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Getting into skincare can be overwhelming, especially given the vast amount of products and hard-to-pronounce ingredients often thrown around the beauty community. I know I started my journey with skincare around winter 2019 and really only got the hang of it by 2021, so it does take time — and a lot of money.
Since a lot of skincare involves experimentation and product trials, I thought I’d start a series reviewing some of the most popular products you can find both in luxury stores and drug stores to help you narrow things down and even spare you a couple dollars along the way. So, we will kick things off with (cue some fancy harp music)… moisturizers!
Disclaimer: This review is written from the perspective of someone with a dry, resilient skin type. If you have oily and/or sensitive skin, your experience may differ from mine.
1. OLEHENRIKSEN C-Rush Vitamin C Gel Moisturizer ($61)
This one is a Sephora favourite, with almost three thousand reviews on the site alone. The jar is a modest 50ml but boy does it pack a punch. Looking back, I can’t help but think what a bold move it was on my part to try this out as my first real facial moisturizer.
Summary: The product boasts its ability to reverse signs of aging, dullness and uneven texture, and loss of firmness while also hydrating the skin for up to 24 hours. This should come as no surprise, especially since it contains three sources of vitamin C. Vitamin C is a powerful ingredient that is known for its brightening and skin-renewing properties; while these make the product highly sought-after, it definitely should not be taken lightly. Vitamin C is also known to sensitize your skin (i.e., make it more sensitive, reactive, and vulnerable to the sun) and cause a skin purge (a brief surge of breakouts as it cleans up your skin).
My experience: I loved this product. Normally, I’m not a fan of gel moisturizers as my skin type is better suited to thicker creams. However, the consistency of this gel definitely held its weight without being so light that my skin immediately sucked it all up, and a little bit did go a long way! Since my skin type is more resilient, I also didn’t mind the fragrance and actually enjoyed the fresh citrusy scent.
As for the results? Absolutely staggering. My skin was visibly plumper, brighter, and clearer — probably the closest to glass skin I ever got. The effect was so noticeable that I had Sephora employees complimenting my skin and even my brother making the following remark: “Your skin looks a lot brighter. You’re still ugly, though.”
I’ll take what I can get.
The downside is that it did make me purge for about a week before working its magic. Definitely worth the results in my book.
Final Rating: 5/5
2. Laneige Water Sleeping Mask ($38)
Another popular Sephora go-to, this mask is a common buy for most first-time skincare buyers. The standard jar is 70ml, so a little bigger than Ole H, and it also comes with a cute little plastic scooper so you don’t have to dip your fingers straight into the jar and mess with the efficacy of its ingredients. A great tool to use for other jars afterwards!
Summary: This mask claims to aid dryness and hydration while also improving dullness and uneven texture. It contains squalane, which is an awesome moisturizing ingredient that closely resembles your skin’s natural oils. It’s also formulated with a neat “probiotic-derived complex” that is supposed to improve your skin’s moisture barrier so that it looks smoother and brighter.
My experience: I’ll be honest, I was pretty underwhelmed by this mask. It felt pleasantly cool and refreshing on application with virtually no detectable scent, but didn’t seem to have any effect on my skin’s overall hydration levels. I woke up feeling like I never put anything on to begin with. Now that I’m more familiar with what products work for me, I understand that its clear gel-like consistency is definitely too light for someone with my skin type — an oilier complexion may certainly have a better go of it than me!
Final Rating: 2/5
3. Fresh Rose & Hyaluronic Acid Deep Hydration Moisturizer ($59)
Fresh probably has the chicest branding I’ve ever seen. Anyone who knows me knows I’m a huge fan of anything pink with girly cursive writing, and all of this brand’s products are consistently marketed with the loveliest feminine touch. Naturally, I couldn’t resist another splurge!
Summary: At a standard 15ml, this moisturizer is targeted towards dullness and uneven texture and dryness, with a hyaluronic acid combo that is designed to deliver hydration for up to 72 hours. This special combo is unique for its “time-release technology” which gradually hydrates your skin over the next three days. Fancy! It also contains Damask Rose extract, which is great for moisturizing and supporting your skin barrier. With its thick creamy consistency, your skin should expect to see some plumped-up, dewy results.
My experience: I enjoyed this product quite a bit, especially for its calming rosy scent. I’m not sure what went wrong though, but I did experience some break outs using this. I’m fortunate to be someone who breaks out very infrequently, so whatever this cream did, my skin did not take kindly to it. I’m also saddened to say that, similar to the Laneige mask, it did not show me any noticeable hydration results. As much as I enjoyed the experience of using a cream that looked and felt this luxe, it was unfortunately not enough to justify the price point.
Final Rating 3/5
4. Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Moisturizing Cream ($40)
Another cult favourite, this is definitely a moisturizer you won’t want to miss. Kiehl’s is a brand that’s been around for a while (since 1851!) so it’s pretty safe to say that the people behind that name know exactly what they’re doing. Interestingly enough, this also happens to be their #1 moisturizer, so there’s plenty of hype behind it!
Summary: At a standard 50ml, this cream is fragrance-free and formulated with many heavy-duty ingredients targeted at dryness, dullness, and uneven texture. Its ingredients include squalane as well as glycerin to soften and moisturize the skin for up to 24 hours. On top of this, it is also specially designed to combat extreme colds by combining desert plant extract, which helps retain moisture in super dry climates, and glacial glycoprotein extract, which protects skin from extremely cold temperatures while maintaining its moisture barrier. This is a BIG plus for people who live in super chilly regions like we do here in Ottawa.
My experience: I’ve got only one word for this moisturizer — WOW. It’s like silk in cream form! It felt so smooth and wonderful on the skin and definitely seemed like it was doing its job during the colder winter months. There was no sign of dryness or flaking at all and it made my skin feel super moisturized. I loved it so much that it happens to be the only cream on this list that I repurchased in its value size. Definitely highly recommend.
Final Rating: 5/5
5. First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream ($50)
You’d be crazy not to have heard of this one. At 8.4K reviews, this is a huge favourite on Sephora and among those with dry or sensitive skin conditions. If your skin needs a little extra TLC, this is the product for you.
Summary: At a standard 170g, this is a rich and heavy cream targeted at “dry and distressed” skin that may display signs of aging, excessive redness, or dryness. With notable ingredients such as shea butter and allontoin, it is specially designed to calm and soothe irritated, parched skin while delivering much-needed moisture support using a combination of vitamins and essential fatty acids. It’s also formulated with colloidal oatmeal so your skin can feel hydrated and supple. It’s like a hug in cream form!
My experience: This is definitely a rich cream and my skin responds relatively well to it. A little bit goes a long way and its moisturizing effects can be felt hours after it’s been applied; it does require some extra rubbing to be fully absorbed, otherwise you’ll be stick with a few white streaks across your face. Something I’ve also observed in using this cream is that while it did help with the dry side of things, it didn’t necessarily help with hydration. There were occasions when, bizarrely, I could glimpse fine lines on my forehead 10 minutes after applying this cream. I’m sure it’s not necessarily dehydrating, but in any case, it wasn’t helping either.
Final rating: 3/5
6. The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA ($8)
I’d be remiss if I wrote a skincare review without including something from The Ordinary. This brand is a godsend for anyone with a low budget while remaining just as effective as the most expensive luxury brands. Most of the products on this list have been quite overpriced so far, so this one will definitely be good to try out if you want a simple everyday cream.
Summary: At 100ml, this cream is great for all skin types (including sensitive) and is developed to deliver non-greasy hydration. As noted in its name, its formula contains a variety of natural moisturizing factors such as amino acids, fatty acids, ceramides, glycerin, and hyaluronic acid, all of which combine to deliver instant moisture that lasts — and it’s only $8!
My Experience: True to its word, this product is very thick and moisturizing without irritating or drying me out at all. Very simple and unproblematic for a good, practical price. I only had one gripe with it and that was its minor white cast. The more I rubbed it in, the whiter it got, leaving me with a bunch of white streaks all over my face. I ended up mixing it with a facial oil and gently patting it in to slightly mitigate the look, otherwise it would’ve taken several minutes for the sheen to go away. Other than that, it’s perfectly functional.
Final rating: 4/5
And that wraps up the first installment of my skincare review series. This piece was largely centred around Sephora’s luxury products, but stay tuned for the next one which will feature lip balms at various price points!