WINTER MOISTURIZERS PART I – SOME OF THE BEST FACE CREAMS FOR DRY SKIN AND ALL SKIN TYPES IN COLD WEATHER
What a week!
The US presidential election was finally decided and I think no matter what side of the fence you’re on, we all breathed a sigh of relief. It’s been a long, harrowing four years and the past 12 months were, perhaps, the most trying of all.
And then, just as I felt like I could breathe again, my MacBook Pro died. Damn, that computer had a good run. Literally, every blog article I’ve ever written was crafted on that laptop from circa 2013.
Of course, its demise came out of no where, entirely unexpected — and seemingly at the worst time. Yeah, there’s no good time for a writer to suddenly be unable to work, but I have ramped up my copywriting work over the last few weeks as the migraines have subsided. I’ve been busier than ever.
It’s been non-stop, and then it was full stop! A screeching halt.
Tuesday morning the keyboard went out. I tried to make an appointment at Apple. And, of course, in Covidworld, it’s not possible to have a laptop serviced when you really need it serviced. The next available appointment was a week off. I was suddenly faced with being unable to work for a week, or longer. How would I even manage that? I felt like I’d lost a limb.
So I did what I had to do — and what I needed to. I bought a new MacBook! It sure wasn’t cheap. Eight hours later, I was up and running and back at it. My new baby is faster, smoother and more efficient. Just another hiccup in the grand scheme of things, right? I know, it’s #firstworldproblem.
You know what else is a first world problem? Dry skin in winter…
The skincare stuff starts here.
Over the summer, I crafted a pair of blog articles featuring my top ten summer moisturizer picks. I kicked it off with a piece titled, Summer Moisturizers Part I – Some of the Best Lightweight Face Creams for Oily Skin and All Skin Types in Hot Weather. It was the first of a collection of the best moisturizers for face that balance comfort and efficacy during the hottest, most humid months of the year.
You know there’s nothing ickier than having too much of anything on your face on a hot, humid day! Except maybe melting ice cream.
Interestingly, that summer series was inspired by an article I wrote way back in the winter of 2019 titled, Skincarma Approved: 3 Top Facial Moisturizers for Winter Weather.
My initial winter moisturizer piece featured three relatively rich face creams — ideal for combatting winter skin and the severe dryness it wreaks on our complexion.
That first article on the best face creams for dry skin (and all skin types in winter!) featured the Laneige Water Bank Moisture Cream, Drunk Elephant’s Protini Polypeptide Cream and the SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2. That SkinCeuticals face cream with lipids is one of the richest moisturizers I’ve ever come across. More on lipids in a minute!
So, here I am two whole winters later with the first of a two-part series on the best face creams for dry skin — and all skin types in the cold.
I have never been a fan of the winter season and never will be. For me, it’s all about managing it, waiting it out, until it’s over. That’s not to say I don’t find joys in winter — like homemade soup, basketball and facial oils! I was born and raised in Connecticut, where winters were always so damn cold I thought I’d never survive my childhood. Back then, building a snowman was my greatest joy. Today, it’s slathering on Herbivore’s Phoenix Face Oil!
I’ve been planning for this piece, and the one to follow next week, for a while — and have, as during the summer, ten recommendations in all. They run the gamut from lighter to heavier moisturizers — and a broad range of prices for all budgets.
Let’s take a look at the first five of my cold weather face creams in this year’s two-part series…
The Clinical Beauty | Moisture Cream
I first discovered the new Clinical Beauty Moisture Cream several months ago and knew immediately it would be ideal for the colder months. After using it consistently for two straight weeks, I noticed a difference in my skin quality that I wasn’t expecting. It was a discernible change in the look and feel of my skin. My complexion appeared healthier and less reactive, less sensitive. My skin felt plump and healthy.
But why? What’s so different about the Clinical Beauty Moisture Cream from clean, clinical brand The Clean Beauty Co?
To start, the Moisture Cream with 2% Hyaluronic Acid is a clean, vegan formula, comprised of 93% natural and 81% organic ingredients.
But the truly remarkable number is this one: 100%. The Clinical Beauty’s Moisture Cream is 100% “skin active”. How intriguing does that sound? In fact, that’s the game-changer — the reason that my skin quality visibly changed after two weeks of consistent use.
What skin active means is that there’s nothing in the formula — not a single ingredient — that doesn’t have a benefit for the skin. What? You mean there are ingredients in other products that don’t benefit the skin? Yes there are! In fact, many face products — including overpriced anti-aging moisturizers like that 3.4 oz., $510 jar of Crème de la Mer — can contain up to 70% water. Water is useless for the skin — beyond a temporary humectant benefit (water holds water, until it evaporates!).
Water isn’t the only useless ingredient in skincare. Ingredients like stabilizers, preservatives, texture enhancers, and much of the formula base generally have no value for the skin. None of that advances your skin health. They (usually) do no harm, but they also do no good.
The Clinical Beauty’s Moisture Cream is 100% goodness. That’s what’s different, that’s what I noticed. My skin felt at ease, relaxed, plumped, not loaded up with nonsensical stuff. It felt like a healthy skin reboot!
What are phospholipids?
Phospholipids are a class of lipids, or fats, and a key component of all cell membranes — essential for skin structure and healthy functions. There’s an excellent piece on the 111 Skin website titled, Phospholipids and Why You Need it in Your Skincare. I found this most salient:
The protective barrier you and your skin never knew you needed. For hydration and repair, Phospholipids is what you need in order to keep your skin in a healthy condition.
What are Phospholipids?
Phospholipids provide a barrier for the skin; it hydrates and assists the skin for repair. A type of lipid molecule that is the main component of the cell membrane, it is made up of two fatty acids, a phosphate group and a glycerol molecule. Phospholipids are described as having heads and tails, the ‘head’ of a phospholipid is hydrophilic which means attracted to water whilst the ‘tail’ of a phospholipid is hydrophobic that repels water. As a combination this means that a phospholipid attracts water and absorbs it and a crucial component in keeping the skin hydrated.
How do Phospholipids work?
Phospholipids work like a second skin; they mimic the skin’s natural lipids to seal in any product added to the skin and then helps deliver the active ingredients deeper into the skin.
In addition to a high concentration of both high and low molecular HA, the Moisture Cream contains Urea, algae and Beta-Glucan, additional humectants that help lock in moisture — a real skin imperative in the winter. There are multiple nourishing probiotic ferments, too.
But what’s most remarkable is the formula’s bio-lamellar base made of plant cell lipids, derived from natural, non-GMO lecithin, rich in linoleic acid, and an essential fatty acid to promote a healthy skin barrier. These phospholipids meld perfectly with the skin. That means the product doesn’t just sit on the skin’s surface doing nothing, or barely penetrate; it melts deeply into the skin, filling skin’s layers with bio-compatible lipids and pulling the formula’s beneficial actives along with it.
Seriously, try it for yourself and you’ll see what I mean!
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Paula’s Choice | Omega+ Complex Moisturizer
I’ve featured this baby in a couple of past blog articles. Most notably, it played the starring role of best facial moisturizer in my favorite skincare routine titled, A Complete $175 Clean Skincare Routine with Herbivore, The Inkey List, Solara Suncare & More! which you can catch here.
That literally perfect seven-product skincare regimen was composed in a collaboration between Michael Vogt, founder of The Clean Beauty Company, and me. For it, we must have waded through two dozen face cream options before settling on the Paula’s Choice Omega+ Complex Moisturizer. It’s simply one of the best face creams for dry skin. Period.
There’s just something so fluffy, creamy and deliciously wonderful about it that amazes me to this day. Paula’s Omega+ moisturizer for face is simply a really well-formulated product. All good stuff, nary a bit of fluff!
To start, the Omega+ Complex Moisturizer is loaded with superfood omega fatty acids, replenishing ceramides, and so many antioxidant botanicals and non-fragrant plant oils that it’s not even worth counting them. It’s dozens.
The formula’s plethora of skin-strengthening omega fatty acids is found in the form of Linseed (Flax) Seed Oil, Chia Seed Oil, and Passion Fruit Seed Oil — each rich in some variation of omega 3, 6, and 9 fatty acids.
What are fatty acids?
Well, they’re substances that are found in both plant and animal lipids — aka fats. They also happen to be super healthy for our skin as they’re bio-compatible; that is, they’re recognized by the skin as friendly active ingredients and thus quickly and readily absorbed so they can get right to work.
There’s a super insightful piece on fatty acids and their benefits for the skin from the experts on the Paula’s Choice Research Team titled, How Omega Fatty Acids Help Skin. You can read it here; but this is what I found most intriguing:
What are Omega Fatty Acids?
Omega fatty acids are valuable fats, for your diet and your skin. There are 11 omega fatty acids of which two (omega-3 and omega-6) are considered essential fatty acids because the body cannot make them on its own. Among the omegas, the most vital for skin are:
Omega-3—Found in foods such as fish oil, flax seed (linseed) oil, walnut oil, chia oil, and certain species of algae.
Omega-6—Abundant in many plant oils, linoleic acid, and passion fruit oil.
Omega-9—Plentiful in flax seed (linseed) oil and soybean, canola, peanut, and sunflower oils.
Omega-3 and 6 fatty acids are not only essential to consume orally, but when applied to skin, research has shown they play a role in maintaining your skin's healthy appearance, among many other benefits.
How Do Omega Fatty Acids Benefit Skin?
Omega fatty acids are truly remarkable ingredients for skin. They serve as the essential building blocks of skin’s surface layers, creating a smoother, more even, younger-looking, and healthier complexion, no matter your age or skin type. And if the idea of putting fish oil on skin sounds a bit gross, don’t worry—the plant-derived omega-3 fatty acids are just as remarkable for skin!
Here are some of the things topical application of omega fatty acids can do for your skin:
Reinforce and smooth skin’s surface.
Increase hydration without feeling heavy, and help keep skin hydrated.
Calm signs of external stressors, including redness and sensitivity.
Eliminate signs of flaky, dehydrated-looking skin.
Visibly strengthen skin against signs of environmental damage.
Deliver antioxidants for anti-aging results.
All of these benefits mean that applying omega fatty acids to skin leads to visible rewards you’ll love, without bothering with fish oil for skin (keep that for your diet)!
Because the Paula’s Choice Omega+ anti-aging face moisturizer is so light, it works well for all skin types — and especially for dryer skin in winter. The only skin type I would imagine it not agreeing with would be super oily, acneic skin. Paula has a plethora of moisturizers for oily skin here.
SHOP THE BLOG: Purchase the Paula’s Choice Omega+ Complex Moisturizer for $35 here.
First Aid Beauty | Ultra Repair Cream
I heart First Aid Beauty! Their collection of face creams for sensitive skin, toners for sensitive skin and cleansers for sensitive skin is far superior to most skincare products that claim to be formulated for those with sensitive skin.
I took a deep dive into First Aid Beauty’s skin care in a blog article several months ago titled, First Aid Beauty and the Best Facial Skincare for Sensitive Skin. You can catch it here.
Truthfully, if you have sensitive skin, experience redness or other forms of unwanted skin irritation each day, FAB was made for you.
First Aid Beauty was founded in 2009 by Lilli Gordon, a mother, grandmother, and entrepreneur with a background in beauty who, like so many, struggled with skin sensitivity.
From the get-go, I recognized that First Aid Beauty’s products were formulated to calm skin, prevent irritation — and deliver nothing that could antagonize the skin, particularly sensitive and sensitized skin. I’ve been there myself. I’m not necessarily sensitive, per se, but I have certainly overdone it from time to time and gone through bouts of vexing sensitization.
When I do, First Aid Beauty is where I turn.
In fact, last week, I was experiencing a bit of sensitivity on my forehead — ground zero for my own skin sensitivity. I turned to FAB’s Ultra Repair Cream Intense Hydration moisturizer! The Ultra Repair Cream is one of the best face creams for dry skin that I’ve ever tried. It’s not too light, not too heavy — and it’s deliciously fluffy. Like a bowl of whipped cream. Make that whipped face cream!
The Ultra Repair Cream, like all the face creams in my winter moisturizer picks, is quite well-formulated. Because it’s formulated with sensitive skin in mind, there’s nary an essential oil in sight. It’s a clean formulation, too, devoid of all toxins and potential skin irritants like fragrance and denatured alcohol. I trust it on the most challenging days.
FAB describes Ultra Repair Cream as “a fast-absorbing, rich moisturizer that provides instant and long-term hydration for dry, distressed skin and eczema.”
Interestingly, eczema is something that I only began dealing with myself two winters ago. I had no idea what was going on with these sudden, super-itchy dry patches on my arms. (More on eczema in the next product review.)
What makes FAB’s Ultra Repair Cream so effective for dry, itchy, irritated skin is the Colloidal Oatmeal in the formula. Colloidal Oatmeal is a wonderful active for sensitive skin — and a First Aid Beauty fave. An FDA-designated skin protectant, it helps relieve itching and minor irritation caused by eczema, rashes, and other skin conditions. There’s also an effective level of moisturizing Shea Butter and soothing Allantoin.
First Aid Beauty’s Ultra Repair Cream is a relatively simply, high-quality face cream that does the job, and more. It’s also quite reasonably priced!
SHOP THE BLOG: Purchase the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream for $34 here.
Skinfix | Barrier+ Triple Lipid-Peptide Face Cream
I’ve had my eye on the Skinfix brand for a while now. I’ve long been eager to test drive their products and am impressed with what I’ve experienced so far.
You may recall my selection of the Skinfix Remedy+ 911 Ointment in my recent blog article on maskne titled, Best Maskne Treatments – available to read here. Seriously, if you’re struggling with maskne, get yourself a tube of Remedy+ 911 Ointment!
Skinfix is the clean, clinical brand it appears to be. They’re experts in the treatment of eczema and perioral dermatitis around the mouth, which made the choice of Remedy+ 911 Ointment ideal for the treatment of maskne.
In fact, Skinfix has an entire range of eczema treatments called Eczema+.
The Skinfix Eczema+ collection comprises about a half dozen products, including Eczema+ Dermatitis Face Balm, Eczema+ Foaming Oil Body Wash, and the brand’s iconic Eczema+ Targeted Body Balm — a previous version of which dates back to the company’s founding by Thomas Dixon, a pharmacist in Yorkshire, England, in 1870.
According to Skinfix,
“Dixon set out to create a balm to treat a multitude of skin irritations that his patients were suffering from. Since he didn’t work for a big beauty company, Dixon didn’t consider the cost of his formula when sitting down to formulate. Instead he grabbed every ingredient that he knew would help to tackle skin redness, itching, inflammation, cracking and dryness; and he used key ingredients at high concentrations. His goal was simple; the formula needed to work, otherwise his patients would not be back. Skinfix follows this ethos of using multiple, clean, active ingredients at their optimal effective levels in every formula that we create.”
Indeed, the Skinfix of today offers clean, vegan and highly efficacious treatments that are just shy of prescription strength. If you struggle with eczema, as I do in the winter months, you’ll want to turn to Skinfix. The products simply work!
But the company doesn’t rest on its eczema laurels. As a clinical brand, they’re focused primarily on protecting, maintaining and enhancing skin health. Much of what the brand espouses centers on the health of the skin barrier.
Just as Skinfix offers an entire range of products for the treatment of eczema, the brand also has a broad collection of products that target skin barrier health called, simply, Barrier+.
The centerpiece of the Skinfix Barrier+ collection is this fantastic face cream called Barrier+ Triple Lipid-Peptide Cream.
The Triple Lipid-Peptide moisturizer is deliciously rich, thick and creamy — the perfect moisturizer for dry skin and pretty much all skin types in winter.
Why? Because it’s rich in bio-compatible lipids. the foundation of all skin, no matter its type. Skin needs lipids (aka fats) to function. Natural occurring lipids found in the skin include ceramides, fatty acids, and cholesterol.
The Skinfix Barrier+ Triple Lipid-Peptide Cream contains the brand’s proprietary Triple Lipid Complex that, “helps to restore skin’s natural lipids and fatty acids for glowing, smooth, healthy-looking skin.”
What are lipids?
There’s an insightful article on the Dermstore website titled, The Role of Lipids—Cholesterol, Ceramides and Fatty Acids—in the Aging Process which you can read here.
Lipids in Your Skin
In a nutshell, lipids are skin’s natural fats. They are essential components of skin and play a crucial role in maintaining the strength of the skin’s protective barrier, which holds moisture, protects the skin from damage and keeps dirt and impurities out. They also aid the skin’s natural repair process. While there are many types of lipids, these three are the most prevalent—and important—for the skin.
Cholesterol: This lipid helps accelerate the skin barrier’s recovery and improve the appearance of skin elasticity. Visible skin aging is often caused by cholesterol deficiency on the skin. It’s important to note that cholesterol on your skin is different from the cholesterol found in the blood, and having more of it on your skin won’t cause your blood pressure to spike.
Ceramides: This type of lipid is proven to increase the skin’s hydration and barrier function. Ceramide deficiency is the main cause of dry skin.
Fatty acids: Abundant in young, healthy skin, fatty acids help maintain the skin’s lipid balance.
The Role of Topical LipidsHealthy, youthful skin has an abundance of these naturally occurring lipids. As we age, lipid production declines, and this can result in rough surface texture, uncomfortable tightness, dullness and loss of facial fullness. A compromised skin barrier is also more prone to irritation and water loss. This is why it’s important to counter the effects of lipid loss with a topical treatment—but not just any topical treatment.
The thickest of the five face creams I’m covering here, Triple Lipid-Peptide is 95% natural and feels like velvet on the skin. And, similarly to The Clinical Beauty Moisture Cream, it discernibly transforms the look and feel of your skin over time as depleted lipids are restored.
In fact, according to Skinfix,
“In a 28 day clinical study using Barrier+ Triple Lipid-Hyaluronate Serum in conjunction with, Barrier+ Foaming OIl Cleanser, Barrier+ Triple Lipid-Peptide Lotion & Cream; The quantity of lipids in the skin barrier increased by a significant 23.6% in 28 days (that's nearly a 1% increase in skin lipids each day!).”
You really begin to feel the effects of the lipids in Triple Lipid-Peptide Cream within a week or so. Such a fantastic moisturizer for the cold! Brrr…
SHOP THE BLOG: Purchase the Skinfix Barrier+ Triple Lipid-Peptide Face Cream for $50 here.
Yon-ka | Phyto 52
Bonjour, Yon-ka!
If you caught one of my #selfcaresunday videos on my IGTV a few weeks ago, you know I treated myself royally with the ultimate at-home spa treatments from Parisian spa brand Yon-ka. (Pssst…you can still catch it here!)
Their extensive range of pampering treatments are based on the science of phytotherapy — the harnessing of plant essences to preserve and repair skin functions.
The brand’s popular Gommage Yon-Ka is one of the best peeling gels that I’ve ever experienced — and my fave peeling gel ever. It’s one part gentle peel, one part mind-soothing nirvana.
And Yon-ka’s Phyto 52 face cream is equally a next-level sensorial experience! There’s something so intoxicating about all of Yon-ka’s treatments. The quality of the formulas continues to intrigue me. If you’re looking for the best spa-at-home skin care, look no further than Yon-ka.
Composed of 94% natural ingredients, the Phyto 52 moisturizer is an exquisite blend of botanicals with both aromatherapeutic properties and balancing, pro-skin health benefits.
Intriguingly, there’s a 9% concentration of antiseptic Rosemary Oil which, according to Yon-ka, has a “draining effect that tightens the look of pores, enhances radiance, and helps to sculpt facial contours.”
The Yon-ka Phyto 52 moisturizer is the most luxurious of the collection of my best face creams for dry skin. It’s extraordinarily soothing and moisturizing with a comforting blend of Vitamin E and Hazelnut Oil as well as soothing, humectant Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice.
Interestingly, the formula also contains Beech Bud botanical enzymes that Yon-ka says “help to clarify the complexion.” I’ve never heard of a beech bud enzyme, so I googled it! I found an insightful article on a niche website called Ageless La Cure (ooh la la!) titled, Beech Tree Bud Extract of Everlasting Youth: How It Enhances Anti-Aging Skincare Products which you can read here.
“The powerful extract of the beech tree bud (Fagus sylvatica) is formulated from naturally fallen buds which occur at a precise point in the more than 200-year-old life of the beech tree. The beech tree, native to temperate Europe, Asia, and North America, is also known as the 'Tree of Everlasting Youth.’ Understanding the botanical aspects of beech assists us to understand why its various extracts promote cell renewal and youth. This article primarily focuses on the extract of the beech bud only.
“The tree is a member of the Fagaceae family which includes oak and chestnut trees. Embodying strength and elegance, the height of this deciduous tree can exceed 115 feet. It reaches maturity at 60 years and can live up to two and half centuries. The beech tree can continue to grow almost all its long life and is able to prevail very well against all other species.”
If you have a low tolerance for essential oils, or consider your skin to be sensitive, Phyto 52 is not for you; the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream is.
However, if you love a luxurious, aromatherapeutic treatment, this is your face cream.
Like many of the Yon-ka formulas, Phyto 52 is infused with the brand’s proprietary Yon-ka Quintessence, which is composed of five essential oils that Yon-ka says possess multiple healing benefits.
Its thick, cashmere texture envelopes the skin with a comforting veil that’s evocative of a high-end spa experience.
SHOP THE BLOG: Purchase the Yon-ka Phyto 52 moisturizer for $72 here.
That’s it guys! I hope this helps you to get winter-skin ready — and that you’ll find my selection of some of the best moisturizers for dry skin helpful!
Stay warm…
🖤 SKINCARMA
The Ingredient List of The Clinical Beauty Moisture Cream:
The Ingredient List of the Paula’s Choice Omega+ Complex Moisturizer:
The Ingredient List of the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream:
The Ingredient List of the Skinfix Barrier+ Triple Lipid-Peptide Face Cream:
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Olus Oil (Vegetable Oil), Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter Extract, Cetyl Lactate, Propanediol, Caprylyl Caprylate/Caprate, C12-16 Alcohols, Jojoba Oil/Macadamia Seed Oil Esters, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Palmitic Acid, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract, Tocopherol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Extract, Phytosteryl Macadamiate, Phytosterols, Squalene, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Extract, Phytosteryl Canola Glycerides, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Seed Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Dilinoleic Acid/Propanediol Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Citric Acid, Gluconolactone, Sodium Benzoate, Xanthan Gum.
The Ingredient List of the Yon-ka Phyto 52:
Aqua/Water/Eau, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil, Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Oil, Peg-35 Castor Oil, Cera Alba/Beeswax/Cire D'abeille, Glyceryl Stearate, Peg-100 Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Corylus Avellana (Hazel) Seed Oil, Glycerin, Camphor, Sclerotium Gum, Carbomer, Fagus Sylvatica (Beech) Bud Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vit. E: 0.2%), Borneol, Sodium Hydroxide, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens (Geranium) Leaf Oil, Cupressus Sempervirens (Cypress) Oil, Thymus Vulgaris (Thyme) Flower/Leaf Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzoic Acid, Limonene *, Linalool *, Citronellol *, Geraniol *, Coumarin *
*Natural Components of Essential Oils