Help with choosing your moisturiser

moist flower Did I feel guilty this morning when I woke up! For the first time in 18 months I haven't managed to write a new piece in my blog within a week.... And although I would like to say that it is because of all the presentations that needed to be made, books that need to be completed and e-mails that could no longer wait, there is no valid excuse. Although, a 'numerous' course dinner for more than enough adults (and even more children) and a mountain of guests are actually enough reasons for staying in bed for at least a week....

To make up for it today a blog about moisturiser. As I so often get asked: "which product is best for me?" Most people that read my blog now know that irritating substances aren't good and that attractive marketing doesn't really say very much. But what is good then? Below you'll find a list.

Always searching

There are already thousands of cosmetic products available and each day there are new ones being introduced. It goes without saying that I haven't looked at all the brands and products...If you have found a suitable moisturiser I would like to hear ! The list below is a "dynamic list" that I will adjust if I come across other good or better products. Any help is most welcome...(but lovely cosmetic manufacturers, please don't use my blog to advertise!)

Requirements for a good cream (moisturiser)

Previously I wrote about what a moisturiser actually does (blog 'moisturiser 1') and how to use it (blog 'moisturiser 2'). As for all skincare products it is important:

that there are no irritating ingredients (see the list here).
that it contains active ingredients. eg. Niacinamide, vitamin C, vitamin E and liquorice root extract. Though there are many more. You can find a fairly reliable list on the site from 'bulkactives' of ingredients per 'skin problem'.

And here are some products which meet the requirements:

Oil of olay total effects 7 in 1 anti-ageing day cream un-perfumed

This is a super cream in a good container. The pump means that little air can get into the bottle so that the product will last longer. The third ingredient on the list is niacinamide. Since the ingredients contained in the highest quantities are listed high on the INCI list, you can assume that this product contains a reasonably high percentage of this.

INCI: aqua, glycerin, niacinamide, isohexadecane, dimethicone, isopropyl isotearate, polyacrylamide, panthenol, tocopheryl acetate, tocopherol, camelia sinensis, leaf extract, sodium ascorbyl phoshate, sucrose polycottonseedate, c13-14, isoparaffin,sorbitan stearaten, peg-100 stearate, laureth-7, stearyl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, myristyl alcohol, titanium dioxide, benzyl alcohol, dimethiconol, zinc oxide disodium edta, citric acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, bht, ammonium, polyacrylate, methylparaben, ethylparaben en propylparaben.

Clinique Continues Rescue Antioxidant Moisturizer

There are three variations of this, so you can choose which one is best for your skin type. It has an extremely long ingredients list; a disadvantage if you react to a lot of substances... Luckily there are few irritating ingredients in it. The product contains quite a lot of good active ingredients such as tocopheryl acetate, arabidopsis thaliana extract and niacinamide. Pity that the concentrations for the last one are on the low side.

INCI: INCI: Water, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Dimethicone, silica, Jojoba Esters, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerine, Butylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Peg-100 Stearate, pentrolatum, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Extract, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract,laminaria saccharina extract, Echinacea Pallida (Coneflower) Extract, Arabidopsis Thaliana Extract, Perilla Ocymoides Seed Extract, Plankton Extract, Laurimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Lauroyl Lysine, Creatine, Adenosine Phosophate, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria), Sorbitol, Sea Whip Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Micrococcus Lysate, Trehalose, Niacinamide, Cetearyl Glucoside, Caprylyl Glycol, polyethylene, Cholesterol, carbomer, Tromethamine, caffeine, Cetyl alcohol, Sodium Rna, Astrocaryum Murumuru Butter, Linoleic Acid, Lecithin, Ascorbyl Tocopheryl Maleate, Isodecyl Salicylate, Zinc Pca, Mannitol, Ethyl Bisminomethylguaiacol Manganese Chloride, Disodium Nadh, Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate, C1-8 Alkyl Tetrahydroxycyclohexanoate, Hydroxyethycelluose, Potassium Sulfate, Maltodextrin, Ferulic Acid, Dextrin, Xanthan Gum, Nordihydroguaiaretic Acid, Hexylene glycol, Sodium Chloride, Disodium Edta, Phenoxyethanol

Cetaphil hydraterende creme

A solid base cream. Contains vitamin E (tocopheryl acetate) but unfortunately also some benzyl alcohol. Luckily, the propylene glycol is contained only in a very low concentration.

INCI: Aqua - Polyglycerylmethacrylate - Paraffinum liquidum - Dicaprylylether - Glycerin - PEG-5 Glyceryl Stearate - Dimethicone - Cetyl Alcohol - Prunus Dulcis - Benzyl Alcohol - Tocopheryl Acetate - Dimethiconol - Carbomer - Disodium Edta - Propylene Glycol - Sodium Hydroxide.

Body shop Aloe protective serum body shop

Not a moisturiser, but a serum. You can use this in place of a moisturiser on a more oily skin. It contains aloe vera and bisabolol which have a soothing and anti-inflammatory effect.

INCI: Aloe Barbadensis Gel, Water, Pentylene Glycol, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Cyclomethicone, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Caprylyl Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Panthenol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Lanolin, Polysilicone-11, Sodium Hydroxide, Bisabolol, Lecithin, Disodium EDTA, Tocopherol, Avena Sativa (Oat) Bran Extract.

Decubal vital face cream

A cream which was pointed out to me by blog readers. There are some active ingredients in the face vital cream. The other moisturiser from this brand (the base cream) does not contain these and also comes in a pot, which I am not a supporter of; the product then gets too much light and air, and is less hygienic than one with a pump.

Ingrediënten: Aqua, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Niacinamide, Simmondsia Chinensis, Glyceryl Stearate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Butyrospermum Parkii, Cetearyl Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-3 Methyglucose Dist., Magnesium Aluminium Silicate, Sorbitol, Ceramide 6 II, Ceramide 3, Phytosphingosine, Galactoarabinan, Cholesterol, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum, Tocopheryl Acetate, Polyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Stearic Acid, Sodium Gluconate, Sodium Hydroxide.

MD Formulations Moisture Defense Antioxidant Lotion

This product contains a lot of active ingredients (such as hyaluronic acid, tocopheryl acetate, llantoin and bisabolol) and little irritating substances. Unfortunately the concentrations of the largest part of the active ingredients are on the low side. Good for different skin types.

INCI: Purified Water, Glycerin, Urea, Cyclomethicone (and) Polysilicone-11 Lactic Acid, Sorbitan Stearate, Gyceryl Stereate, PEG-100 Stearate, Dimethicone, Isododecane, Isahexadecane, Sodium PCA, Hyaluronic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ceramide 111, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Cholesterol, Millet (Panicum Mliaceum) Extract, Superoxide Dismutase, Allantoin, Glycyrrhetnic Acid, Bisabolol, Camellia Oleifera Extract, Tocopherol, Acrylates Copolymer, Butlyene Glycol, Steareth-2, Cellulose, Carboxymethyl Cellulose, Xanthun Gum, BHT, Sodium Hydroxide, Imidazolidinyl Urea, Methylparaben, Propylparaben.

La roche posay soothing protective skincare

Ingrediënten: Isononyl Isononanoate, Pentylene Glycol, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Cetyl Alcohol, Peg-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Dimethiconol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hydroxide

Uncover Skincare - moisturizer normal to dry skin

A mild nourishing cream with effective concentrations of active substances, such as vitamin C (5%), niacinamide, vitamin E (1%), hyaluronic acid, beta-glucan and ergothioneine. Also available for normal to oily skin. This product contains among other things, vitamin C (5%), niacinamide, liquorice root extract, vitamin E (1%), hyaluronic acid, evodia rutaecarpa extract and ergothioneine. Click here for more information about these products.