JOSIE MARAN | SKIN DOPE INNER STRENGTH PROTEIN BOOST CREAM

This review was originally part of my blog article titled, Winter Moisturizers Part 2 – Some of the Best Face Creams for Dry Skin and All Skin Types in Cold Weather. You can catch the full piece here.

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Last week, I kicked off my winter series of my top ten moisturizers in a blog article titled, Winter Moisturizers Part I – Some of the Best Face Creams for Dry Skin and All Skin Types in Cold Weather. If you missed it, by chance, you can read it here.

The first five was a collection of moisturizers from more popular, better known brands and included my favorite and what I think is the best face cream ever, the Paula’s Choice Omega+ Complex Moisturizer. I’ve been through maybe a dozen bottles of it since it launched. You don’t want to sleep in this baby.

So, I’m excited to bring you the second five of my winter moisturizer picks — a more eclectic collection from more niche brands. Among them, Josie Maran’s Skin Dope Inner Strength Protein Boost Cream powered by Josie’s signature Argan Oil as well as nutrient-rich Hemp Seed Oil. I reviewed the brand’s initial Skin Dope range over the summer in a piece titled, Products I Love: Josie Maran Skin Dope Clean Facial Skincare with CBD.

In addition, there are picks from guy’s brand, Jaxon Lane; ethereal, natural skincare brand, Ayond; the fruit-crazed Glow Recipe; and Youth to the People –– oddly, my first product review from the brand in a long time.

This is stuff is dope! Sure, Josie Maran’s Skin Dope Inner Strength Protein Boost Cream sounds like a mouthful, but what it’s really full of is good-for-skin stuff. Characteristic of all my winter moisturizer picks, it’s thick, it’s rich – and it feels like heaven on dry, dehydrated skin.

The combination of Josie’s signature Argan Kernel Oil and Hemp Seed Oil makes for a splendidly nourishing moisturizer. And it’s got this otherworldly experience to it that I love.

Open the lid and you’re immediately struck by its odd, greenish hue. The Grinch would love it! I don’t know why it’s green, actually, but my guess is it’s the high concentration of omega-rich hemp oil. That Grinch green tint does serve a purpose, come to think of it. It delivers a subtle color-correcting effect on red, irritated skin.

The Skin Dope Inner Strength also has a mild herbal smell to it. And my hunch is that’s the reason for the bit of natural fragrance that Josie and team added to the formula. Both CBD and Hemp Seed Oil tend to have a somewhat off-putting odor to them. Not exactly welcome in a moisturizer.

But I think they got it right here. It’s a lovely and pleasurable experience actually. And it’s super emollient, which I want on a cold, harsh day. I think the brand’s description of the Skin Dope Inner Strength is spot on:

“Packed with protein-rich super amino acids derived from hemp seed oil and essential fatty acids from Josie’s 100% Pure Argan Oil, this luxurious cream keeps skin nourished and hydrated for added strength, glow, and suppleness. Enjoy quick-absorbing, weightless hydration with a soft, satin finish.”

What is the difference between CBD and hemp seed oil?

I know there are questions concerning the differences between these two components of the cannabis plant. So I thought it would be nice to explore the benefits and differences a bit. There’s an excellent article, full of insights, on the Healthline website titled, CBD Oil vs. Hempseed Oil: How to Know What You’re Paying For. If you’re interested, check out the full piece here. But this is what I thought most salient:

There’s been a “green rush” of cannabis-inspired products flooding the market, including beauty products. While CBD is a new ingredient to many consumers, hempseed oil has around for decades. It’s sold at health food stores and is used in both cooking and skincare.
When CBD oil and hempseed oil are put side by side, a lot of misleading labeling happens. To filter out the CBD marketing, here’s a cannabis breakdown: Cannabis (often referred to as marijuana) and hemp are two varieties of the same plant species, Cannabis sativa. Since they share the same species name, they’re often lumped into one big family, and there seems to be a lot of confusion around their differences.
CBD oil and hempseed oil are both trendy ingredients used in topical skincare products.
Hempseed oil, in particular, is known for not clogging pores, having anti-inflammatory properties, and providing superior moisturization to keep the skin looking and feeling supple. It can be added to a product or just used on its own as a face oil.
New research is coming out all the time about the skin-related benefits of CBD. What we know so far is it’s been shown to be a powerful anti-inflammatory, like its cousin hempseed oil. It reportedly helps in healing: acne, sensitive skin, rashes, eczema, psoriasis.
CBD also has a ton of antioxidants. But are CBD beauty products actually more effective or worth paying more for?

Beyond those two non-fragrant plant oils, there are a few other antioxidant oils and botanicals, but nothing special. The benefits of the formula are specific to those of the high amounts of argan and hemp seed oils in the formula — at perhaps a 10% concentration.

The Skin Dope Inner Strength face cream looks much thicker than it actually is. It spreads nicely on the skin and absorbs in seconds, leaving a comfortable veil over skin that lasts throughout the day, even the colder ones I’ve experienced so far this season. I love applying it at night; it just feels so good on the skin, like a plush, velvet pillowcase.

SHOP THE BLOG: Purchase the Josie Maran Skin Dope Inner Strength Protein Boost Cream for $52.00 here.

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SHOP THE BLOG:

**Josie Maran Skin Dope Inner Strength Protein Boost Cream**
**Jaxon Lane Relax and Repair**
**Ayond Taos Blue Day Cream**
**Youth to the People Adaptogen Deep Moisture Cream**
**Glow Recipe Banana Soufflé Moisture Cream**

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WINTER MOISTURIZERS PART 2

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The Ingredient List of the Josie Maran Skin Dope Inner Strength Protein Boost Cream:

Water (Aqua)**, Isoamyl Laurate**, Propanediol**, Glycerin**, Cetearyl Alcohol**, Cannabis Sativa (Hemp) Seed Oil*, Argania Spinosa (Argan) Kernel Oil*, Cetearyl Glucoside**, Cetyl Palmitate**, Xanthan Gum, Benzyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract**, Phenoxyethanol, Vegetable Oil, Fragrance (Parfum)**, Tocopherol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Rhodomyrtus Tomentosa Fruit Extract, Sodium Phytate, Helianthus Annus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax**, Galactoarabinan, Alcohol**.

The Ingredient List of the Jaxon Lane Relax and Repair:

Water, Glycerin, Methylpropanediol, Niacinamide (Vitamin B3), Alcohol, Ceratonia Siliqua (Carob) Gum, Chondrus Crispus (Seaweed) Extract, Tamarindus Indica Seed Gum, Potassium Chloride, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Swiftlet Nest Extract, Butylene Glycol, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Extract, Schizandra Chinensis Fruit Extract, Coptis Japonica Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Asiaticoside (Centella Extract), Propolis Wax, Ethylhexylglycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Xanthan Gum, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Dextrin, Potassium Hydroxide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20,Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7,Chlorphenesin, FragranceThe Ingredient List of the Ayond Taos Blue Day Cream:

The Ingredient List of the Ayond Taos Blue Day Cream:

Cistus Ladaniferus (Rock Rose) Leaf/Stem Water Extract, Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe) Leaf Juice so|h, Cetyl Alcohol emo|emu|vc|surf 2 2, Opuntia Engelmannii (Prickly Pear) Seed Oil, Orbignya Oleifera (Babassu) Seed Oil emo 0 1, Plukenetia Volubilis (Sacha Inchi) Seed Oil goodie

aox|emo|h, Polyglyceryl-3 Rice Branate emu, Caryodendron Orinocense (Cacay) Seed Oil emo, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil goodie

emo 0 0-2, Propanediol solv|h, Cetearyl Alcohol emo|vc|emu|surf 1 2, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, Zea Mays (Blue Corn) Kernel Extract, Squalane goodie

sii|emo 0 1, Tocopherol (Vitamin E) goodie

aox 0-3 0-3, Buddleja Davidii (Summer Lilac) Extract, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate h, Xanthan Gum vc|emu|surf, Orobanche Rapum (Broom Rape) Extract, Buddleja Officinalis (Butterfly Bush) Flower Extract sunsc, Trehalose goodie

h, Sucrose Stearate emo|emu|surf 0 0, Saccharide Isomerate goodie

h, Vetiveria Zizanoides (Vetiver) Root Oil perf, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract goodie

aox|so|amic, Citrus Aurantium Amara (Neroli) Flower Oil icky

, 1,2-Hexanediol solv, Shea Butter Ethyl Esters emo, Water solv, Phenylpropanol perf|solv, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Extract, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Extract goodie

so|emo, Citrus Aurantium Amara (Petitgrain) Leaf/Twig Oil, Cuminum Cyminum (Cumin) Seed Oil perf, Triethyl Citrate perf, Glycerin superstar

sii|h 0 0, Thymus Vulgaris (Thyme) Flower/Leaf Extract, Citric Acid buff, Cananga Odorata (Ylang-Ylang) Flower Oil perf, Sodium Citrate chel|buff, Sodium Benzoate pres, Cistus Ladaniferus (Rock Rose) Oil emo, Canarium Commune (Elemi) Gum Oil, [Benzyl Benzoate solv|perf|amic, Benzyl Salicylate perf, Farnesol perf, Geraniol perf, Limonene perf|solv, Linalool perf