The mercury is creeping into the 90's and with that comes a much needed skincare switch up. Today I'll share my thoughts on a few face and body moisturizers and sunscreens that I've been slathering on recently.
For my night time moisturizer I've been using the Laneige Bright Renew Original Cream* which is supposed to reduce melanin production and fade dark spots with bio-brightening Melacrusher. Every month I get bouts of acne due to a combination of hormones and less than stellar eating and sleeping habits. I can't say for sure how much quicker my acne scarring is fading from using this moisturizer but I do think it is helping. The moisturizer isn't really a cream and more along the lines of a gel which my oily skin finds hydrating but not heavy or pore-clogging in the slightest. The one qualm I have with this product is the very strong, perfumed fragrance which can be cloying at times.
The next two moisturizers are made for the face but I use them for my body. The Clark's Botanicals Smoothing Marine Cream is an anti-aging cream with glycolic acid. I had a small sample of this that I used on my face and it was a gentle gel moisturizer that left my skin slightly clearer after use. Since this is a $115 product, I feel compelled to let you know that I received this product as gratis from a previous job although it is not remotely related to my blog activities. I have an abundance of moisturizers that my face cannot use up within a reasonable amount of time so I sometimes use face creams as body lotions. I use this one in particular on my back and shoulders because I have serious hyper-pigmentation issues on those areas of my body. The gentle glycolic acid exfoliates my skin while I sleep and leaves it feeling smoother. The discoloration has also faded slightly although it's still a work in progress. Again, the smell of this moisturizer can be difficult to tolerate however it's not a heavily perfume scented but just something unpleasant.
The Lierac Luminscence Illuminating Cream Complexion Perfector* is another brightening cream however the formulation doesn't suit my oily skin so I use it as a daytime body cream when I'm going for a healthy, glowy look. Unlike the Laneige cream, this product is definitely a cream consistency and it has shimmer particles in it to impart an immediate brightness. I don't particularly like using shimmery skincare but this works perfectly on the décolleté area and on legs when you're going out. I have issues with hyper-pigmentation due to sun exposure and dryness on my arms and legs so I like to mix this moisturizer with sunscreen if I'll be outdoors.
Here is a closer look at the consistencies and textures of the three moisturizers. The Laneige cream is definitely a gel texture whereas the Clark's Botanicals cream is more of a viscous liquid. The Lierac moisturizer is a cream that doesn't feel overly moisturizing but is not nearly as lightweight as the other two "creams".
Suncare is important all year round but especially in the summer since I tend to spend more time outdoors. Earlier this year, Shiseido released their Wetforce sunscreens which become more effective when you're sweating or when your skin comes into contact with water. I use the Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Cream SPF 50+* on my face and the Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Lotion SPF 50+* on my body. I honestly use a lot of Shiseido skincare nowadays because I receive the skincare lines for consideration however I've purchased and loved Shiseido sunscreen before anything was sent to me. The Wetforce sunscreens are very similar in feel and scent to the Extra Smooth and Urban Environment sunscreens which I already love.
What are your summer skincare moisturizer and sunscreen must haves? Let me know what you're currently using in the comments!
*Products marked with an asterisk were sent to me for consideration. All opinions are my own and 100% honest.