Let’s Talk Moisturizer

By Kate Riley January 24, 2013

Well my friends today I’m at the ALT Design Summit Conference in Salt Lake City as a first time attendee and so far the experience has been great.  I’m excited to meet and make new friends and contacts while I’m in town.  My sister also relocated here last year so I get a chance to celebrate her birthday with her this weekend.  She warned me before I came to town, "this is not California, this is a mountain climate, and it is cold!  Bring your warmest jacket, drink lots of water, and remember to moisturize!"  

I hate to say the words (plug your ears sis) but my sister was totally right.  My skin already feels very dry but I’m also in denial about a little thing called the aging process.  :)  I’ll let you in on a little secret.  I’m turning forty this year, yes me, forty!  It always reminds me of that line in When Harry Met Sally  when Meg Ryan has her meltdown and when she says through tears "But I’m going to be forty….someday!"

It’s taken me a few years to settle on the moisturizers I like best and my favorites vary by day and by season.  Spring and summer I’m focused on sunscreen and in winter or dry climates like this one, it’s all about extra moisture.  Here are my faves:

kates skin care picks 

For daytime:  Ole Henriksen Truth Crème Advanced Hydration – light texture, citrus scent, my favorite in the morning, especially in winter.  I also use Burt’s Bees Radiance Day Cream from my local pharmacy. 

For nighttime:  Mario Badescu Caviar Night Cream – thick and creamy and wonderful, I love this one at night before I go to bed.  It reminds me of Crème de la Mer, but much more affordable, I’ve been using this for over a year.

For pep:  I love love love Ole Henrickson’s Sheer Transformation, it’s lightweight and silky and perfect for right out of the shower and in summertime too. 

For eyes:  Mario Badescu Chamomile Eye Cream (anti aging, for nighttime) and Origin’s GinZing for puffiness or dark circles during the day.    

For sunscreen:  Again Mario, I love his Solar Block Cream (SPF 30) in combination with Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer

So tell me friends, what is your favorite facial moisturizer for your age or skin type that you swear by? 

 

*not perked or paid, I just love the stuff!  Over and out.

 

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35 comments

  1. So sorry that you had to be in SLC for this crummy weather! My hubs and I have been here about a year and a half, and we really love it (when it’s not like this). I would say “make sure you at least take a drive-around tour of Sugarhouse, the Aves, and Federal Heights,” but the weather is so crummy, I don’t know how much of the beautiful old houses you can even see (not to mention the icy road conditions). Hope you get the time to come back sometime when it’s beautiful!

  2. Hello there! I have to tell you that I have never used these products. I use day and night creams that are based on olive oil and aloe vera, while for the eyes I need something stronger, that’s why I use an anti-wrinkle eye cream from Oriflame. I think that the most important for a healthy skin is the daily cleaning and we have to find the right soap for our type of skin. Interesting article!

  3. Thanks for these suggestions Kate! I’m always looking for a good moisturizer, I have the driest skin, esp. living through Midwest winters! I always forget about Mario B, although I keep hearing good things (I hear Martha is a fan too). Gotta try the Caviar Cream!

  4. I keep it pretty simple. For the face, I use Oil of Olay Regenerist along with Garnier BB Cream. The face wash I use is Neutrogena Cream Cleanser. For the lips, I’m hooked on Cococare Cocoa Butter Lip Balm. For the body, Curel – it’s great for dry skin. Will have to try the Mario B and Caviar Cream – sounds luxurious!

  5. I have very dry skin so I am always on the hunt for a good moisturizer and have tried more than I like to admit. I am kind of a product junky! I use Creme De La Mer for years, but now that I am no longer working I needed to find an alternative with a better price.
    I have found some wonderful products from France. They are imported by an USA distributor and I am in love with them, they are not sold here in the US. They are affective and affordable. I did a post on my tried and true, skin care products here……..http://goodlifeofdesign.blogspot.com/2013/01/my-tried-and-true-skin-care-products.html

  6. I have dry skin by nature, but when my husband and I travel to Utah (his family lives in SLC), I’m a hopeless cause! And don’t even get me started on how chapped my lips get.

    I love me some moisturizer, and I’m at the very, very bottom of my current bottle, so your post came at a very opportune time! I think I’ll give the Burt’s Bees day cream a try!

  7. I am a firm believer in using mineral makeup and vitamin E oil on my skin. I really appreciate you sharing this because I fell as i get older I need to get wiser about taking care of my dry skin.
    Thanks!

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  8. I have very dry skin. I have been using Josie Maran makeup, Argan oil and whipped body butter for about six month now, and I doubt I’ll EVER change. It’s the first thing I’ve ever used that actually made my skin better for hours, not just minutes, and her foundation actually makes my skin better, not dry, cakey or OLD. You can get it at Sephora, QVC (I know…) and her website. I highly, highly recommend it for dry skin. It’s fabulous.

  9. I’ve been using Rodan + Fields (from the same doctors who created Proactiv) for over 6 months now, and my skin has never felt so soft! I loved it so much that I decided to start my own business around it. I use the Unblemish line (to combat my adult acne) and include many of the anti-aging products to prevent wrinkles. Love, love, love it all.

  10. i just had to say i have seen you in person at haven and you do not look remotely close to forty, so put those worries aside!

  11. I have very dry, sensitive skin, even though I live in a hot, humid climate. I swear by the moisturizers from Paula’s Choice (my fave is Skin Recovery)! Extremely emollient and reasonably priced. I don’t use the line exclusively, as there are some products that irritate my sensitive skin, but the majority of products in my regimen comes from this line. I saw her on Oprah years ago and have been a fan ever since. You can find it at http://www.cosmeticscop.com. The site also extensively reviews other skin care and makeup products. I’m also a fan of sweet almond oil for the body and face.

  12. I turn 40 this year also — in just a few months :/ I went on Retin-A to help combat fine lines, but it has dried my skin out completely. Definitely need to moisturize!!

  13. I love Dr Denese antiaging products, esp her retinoid serum, the only one I’ve found that doesn’t eat my skin. I use her facial cleanser on my body in the shower during winter. Because my skin just “aged up” a notch, I haven’t yet found makeup that works for me. I’ve been wishing Laura Mercier didnt have SPF which I can’t use in chemical form. And PS! I’m waaay past 40 – it happens to the best of us ( not Lol) because I just had another b-day yesterday. Oy!

  14. Thanks for the round up of great products Kate! I am horrible about the way I take care of my skin, thank God I don’t lay out in the sun like so many of my fellow Floridians but I still have a lot of exposure to it and I am sad to admit..I dont’ wear ANY moisturizer. When I write it, it almost seems ridicules to think, but I really don’t. That Sheer Transformations seems my style.something super light. Maybe I’ll give it a try! thanks for sharing!

  15. I LOVE the Equate (found at Wal Mart) version of Oil of Olay moisturizer for sensitive skin. It has SPF (30 I think), it’s lightweight, it’s never greasy, it absorbs really, really well, and it does not irritate my skin and its dirt cheap! I buy it by the truckload from Mal Mart.com since it’s usually sold out when I go to look for it in the store. I kid you not, this stuff ROCKS! I have used this for a good 15 years and I would never think of using anything else. I’m in my ’40’s but my skin is still pretty oily so I don’t need a heavy duty moisturizer. I live in Southern California so it gets dry here. If they ever stop making this, I will CRY. Note: The Equate version is so much better than the name brand Oil of Olay for sensitive skin. For some reason, the name brand version irritates my skin, where Equate does not. I have oily, mature, fair, sensitive, rosacea prone skin.

  16. I’m a lot older probably than most of your readers. I just turned the big “6-0!” Yikes! But thankfully, my skin has always been more oil and now it is a good normal/combo so dryness isn’t always my issue, especially if I stay hydrated. I’ve used everything from high end to drug store but lately I’ve tried more natural and green cosmetics. Right now I am using some products from The Vital Image that I discovered in Santa Barbara for that big birthday celebration during a wonderful spa day that my hubby treated me to. I have large pores and using their products has really made a huge difference in that area. I also have discovered the benefits of using virgin coconut oil. I was breaking out on my chin area and decided to try the antimicrobial benefits. After using dermatologist products to no avail, I experimented one evening and used a decent amount on my face and especially in the area of my breakouts and the next morning I was amazed to find the breakouts were totally gone and my face felt like velvet…as well as my hands and feet!

  17. I am a faithful user of the Laura Mercer tinted moisturizer. I love that it helps even out my face. Even if I’m in a rush in the morning, I at least make the effort to apply this before leaving the house.

  18. Hi Kate,
    I have been using Serious Skin Care by Jennifer Stallone for over a year. I use the vitamin C version and love it. My skin has never been so balanced in hot weather or winter weather. The first winter I didn’t have all the flakiness to fight. On turning forty, I had one friend tell me “It’s only a number” and that was right! Everytime I started to feel a little panic, I just repeated “it’s only a number” and it helped.

  19. Just had to say that I just started to use Mario B and LOVE it! I have combo/ acne prone skin at 40(ugh) and this line seems to have just the products. Mositurizer is absolutely necessary once ya fall off the 39 mark;)

  20. Another shout out for Paula’s Choice products! I started with just one and now use little else. Paula does the homework for us regarding truth vs hype about ingredients, and her prices are fair.

  21. I am 32 and like Aveeno and Garnier Fructis moisturizers. They are affordable and work great for me. What has worked best is using Clnique’s clarifying lotion (#2) and then moisturizing. THey weren’t lying about exfoliating being the best thing for soft, smooth skin.

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  22. I like Josie Maran Argan oil moisturizer broad spectrum 40 SPF. works wonders and pretty inexpensive, relatively speaking.

  23. Kudos from me to Paula’s Choice products. Her website, http://www.cosmeticscop.com is outstanding. It has a lot of good scientific information about skin care. If you click on the ‘Beautypedia Reviews’ tab, you can see her ratings system for many, many makeup and skin care companies along with their contact information and the scientific research to back her up. Over the years, Paula has saved me a boatload of money by helping me to realize that I don’t have to go anywhere else but the local drug store to buy whatever I need. She often suggests alternatives to pricey makeup, creams, lotions, etc. No, I do not work for Paula, but I have a lot of respect for her and her opinions because she backs them up with facts. Yes, she does sell her own products, but as you will see, she thoroughly and fairly rates other products and isn’t afraid to tell you when something is “beautifully formulated.” Seriously, please don’t believe me! Please at least give her website a look-see!!

    Okay, down from my soapbox and back to the blogosphere. Thank you to everyone for sharing!!

  24. WHAT. You are not going to be 40 this year. Er ma gerd. I want to look like you when I’m 40.

    As for moisturizers, I’ve tried a bunch of samples from Sephora (Ole Henriksen included) and finally settled on THE ONE: Perricone MD Face Finishing Moisturizer – it’s ah-mah-zing. It doesn’t feel greasy, and not only does it make your skin feel healthy and glowy, even the next morning, your skin just feels ohsosoft.

  25. Great tips on moisturizing! In Vermont (when the temps get below zero) it is a must to have some thick stuff on. I’ve had facials at Mario Badescu’s salon in New York City (best deal going in city — you have to check it out) but haven’t tried the cavier! Will do next time. Also — wanted to go to the Alt Summit — next year! Thanks again for the info! :)

  26. I was in Deer Valley Utah this summer and I had a hard time with the altitude and the dry skin was a persistent problem. I am a huge mario badesco fan Laura Mercier is killer too. I just turned 45 and it was hard but what makes it easier is really taking good care of myself, moisturizing, smiling a lot, eating right, exercising, good genes help too but thinking and acting youthful looks youthful.Love your blog. xoxo

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