As you may or may not know, I struggled a lot with acne basically up until college. It decreased a good amount in high school, but my face was still not where I wanted it to be. I tried a ton of different products and remedies, turns out my biggest issue was the fact I hated washing my face. Once I started to actually wash my face twice a day with a cleanser, then follow with a toner and moisturizer, I actually saw a huge improvement and my skin is almost always completely clear now.
The cleansing line I\’ve had the most success with was Murad. I use the Clarifying Cleanser, Clarifying Toner, and Skin Perfecting Lotion twice a day. I also add in the Rapid Relief Acne Spot Treatment, Transforming Powder Dual-Action Exfoliator, and the Clarifying Mask a few times a week. I love this line because I never saw any noticeable dryness, it never burned my skin, and it really seems to help prevent breakouts.
Recently I went to Sephora in search of a tinted moisturizer to try. When the employee started deciding which would work best for me, she tested the dryness of my skin. Prior to this experience I would have said my skin was more oily than dry, however, she found my skin was actually really dry. I was so surprised by this and went over with her my skincare routine. She decided that since my acne was well controlled now I should add in another moisturizer to use a few times a week.
I found a perfect set of 10 moisturizers to test out. The Sephora Favorites Quench Your Skin came with some that were best for at night, one for anti-aging, and some that are used during the day. Sadly, the set sold out quickly, but they still sell each one individually. Of the ones I tried this is what I found;
1. Belief Cosmetics The True Cream Aqua Bomb is best to use in the morning, it has a very refreshing fragrance and goes on smooth.
2. Dr. Jart+ Water Drop Hydrating Moisturizer can be used for day or night, it comes out gooey and thick but once applied it doesn\’t feel gross at all.
3. Drunk Elephant Lala Retro Whipped Cream is best if used at night, it is very thick, does not have an overbearing scent, and I when I woke up my skin felt very smooth. While it is thick, it still soaks in by morning without any residue. I also used this on top of the Argan Oil for an even heavier moisturizer.
4. First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream can be used at night or in the morning. I did not like the scent of it, nor did I really notice a big difference after using it. This may work better for people who need less moisture than me.
5. GlamGlow Glowstarter Mega Illuminating Moisturizer is a day cream, it goes on very smooth but was a little light for what I was looking for. It was nice though because it has a slight tint. If you don\’t need as thick of a moisturizer as I do, this would be a great option!
6. IT Cosmetics Confidence in a Cream Transforming Moisturizer Super Cream is an anti-aging cream. My mom tried this one and did like it, there was not a heavy fragrance and it went on nicely.
7. Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil is best if used under another cream at night. It adds even more hydration to your skin. I\’d recommend using it 1-2 times a week at most to avoid breakouts and becoming oily.
8. Kate Somerville Skincare Goat Milk Moisturizing Cream can be used for day or night, I chose to try it in the morning. It was very light weight, yet still felt hydrating.
9. Ren Clean Skincare Evercalm Global Protection Day Cream is a very thick day cream, with a heavy fragrance. However, I still liked it. It helps calm redness, and is still very smooth.
10. Sunday Riley Tidal Brightening Enzyme Water Cream is the only cream I did not try. After reading the reviews I was concerned about the bumps it caused on other\’s skin and possible interactions between the enzymes and my toner. However, it is supposed to remove dead skin cells at night and leave your skin refreshed and hydrated.
I really don\’t think you can go wrong with any of these moisturizers depending on what you\’re looking for. My top picks for my skin were the Lala Retro Whipped Cream with the Argan Oil for night, and the Kate Somerville or Ren Evercalm for day. I saw such a difference in my skin once I began trying all of these moisturizers. My makeup seems to go on smoother, there\’s no tightness in my face, and it just feels healthier. Even if none of these seem like they will work for you, I still recommend going to Sephora and having them help you find a match because it really will change your skin for the better.
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