Keeping It Soft

Alba Botanica Hawaiian Moisture Cream

Smoothing Jasmine & Vitamin E

I was lucky as a teenager, I didn’t have overly difficult skin. It was fairly clear, with the occasional blemish. I used a product to clean and tone my face that they don’t even make anymore, and I didn’t use any sort of moisturizer because I didn’t really need it. Throw in the occasional face mask, and that was the sum of my skin care.

It wasn’t until my mid-thirties that my skin started getting sensitive. At first, it was nothing more than a mild reaction to an eye shadow or the occasional product fragrance that would dry it out. The first thing I noticed in relation to a sensitivity was every time I used any kind of facial mask, and I mean ANY kind, as soon as I got it washed/rinsed/scrubbed off, the skin on my face would be bright red, as if someone had dipped me in paint.

My face, particularly my forehead, became itchy and flaky all the time. The more I tried to get the problem cleared up, the worse it got. It started affecting my eyelids and at one point, they got so bad that they would bleed as the skin peeled off. After some expensive trips to the dermatologist, several years of using special washes, creams and treatments, and going completely without any kind of makeup at all, I finally found a routine that worked for me.

[A quick note here: If you’re experiencing similar problems, be patient and don’t give up. It took me a long time to figure out which products and routines work for me and which didn’t. What my sensitivity ultimately had to do with, was an allergy I apparently developed to an ingredient used in a LOT of different types of cosmetics, coupled with overwhelming amounts of stress. It may seem as though things will never be back to normal, but once you figure out the problem and the way to combat it, all will be back on track in no time.]

Back to skin care.

I have seven or eight different facial moisturizers that I rotate depending on my needs at that moment. For instance, in the winter months, I tend to use a thicker more hydrating product to counter the effects of artificial heat we’re all exposed to. In hotter months, when my skin isn’t quite so dry, I prefer something lighter that is absorbed quickly and doesn’t just sit on my skin. I think that’s pretty typical of everyone, regardless of what kind of skin you have.

Today, I’m going to tell you about my all purpose, go-to moisturizer.

Meet Alba Botanica Hawaiian Moisture Cream in Smoothing Jasmine & Vitamin E. I first read about this product somewhere, I think in one of those 25 Products You Must Try articles in an online beauty magazine. There were several things that appealed to me about it, the company is an animal friendly organization, this cream didn’t have any products that could potentially be harmful to me (phthalates, parabens, etc.), and it contained 100% vegetarian ingredients.

This moisturizer is a medium weight, creamy and hydrating, and soaks into the skin quickly for a non-greasy application. It smells fantastic with a light, lovely jasmine scent that’s strong enough to notice, but faint enough to not stand out or compete with any fragrance you may wear. I use it when I want something lighter in the drier winter months, or when I want something a little heavier in the sweltering days of summer.

It comes in a generous 3 oz. jar that lasts quite a long time. I bought my first jar at a health food store for $15-$18, but now you can purchase it at Walmart, $9, Vitacost, $12,  and Amazon, 1/$11 or 2/$20.

I use a dollop approximately the size of a dime, I dab it over my face, and then I rub it in using small circular motions in an upward direction. With just a dab more, I make sure to get my neck, also moving in upward strokes, and I rub any remaining product on the backs of my hands.

If you’re concerned about contaminating the rest of the jar, you can always use a little spatula, grab a baby spoon at the dollar store, or a small craft stick will work.

So regardless of what other face creams I’m using at the moment, I’ve always got a jar of this on hand. A good, reliable product, that gives me consistent results, smells great, and is easy on the pocketbook.

My top 5 favorite things about this product are:

1) non-greasy texture
2) light weight
3) tropical floral/citrus-y scent
4) no dangerous ingredients, no testing on animals
5) very affordable

I’ll post more about the other moisturizers I use and how rotating different moisturizers based on my needs has helped to keep my skin healthy and happy!

What’s your go-to facial moisturizer? Tell me about it in the comments.