Top 5 Moisturizers for DRY Skin

My Journey:

Hello!

Welcome to my top 5 moisturizers; I did a good amount of research and test drive for this post. My roommate has very dry skin and could never find the perfect moisturizer. The texture and how long it held in hydration were very important to her, so, I went on a scavenger hunt for her. And this is what I turned out in my research.

Tips & Tricks:

Before we get into the good stuff: here’s some tips and tricks to remember while moisturizing and cleansing your face.

1. AVOID extra hot water: don’t have your water too hot. There’s a well know myth out there that says if you use hot water – it opens yours pores. DO. NOT. LISTEN. TO. ITS. LIES. This is nothing more than just an awful myth.
2. After washing your face – keep it DAMP: you always want your skin to have a little bit of elasticity, and hydration. You never want to go straight onto dry skin with a product – especially if it’s a new product that you’ve never used. That’s a recipe for a breakout.
3. Always clean and moisturizer TWICE a day: this one is pretty simple. When you wake up – clean & moisturizer. Before you go to bed – clean & moisturizer. You want to make sure you get all the dirty and oil rubbed into your face from your pillows – out. And then the work and stress from your day out. Just as you would relax at the end of a long day, your skin needs it too.
4. Use a JOJOBA/ROSEHIP serum or oil for your DRY skin: these two ingredients are the best for natural oils to hold in moisture in especially dry skin.

Look at Your Ingredients?

Now that we know how to moisturizer properly, let’s talk about some of things you should be looking for in a moisturizer. Now, if you’re on this post I can assume you have dry skin. Some common findings in my research were unanimous – so let me share them with you!

1. AVOID “alcoholic” moisturizers: some moisturizers have more alcohol in them than others. These could range anywhere from fragrances & dyes to sulfates. We’re looking for the ones without all the smelly stuff and pretty colors. Just the plain old-fashioned moisturizers.

2. LOOK FOR:

• Hyaluronic acid: this is used as softening tool on dry skin; to bring back some flourish.
• Glycerin/Urea: normally added to help the skin retain the moisture it’s about to get from the product.
• Antioxidants: they’re the power houses of the moisturizer you choose. There are multiple different ones, each doing different things – but most acting as shield on wrinkles or loose skin to provide a more even complexion.
• Salicylic Acid: she’s added to help fight your breakouts and help you not get built up pores.
• Plant-derived butters or oils: this is going to include ingredients like shea butter, aloe, etc. they, like the antioxidants, each one provides a different nourishing effect to your skin alone.

3. Be CONSISTENT: you can’t just wash your face twice and expect to see results – well, the same thing for finding the right moisturizer. You’re going to have to be consistent with it, and you might even breakout the first week or two from your skin getting to know the ingredients in the moisturizer you choose.

The Moisturizers:

Okay, to start I put them in order from the most expensive to least expensive – but kept them all below $40. Because who wants to spend more than $40 on a moisturizer (but not going to lie, I’ve done it – and it never works like they say it’s going to).

The Body Shop: Oils of Life Revitalizing Moisturizer - $34

i. This moisturizer was one of the first I stumbled upon – some good notes I had was the smell. It smelled heavenly (which is bad if it’s added fragrance). But thanks to some of the more important ingredients; i.e. black cumin, rosehip oil, olive fruit oil, parkii butter, europea oil, and sativa seed oil.

ii. It’s advertised to help your skin look “younger” and it doesn’t too bad of a greasy feel to it. I’ve felt greasier.

iii. On website consumers rated it about 4.5/5 stars – I would rate it about a 4/5. Not too bad, but more expensive than I like.

Avene: Hydrance RICH Hydrating Crème - $32

i. Coming in at being the second most expensive is this beautiful crème. I never got to purchase this product myself but have heard AMAZING reviews on its work.

ii. To start off their main ingredient is thermal spring water and mineral oils. And the spring water is distilled right at Avene’s head location, for their use only. They claim that this water helps your skin retain moisture faster and more effectively. On top of that they also have cohederm – which is a process that helps to create a barrier on your skin from UV lights and water loss. Than to make it a crème they add in some shea butter to give it a glossy feel and finish.

iii. Rated 4.5/5 stars on their website – but on average it was rated 4.6 or 4.7.

Andalou: Purple Carrot Night Cream - $24.99

i. Andalou brought out the big natural “guns” when the launched this rich, hydrating night cream. Boasting 7 or 8 different natural additives including aloe, flax seed oil, purple carrot, rosehip, cocoa butter, sunflower seed extract, cranberries, and multiple tea extracts. Plus, vitamin C for glowing, hydrated skin.

ii. Just be careful as some say too much makes for such an unpleasant experience – only use a dime amount. It reminds me of the Bare Minerals Butter Hydration texture.

iii. 4.5/5 on their store website; 4/5 from me – personally.

Kiehls: Ultra Facial Cream - $22

i. Kiehls main proponent of this facial cream was their – glacial glycoprotein. This is the extraction of micro-organisms from glaciers and using their hyperactive hydration powers for good use.

ii. On top of that – they also have apricot oil, avocado oil, rice bran oil, almond oil and more put into their products.

iii. Unfortunately for them, I haven’t head very good things from this product. People tend agree that the cream is a bit thick and tends to feel heavy and clogging on your face.

Nivea: Soft Moisturizing Cream - $5.99

i. Being the cheapest on our list, you’d think it was the worst, but it has the BEST reviews out of all these guys. At a 4.8/10 stars on their website and 4.7/5 from me.

ii. A couple of things I really enjoyed about this moisturizer was how soft it made my skin; featuring jojoba seed oil, vitamin E, mineral oil, and hydrogenated coco-glycerides. My skin looked super hydrated and healthy for a good 7 or 8 hours I put this in my skin care routine.

iii. I would probably recommend this moisturizer over any other on this list.