On a particularly freezing February day in New York, I woke up to find that I’d run out of my winter skin-care staple: my Cosrx Hyaluronic Acid Moisturizer. Naturally, I panicked — it was frigid outside, and I couldn’t let my skin face the freezing wind without a good dose of hydration.
I then remembered that a makeup artist friend of mine had recently given me a sample of Supergoop’s Superscreen Daily Moisturizer. She had sung its praises, saying it was a true standout product from the brand. As you know, I don’t need to be convinced of the efficacy of Supergoop products: I am, and have long been, a huge fan of its setting powder. Still, as a dry-skinned person, I was wary. I have very high standards when it comes to the products responsible for moisturizing my flaky skin. But it’s my job to take risks with products, so I slathered it all over my face after applying my serums.
Sometimes when I try out unfamiliar products, I end up with rashes and hives. When I put this on, I noticed that my skin drank it right up, and immediately felt quenched and plumped up. This made sense after investigating the product’s ingredient list: A core component of the formula is blue-green algae, which is rich in antioxidants and fatty acids, both of which penetrate deep down to give your skin that hard-to-achieve youthful glow. My face looked wonderful: bright, radiant, and gleamy without looking greasy (a hard balance to strike, I find!).
Another thing I found intriguing about the formula of this product is its use of cerium, a rare mineral element that protects skin from the blue light that our phones and computers emit — that blue light, according to some early studies by dermatologists, can cause more pigment, redness, and swelling. (In case you want to read more on the subject, try this 2010 study published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology.) This spoke to me! And for those who’re fearful that the fact that this contains SPF will cause issues: This gave me zero breakouts and no flashback. A note here: If I’m going to be spending a lot of time outside, I’ll wear an SPF BB cream (usually the Dew Skin Moisturizing Coverage) on top of this for extra protection. If I’m not, I’ll go solo with the Supergoop.
Guess what? I haven’t refilled my Cosrx Hyaluronic Acid moisturizer since I tried this. Which says everything you need to know.
Other Strat-approved SPF moisturizers
Strategist senior editor Simone Kitchens is a former beauty editor — and has therefore tried many, many SPF moisturizers. Her favorite is Image Skincare’s Prevention+. “The brand seems random,” she says, “but my God, it works better than anything I’ve tried. (I have used EltaMD, and while I like it okay, and derms like it a lot, I find this formula to be less greasy and shine-inducing, and it doesn’t do that pilling thing.) This stuff, which is slightly more liquid than creamy, sinks right in. I like that it makes my skin nice and glowy, as opposed to bumpy and chalky. And for the whole compliance issue, I leave the tube next to my key bowl.”
“It’s definitely on the pricier end,” writes Strategist’s Lori Keong of her MDSolarSciences Daily Anti-Aging Moisturizer. “But it’s very creamy, very hydrating, and has a zillion skin-friendly ingredients.”
Cut writer Ashley Weatherford loves this tinted SPF 20 moisturizer from Laura Mercier. “The cream is moisturizing, but not thick,” she writes. “Anyone in the market for a lightweight tinted moisturizer will be happy with this formula, and with 15 shades to choose from, no one is getting left out.”
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