PRODUCT REVIEW: SELF/ISH | OIL-FREE MOISTURIZER – BEST FACE CREAM FOR OILY SKIN
SELF/ISH | OIL-FREE MOISTURIZER
This review was originally part of my blog article titled, Summer Moisturizers Part I – Some of the Best Lightweight Face Creams for Oily Skin and All Skin Types in Hot Weather. You can catch the full piece here.
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It brings me such great pleasure to introduce you to the new, clean men’s skincare brand, SELF/ish! The brand was founded by a group of guys and friends of mine, all skincare enthusiasts, living their best life in sunny Southern California.
SELF/ish has been a labor of love for them and has taken two years to get off the ground. I’m so honored (and proud!) to share that I advised on the formulas and packaging along the way.
“SELF/ish is built for the unapologetically unique man who is uncompromising in his pursuit of the best for himself.” - Co-Founder Andrew Knox
The brand recently launched with a full range of clean, effective, vitamin-infused skin care — seven products in all; and all democratically priced — ranging from $12-$25. Notably, the SELF/ish daily skincare routine for men includes a facial scrub, eye cream, moisturizer, exfoliating pads and a face cleanser that I’m highly obsessed with. The entire seven-product routine costs little more than $100!
To start, let’s take a look at the really well-formulated, clean and vegan SELF/ish Oil-Free Moisturizer!
What is clean beauty and what does clean skincare mean?
I found a thoughtful article full of clean beauty insights on the Martha Stewart website titled, Everything You Need to Know About Clean Skincare, that I think really gets to the heart of it.
Right along with green and organic, clean is a word often used today in the sphere of wellness. “Clean eating” is used to describe a diet full of fresh, organic foods made without additives, preservatives, and chemicals. Likewise, clean beauty is used to describe cosmetics formulated without toxic ingredients.
But there’s not a universal definition of clean beauty since it’s not regulated by the government. “In the United States, there's a feeling that the government doesn't restrict enough ingredients in personal care products,” says Tara Foley, founder of clean beauty mecca Follain. “In Europe and Canada, the government better regulates what can and can’t be in beauty products.” In fact, the European Union has banned more than 1,300 ingredients for cosmetic use, while the United States has banned only 11, according to the CSC, or the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.
Instead, beauty brands are increasingly taking it upon themselves to restrict toxic ingredients linked to cancers and hormone disorders. “Each of us has to decide for ourselves what clean means, and customers have to decide what’s important to them,” Foley says. “I believe clean skincare prioritizes human and environmental health and restricts ingredients that are harmful to that. Clean skincare uses nutritious, plant-based ingredients as much as possible, and safe synthetics as necessary for preservation or performance.”
The SELF/ish Oil-Free Moisturizer is a relatively lightweight lotion for face — with a kick. Like all of the SELF/ish products, it’s powered by a vitamin complex of B5, C, E and the Vitamin A alternative, Bakuchiol.
It’s also got a hefty blend of antioxidants beyond the brand’s signature Vitamin Boost Complex. A scan of the INCI and I find nourishing Chondrus Crispus Extract, drawn from red algae, and power antioxidant Ferulic Acid — Vitamin C’s stabilizing BFF.
But the real complexion perfecting oomph behind the formula is the inclusion of a full range of exfoliating, pore-clearing acids.
From the gentler PHA family, is Gluconolactone. The more powerful exfoliating AHA’s include Citric Acid, Mandelic Acid and Malic Acid.
I love that the SELF/ish chemist opted for these three more gentle alpha hydroxy acids rather than the more potent, harsher Glycolic Acid and Lactic Acid.
After all, gentler is the way to go in a daily moisturizer — and the Oil-Free Moisturizer delivers an ample exfoliating effect for daily use.
In place of moisture-infusing oils, the formula utilizes humectant Sodium Hyaluronate and Dimethicone to lock in moisture and prevent water loss. That’s particularly essential in hot weather when skin loses water through excessive sweating. And of course, it’s ideal for oily skin all day, every day.
Of course I love this stuff! Check out the new SELF/ish brand and their clean, democratically priced skincare range on the brand’s website. And, stay tuned for more on the entire SELF/ish brand in an upcoming blog…
SHOP THE BLOG: Purchase the SELF/ish Oil-Free Moisturizer for $20 here.
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The Ingredient List of the SELF/ish Oil-Free Moisturizer:
Aqua, C13-15 Alkane, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Ceteareth-20, Glyceryl Behenate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Xanthan Gum, Polysorbate 80, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Bakuchiol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Panthenol, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Sorbitan Oleate, Gluconolactone, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Mandelic Acid, Malic Acid, Gallic Acid, Ferulic Acid, Ellagic Acid, Cyanocobalamin, Linoleic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Oleic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Linolenic Acid
