But Clear Daily Soothing UV Defense leaves out what I’ve found to be the biggest irritation culprit—avobenzone—and provides its broad-spectrum SPF 50 protection with a hybrid of other chemical and mineral filters: homosalate, octisalate, octocrylene, and zinc oxide among them. It’s formulated to keep skin calm, not to mention hydrated enough to skip a pre-sunscreen moisturizer if you’re not very dry. And even when I apply it very generously (the only way to apply it, if we’re being honest with ourselves), it blends in beautifully and leaves me glowy, not greasy.
My Champion for Chapped Lips: Antioxidant Lip Repair
Why I love it: I have an autoimmune disease called Sjögren’s Syndrome, and one of the common symptoms is extremely dry, peeling lips. When I tell you I’ve tried every lip balm on this planet, I’m being only slightly hyperbolic. I’ve found that lip balm alone really isn’t going to do it for my chronically flaky, damaged lip skin, so I’ve added Antioxidant Lip Repair as a game-changing, pre-balm step. This lotion deposits antioxidants like silymarin and vitamin E to defend against free radicals, and hydration-attracting urea and hyaluronic acid to ensure I’m locking in the most moisture possible when I top it off with my lip balm du jour.
Not Just Any Retinol: Retinol 1.0
Why I love it: SkinCeuticals calls its Retinol 1.0 a “retinol face cream for advanced users,” which I choose to interpret as a little compliment. But in all seriousness, I’ve been using retinol on and off for a good 15 years in my pursuit of smoother and more even skin, so I can comfortably use SkinCeuticals’ highest concentration of the gold-standard ingredient for enhancing cell turnover and boosting collagen production. The bisabolol in the formula definitely helps soothe any irritation, but if you’re just now turning to retinol as a way to address discoloration and wrinkles, I recommend starting with Retinol 0.3 or Retinol 0.5 before going full-throttle.
The Overnight Celebrity: Renew Overnight Dry
Why I love it: As I’ve inched closer to 50, the biggest change I’ve experienced in my skin is dryness. So, while I once used lightweight lotions and semi-transparent gel creams, I now find myself reaching for richness like that of Renew Overnight Dry. But it’s not just the thickness that makes this one of my top night creams; it’s the bonus of multiple alphahydroxy acids—malic, lactic, tartaric, citric, and glycolic—that gently exfoliate. Where I once dreaded seeing dull, visibly dry skin when I looked in the mirror first thing in the morning, I now see fresh, healthy-looking skin that rivals how it effortlessly looked back in the day.
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