dry skin or for a richer night cream, the Jasmine Vitamin E cream is heavenly. It does smell very heavily of jasmine though. All 3 of these products are under $20 each at local drugstores.
Another favorite of mine that I recently went back to using (I have to take breaks from my favorites a lot in order to try new products for you!) is Grassroots’ Pomegranate Super Anti-Oxidant Cream. Grassroots is a brand made exclusively for Kohls stores by Estee Lauder. Their products are very very high quality and this is no exception. I love that it is rich without being heavy and leaves my skin feeling incredibly smooth. This one is a bit pricey. Suggested retail is $32.50. However Kohls has sales pretty often, so if you’re interested in trying it out be on the look out.
And of course…last but certainly not least of my favorite moisturizers is one I reviewed fairly recently, DERMAdoctor Litmus Test. A very expensive indulgence indeed at over $50, I have noticed a long-term, marked difference in the overall pH balance of my skin since I started using it. Even when I go without using it for a few days, I can feel a difference in my skin’s overall hydration. Since I started using it I haven’t gotten any random dry patches, even in small areas where I’ve broken out. Basically, if you’re on the fence about this, please allow me to gently and lovingly shove you over the edge– try it. You’ll probably love it.
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