The perfect moisturiser

[hollyfrost]

Hi, I've been searching for a good moisturiser for combination skin which is alright for reactive skin, feels soft / silky, genuinely improves the skin barrier and hydrates without being too rich or greasy.

Right now I use Elemis marine cream which is good, I love the texture and scent, but I find that it sometimes starts pilling a little and I don't think it's that hydrating, I still get some dryness around my cheeks. I also found Malin + Goetz and Liz Earle alright, but nothing amazing.

I tried and didn't get along with Aesop, La Roche Posay, Lancome.

I tried some of the Sisley cucumber moisturiser in a shop a couple days ago and loved the feel of it - does anyone have experience with it, is it worth trying?

Otherwise I'd appreciate any recommendations

If it makes a difference, the rest of my skincare is very simple - a cleanser (usually Elemis) and a serum from Espa. That's it

I'd recommend giving fjor a go. I have very dry skin and it's always been flaky and felt tight after a wash. But fjor has made me look younger and makes my skin plump- there's no greasiness or tackyness but my face feels odd because it's so hydrated! 🤣

Sometimes there's no such thing as a moisturizer that's hydrating enough. I'd find something you like already and layer aloe vera gel underneath it. Are you already using a serum? If not you could add a hyaluronic acid serum as the first step after cleansing. I often add oil too, after serum and before gel.

I like Simple moisturizer. In the morning I use the one with SPF 30 after cleansing, it works nicely under makeup and doesn't leave a white cast. At night the basic rich moisturizer as the final layer.

What are you cleansing with? That will make a difference to how dry your skin is before you even start with moisturizer etc. I've seen an improvement from double cleansing using an oil cleanser (Sanctuary) followed by a mild face wash (Simple Micellar Gel) in the evening instead of just one harsher face wash to get my makeup off.

I used the Elemis marine cream for years but have switched to Cerave PM moisturiser (used both AM and PM). It’s a very similar texture imo, and cheaper and also unfragranced. Fragrance is bad and unnecessary for reactive skin.

I use a hyaluronic serum in the morning first, and Dermatica at night.

Temple Spa do a good night cream. I often use their daily moisturiser with SPF. I use a sernum first.

Might also be worth looking at Paula's Choice website.

Hi @hollyfrost

I have similarly sensitive / reactive / combo skin.

The following works well for me:

Less is more
Consistency
Avoid hot water on face in bath or shower

PM
Sensitive micellar water to remove spf & foundation
Nivea soothing cleansing milk massaged on & removed with cotton pads
Olay sensitive beauty fluid
(Cetaphil moisturiser sensitive / dry in Winter as & when need something richer - apparently gentler than CeraVe for sensitive skin but I haven't tried CeraVe)

AM
Sensitive micellar water cleanse
Garnier super UV anti dark spots spf 50
Small amount mineral foundation
Small amount of concealer

Generally formulations for sensitive skin without perfume or alcohol as PP mentioned & no strong actives.

The Olay sensitive beauty fluid matches your described requirements perfectly & is relatively inexpensive.

It's bland but it's comfortable.

Maybe your cleanser & serum aren't suited to sensitive skin?

Could use nice scents in shower gels, bath oils & shampoos instead of skincare, if tolerated?

Good luck finding what you need!

Korean beauty brand Round Lab Birch sap moisturising cream. Moisturising like a cream, light like a lotion.

Clinique 100 hrs moisture surge is good too, no oils.

This is my skin type. I use Estée Lauder DayWear, and I have done for coming up to 30 years. I had a brief foray into other brands a few years ago (including Elemis) because I felt that I was missing out on newer and more interesting brands, but my skin wasn’t great on it. I decided to go back to DayWear and I haven’t looked back.

If my circumstances changed tomorrow, I would do whatever I could to be able to still buy DayWear. I buy on eBay as it is always cheaper, and I’ve never had a dud.

You may try with la roche posay.
Here is my routine that I follow to use tret and keep my skin normal:
Morning:
Using water to wash your face,
Sebamed clear face gel,
la roche posay spf
Evening:
la roche posay moisturizer,
Tretinoin (0.1) from skinorac
Sebamed clear facial gel

I agree that sometimes you need a moisterising serum =- even just a cheap and cheerful hylaronic acid one can be good.

For moisteriser that i feel go on really nicely with a nice richness to them, go take a look at Clarins and their various options.

I love the simple moisturisers that have more of a gel texture. I started using them when I had a skin reaction round my eyes and I wanted something simple. My skin issue has gone and I'm continuing to use them. Plus they are about £6 a tub.

Re the pilling, I find if i leave about 5 minutes after putting on my moisturiser before I put anything else on, this stops any pilling.

I really like the Geek and Gorgeous Happier Barrier cream, it's very soothing and hydrating, unscented, sinks in quickly and doesn't leave my skin feeling like there's a film on it.

Dr Jackson's

drjacksonskincare.com/?srsltid=AfmBOopNRP-Urh6wTaJiyCbA7TddERTm4m9uPBa_bZGL9LAidILv1ARI

Day -

drjacksonskincare.com/collections/skincare/products/01-day-cream-50ml

Night -

drjacksonskincare.com/collections/skincare/products/02-night-cream-50ml

I boycott the Bodyshop buy if you don't mind them then their aloe range used to be great if they still sell it.

I use Simple SPF 15 and Bondi Sands SPF 50+ for sensitive faces when needed. The Bondi Sands I only started at the beginning of summer and my skin feels really good. I exfoliate twice a week, use vitamin C serum twice a week and hyaluronic serum when I remember on different days.

I've recently started using Clinique moisture surge & really like it. It's cooling & refreshing when you first apply. I have very reactive skin & usually use Cerave moisturiser in a tub. But it's a little too heavy in the summer. Another really good moisturiser is pure rosehip oil.

Niva soft.Cheap and is everything that you want.

I have skin like that and I use Clarins Calm-Essentiel Soothing Emulsion. Absolutely lovely. I've used various clarins products over the years and it's the only brand I can use that's deliciously perfumed but manages not to irritate my skin.

I’ve recently swapped Elemis day and night creams for ones by Medik8.
They are both fantastic and my skin reacts to everything! As well as being half the price, I think they are both brilliant.
I tried both at sample size to start with and then bought them at full size.
I use Beauty Pie cleansers and mists.

Re Sisley - I love it. I use the ecological compound (which is technically a serum) as a moisturiser, and it really does give a visible difference to my skin. I don't use it every night but when my skin starts looking dull / dry / uneven, it's my go to and hasn't failed me yet

My regular moisturiser is Nuxe creme fraiche, which does the job

I think Clinique dramatically different is one of the best around

I signed upto beautypie over a year ago best decision ever. I've always found it difficult to find a decent moisturiser I used to used dermalogica which was expensive. I have found beauty pie hyralonic acid moisturiser to be perfect and their pure oxygen pretty good as well as their vitamin c

I've used it for years and love it.

HOWEVER... the current formula is being replaced with a vegan formulation which is not the same at all. So disappointed with Nivea. I dashed into Boots at lunchtime and got a huge tub of the original version. It is flying off the shelves.

I've just switched from prescription only Zo (which was great) to Inkey list which is way cheaper and seems just as good. I use hyaluronic acid serum after washing and then one of their hydration gels and a moisturiser. They have a huge range, are not expensive and work well. I'm 62 and my skin is still looking good.

I have recently switched from Clinque/Elemis to... Aveeno gel moisturiser and I'm amazed!

It's currently £5 on amazon and it feels so good going on and afterwards. I've been using it for 3 or 4 months now and my skin feels so different. It's also somehow all but stopped my spotty jawline.

Give it a go! I can't believe I've spent so much money on moisturisers over the years.