SUPER LIGHTWEIGHT SUMMER MOISTURIZERS SS21 PART 2 – BEST BRIGHTENING MOISTURIZER, BEST FACE CREAMS FOR OILY SKIN (AND ALL SKIN IN THE HEAT!)
It was hot AF this week here in NYC.
I’m talking that single worst experience of every New Yorker (and many an unlucky tourist): standing on the subway platform in August waiting for a train. It’s a whole sensory overload — let’s call it the stifling sensations of summer.
So with temps reaching the mid- to high-90’s on most days throughout the week, I did everything I could to stay calm, cool, collected — and off the subway platform.
I spent most of every day inside my air-conditioned apartment working, working, working. I figured if I could at least keep myself busy with work, the money would be worth it — and the heat that much more bearable.
And, as I’ve only had to do on a handful of nights this summer, I ran the air conditioning all night long in the bedroom. I hate sleeping in air-conditioned air. It’s so unhealthy. But, it just wasn’t worth waking up with a heat-induced migraine! It’s always a trade-off — do I manage a migraine in the morning or a dehydrated complexion?
By Friday though, I had to get out and have some summer fun! My friend and I had manicure appointments at Jin Soon, the bougie nail salon in TriBeCa where I’ve been getting my bi-weekly manicures — and all my cool nail art. Nothing too out there for me this time; just CND Shellac gel polish in black pool with a fine blue stripe on each thumbnail. Simple with a little bit of pizzazz.
Then we continued our weekly Friday routine with a trip to our fave new-age spa, the Kollectiv NYC — where I would normally get a subzero cryofacial. This time, I stepped it up and dove all in with my first-ever cryobody treatment. I literally hate the cold but the idea of stepping into a creepy tank of freezing air sounds, well, oddly enticing.
Besides, it was ooooonly three minutes in -140-degree Fahrenheit air! (That’s -95.6 degrees Celsius.) But what’s the point? What are the benefits of cryotherapy?
Well, according to the Kollectiv, “Cryotherapy, otherwise known as cold therapy, is the use of low temperatures in medical and cosmetic therapy. It is a fast and healthy process that accelerates the body’s natural recovery while improving overall wellbeing and energizing the body. Cryotherapy is a dry, non-invasive process that lowers a person’s skin temperature during a session of up to 180 seconds. The benefits of cryotherapy are triggered by skin cooling.”
Let me tell you, being in that tank for three minutes at -140°f was not as easy as it sounds. For me, it was three minutes of past-life therapy that thrust me decades back in time…
Picture it:
A frigid February morning in central Connecticut, just after sunrise. I’m 12 years old, standing alone at the bus stop before school in zero degrees — shivering to death. Waiting for the bus feels like an eternity.
I can recall those eternities waiting for the bus to come as if they were yesterday. Even though the bus probably came barreling down the hill within 15 minutes, those experiences scarred me, shaped me, and literally altered the course of my life.
It was in those moments that I vowed to move to California, where (in my head) it was always 70 and sunny. As soon as I was 18 and out of my parents’ house, I promised myself to gtfo and never look back. In fact, right after college at 21, I did just that!
Back to present-day reality.
After our cryobody treatments, my vegan bestie and I hopped back onto the scorching hot C-train and headed to Brooklyn to the Bedford-Stuyvesant (Bed-Stuy) neighborhood. We joked the whole way about how differently our bodies felt — and how the heat was no where near as bad as it seemed on the way to the Kollectiv pre-cryotherapy. In fact, we didn’t actually feel uncomfortably hot again for 3-4 hours!
We hit our favorite of Bed-Stuy’s vegan joints — a cafe called Greedi Kitchen. They have an extensive menu featuring super creative, vegan versions of common lunch foods like a plant-based crab cake sandwich and several not-so-traditional po’boy sandwiches. This time, I opted for a healthy grain bowl with jerk-style spiced eggplant and a “mockocktail,” an alcohol-free cocktail.
The fun days of summer 2021 continue…
The skincare stuff starts here.
As I do each summer, I’m publishing my two-part series of what I consider the best lightweight moisturizers of the season. These are the ten or so face creams that I’ve found ideal for the hot, humid days of July and August. Some are perfect for very oily skin, a few best for very dry skin — and all of them perfectly effective for most skin types in between.
Two weeks ago, I featured five of my favorite warm weather face creams in an article titled, Super Lightweight Summer Moisturizers SS21 Part 1 – Best Brightening Moisturizer, Best Face Creams for Oily Skin (And All Skin in the Heat!).
SUPER LIGHTWEIGHT SUMMER MOISTURIZERS SS21 PART 1 – BEST FACE CREAMS FOR OILY SKIN (AND ALL SKIN IN THE HEAT!)
The piece featured one of the best face creams for oily skin, the Glossier Priming Moisturizer Balance. And when temps are in the 90s, we’re all oily, making Glossier’s lightest moisturizer perfect for just about everyone with skin.
On the opposite end of the oily-to-dry skin spectrum is Wander Beauty’s Sight C-er Vitamin C Concentrate. Introduced in the spring, the brand’s new Sight C-er is more of a rich lotion powered by Vitamin C, Niacinamide and Squalane for a veritable cocktail of skin-health goodness. During the colder months, I’ve used it as a layering serum. In summer, it’s the perfect moisturizer for normal and dry skins.
PRODUCT REVIEW: WANDER BEAUTY SIGHT C-ER VITAMIN C CONCENTRATE - BEST BRIGHTENING FACE CREAM VITAMIN C
Speaking of Vitamin C, I also featured Kat Burki’s Vitamin C Intensive Face Cream — an excellent option for brightening the complexion. In fact, all of the Kat Burki formulas seem ideal for getting a dull complexion glowing. And Kat’s little pot of brightening goodness is a personal fave.
Rounding out those first five were Good Science Beauty’s 004-Br Skin Brightening Cream (an antioxidant powerhouse of Vitamin C, Melatonin and Glutathione) and my favorite summer hack — the Skinfix Redness Recovery+ Antioxidant Redness Treatment Overnight Mask. Even though it’s called a mask, it’s a remarkably effective daily face cream for sensitive skin — and a hidden skincare gem that I wish more people knew about.
PRODUCT REVIEW: SKINFIX REDNESS RECOVERY+ ANTIOXIDANT REDNESS TREATMENT –
What’s the Difference between Dry Skin and Dehydrated Skin?
Many people confuse the two. They’re not the same thing and it’s helpful to understand the difference in order to advance your skin health. For the answer to that vexing questing, as I most often do, I turned to the experts on the Paula’s Choice Research Team for insights. There’s a superb piece on the Paula’s Choice site titled, What is Dehydrated Skin & How to Choose the Best Products. Here is an excerpt:
Dehydrated skin often looks and feels like dry skin all over your face, but there's a major difference between the two: dehydrated skin is usually a temporary concern (with various surprising causes) and dry skin typically doesn't change over time. If you have dehydrated skin, your skin may also produce a normal or even excessive amount of oil on its surface.
"Dehydrated skin" is something we’re asked about frequently. It seems there’s a lot of confusion about what this skin concern is about. A major part of the confusion is that the term "dehydrated skin" is often used interchangeably with "dry skin" or "combination skin" but they are not the same! Dehydrated skin can occur in all skin types and is not exclusive to those with dry skin or combination skin.
The Difference Between Dry Skin and Dehydrated Skin
Having classically dry skin is easy to recognize. Dry skin frequently feels tight and dry, with no oil anywhere to be seen. This situation rarely fluctuates; skin feels dry all year long. The dryness might get worse depending on the climate, season, or activity, but regardless of those things, without great skin care products, the uncomfortable dry, tight feeling will persist.
As mentioned above, dehydrated skin can look and feel similar, but there’s a major difference: Dehydrated skin tends to come and go, it does not persist.
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Today I’m presenting the second part of my SS21 series on lightweight summer face creams. It features one of the best anti-aging face creams yet and a personal go-to, the Paula’s Choice 0.3% Retinol + 2% Bakuchiol Treatment. It’s the rare wrinkle innovation that’s formulated with both Retinol and the Retinol alternative, Bakuchiol. And it’s a genius formulation. Call it what you will, it’s a perfect summer moisturizer!
The collection features a second anti-aging innovation — One Skin’s OS-01 Topical Supplement. Powered by a new, proprietary peptide, the OS-01 Topical Supplement looks like some sort of crazy alien technology. I’m always on the hunt for alien technology I have a nose for it!
One of the best face creams to fix the microbiome, the Layers Immunity Moisturizer is a probiotic-powered formula with a beautiful, silky texture that’s such a pleasure to use. The Layers brand launched in the spring with treatments to help rebalance both the skin and gut microbiomes for a 360 solution for the skin-gut link.
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Last is the Skin Alphabet 2% Hyaluronic Moisture Creamserum. If you’re unfamiliar with Skin Alphabet, it’s the latest of the democratically priced brands offering well-formulated skincare at rock-bottom prices. Skin Alphabet’s Hyaluronic Acid-powered moisturizer is just about $11.
Let’s have a look at the rest of my super lightweight summer moisturizer picks for SS21 in part two of my two-part series…
Paula’s Choice | 0.3% Retinol + 2% Bakuchiol Treatment
I first posted a glimpse of the Paula’s Choice 0.3% Retinol + 2% Bakuchiol Treatment on #skincarmasaturday in the early spring. That’s when I like to preview new product discoveries of the past week — and Paula’s innovative anti-aging treatment was something I’d had my eye on for a while. I couldn’t wait to try it and about six months later, I’m on my third bottle.
In March, I included the Paula’s Choice 0.3% Retinol + 2% Bakuchiol Treatment in my latest piece on Retinol titled, Retinol, Retinoids, Retinoic Acid Part One: Best Retinol Serums, Best Retinol Creams from Paula's Choice, Wander Beauty and First Aid Beauty.
It was featured along with Wander Beauty’s Do Not Disturb Overnight Repair Concentrate formulated with the newest form of retinoids, HPR — an analog of retinoic acid, or Tretinoin. Both are among a handful of Retinol treatments that I actually enjoy using.
PRODUCT REVIEW: WANDER BEAUTY DO NOT DISTURB OVERNIGHT REPAIR CONCENTRATE - BEST RETINOL FACE CREAM
Normally, I’m not fan of Retinol treatments. I hate the smell of Retinol, and I really hate the irritation. I usually just stick with Bakuchiol so I get the benefits of Retinol without all the nasty downsides.
Of course, only Paula would have the nerve to create a top shelf anti-aging treatment that combines Retinol an Bakuchiol. And like the Wander Beauty Do Not Disturb, it’s a pleasure to use! A 0.3% concentration of Retinol is a moderate strength — and, don’t quote me, the max allowed in an OTC product in Europe.
What is Bakuchiol and What Is the Difference between Retinol and Bakuchiol?
For insights on what Bakuchiol is and how it can be considered a viable alternative to Retinol, I turn again to the the experts on the Paula’s Choice Research Team:
A natural antioxidant and anti-aging ingredient found in the seeds and leaves of the plant Psoralea corylifolia. This plant, also known as babchi, is native to and grows throughout India, where it plays a role in Ayurvedic medicine, and is also found in China (where it’s used in Chinese natural medicine) as well as parts of Africa. Ongoing in vitro (Petri dish) and in vivo (on skin) research has shown that bakuchiol seems to have skin-restoring ability when applied twice daily, and that it may also have a brightening effect on skin. Research has also shown this plant ingredient has soothing and anti-wrinkle properties as well as helping to visibly improve skin color and tone.
Bakuchiol is often touted as an alternative to retinol minus the sensitizing effects some people experience from retinol. The association between bakuchiol and retinol is because many of its benefits seem to mimic what retinol does; however, it’s important to distinguish that bakuchiol is not identical to retinol. It’s not an equivalent replacement any more than a blueberry is the nutritional equivalent of an apple.
Science has revealed that bakuchiol interacts with many of the same areas in skin as retinol, sometimes by taking the same pathway, other times by going a different route but still leading to the same results, such as diminished wrinkles, improved elasticity, and smoother skin. In either case, we’re confident that bakuchiol is a promising, beneficial ingredients whose actions can complement and enhance what retinol does for skin.
Research has confirmed that bakuchiol works best in concentrations between 0.5-2%. Amounts lower than that have not been shown to provide retinol-like benefits.
What Is Retinol and What Does Retinol Do to Your Face?
Considered among the best actives used in skin care, here’s what the experts on the Paula’s Choice Research Team have to say:
Retinol is a powerhouse ingredient that has value for skin on several fronts: It’s a skin-restoring, wrinkle-smoothing, firming ingredient and an antioxidant, allowing it to improve a variety of skin concerns, most related to visible signs of aging.
Many consumers are concerned about the percentage of retinol in anti-aging products such as serums or moisturizers. Although the percentage can make a difference (especially if it’s too low), it’s not helpful in understanding how a retinol product will benefit your skin. Far more important is the delivery system, packaging, and the other ingredients present with the retinol.
Using a product with a range of anti-aging ingredients plus retinol is far more valuable for skin than using a product with only a supposedly high percentage of retinol. Skin needs far more than any one ingredient can provide, however great that one ingredient may be. See our article on this topic for detailed information.
There are several myths about using retinol with other anti-aging ingredients or products, such as those with vitamin C or exfoliants like glycolic acid. See our article on this topic to learn what the research has shown to be true.
It’s the 2% Bakuchiol that really maximizes the anti-aging potency here. In fact, according to the experts on the Paula’s Choice Research Team, “Research shows that bakuchiol and retinol work even better together. Plant-derived bakuchiol is one of a few ingredients that can stabilize retinol, allowing it to work more effectively and for longer, even at a lower concentration.”
That was news to me! I thought I was just getting a double dose of retinol-strength anti-wrinkle plumping.
There are numerous other anti-aging actives in the formula, too, including Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate/THD (vitamin C), ceramides and peptides. And, while I used it for the first half of the year as a layering treatment before my PM face cream, during the summer, the Paula’s Choice 0.3% Retinol + 2% Bakuchiol Treatment has been my PM face cream and the last step in my nightly regimen.
I’ve seen zero irritation and it doesn’t smell like an icky Retinol cream. The Paula’s Choice 0.3% Retinol + 2% Bakuchiol Treatment is proof once again why Paula’s Choice is the leader in anti-aging and pro-skin health skincare in my book…
SHOP THE BLOG: Purchase the Paula’s Choice 0.3% Retinol + 2% Bakuchiol Treatment for $54 here.
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One Skin | OS-01 Topical Supplement
I’m pretty sure what I’ve got here is alien technology. One Skin’s OS-01 Topical Supplement looks like a futuristic device without a user’s manual. One wrong move and I could send myself into an alternate universe — or back in time to that bus stop in on a frigid February day in Connecticut.
One Skin describes their cool innovation as “the first topical supplement of its kind designed to extend your skinspan by improving skin health and skin strength.”
The brand’s proprietary OS-01 peptide (found in the INCI as Decapeptide-52) was developed by a team of four female scientists. (What planet are they from?)
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Clinical testing has demonstrated that the OS-01 peptide helps to regenerate the skin, meaning it accelerates what the skin does well on its own when we are young. As we age, our skin grows more sluggish — along with the rest of our bodies. Seriously, some days I barely stay awake past 9 pm.
According to One Skin: “Through our clinical studies, OneSkin discovered its ability to reverse the biological age of one’s skin by reducing the main drivers of inflammation that lead to skin cell malformation and death (i.e. wrinkles, loss of elasticity, and aging skin).”
What Are Peptides and What Are Peptides in Skincare?
Peptides are among the most mysterious of anti-aging skincare actives — and perhaps the least understood. But what are peptides, exactly? Simply, they are protein fragments composed of amino acids and are naturally found in the skin.
There’s an excellent article from the experts on the Paula’s Choice Research Team that goes quite the distance in explaining what peptides are and their multitude of skin benefits titled simply, Peptides for Skin. You can catch the full piece here.
A brief excerpt:
What Are Peptides?
First, we need to start with the science: Peptides are fragments of proteins. On their own, peptides are made up of amino acids. When amino acids are combined in certain formations they create specific peptides (and there are hundreds of peptides), and when peptides are formed in a certain way, they make specific proteins.
Proteins are the fundamental building blocks of skin. Without peptides, skin doesn’t remain intact and the result is loss of firmness, appearance of wrinkles, texture changes, and skin that doesn’t bounce back as it once did.
What’s so fascinating about peptides is that abundant research has clearly shown that each of them works in very specific ways to target an exact skin care need. They also teach skin to do what's required to help revitalize these building blocks, which can help revive aging skin.
Aside from the One Skin formula’s alien peptide, what else is going on in this light, silky lotion?
There are multiple forms of the power humectant Hyaluronic Acid to hydrate the skin. Plus, One Skin included a treasure trove of antioxidant plant oils including Grape Seed Oil and Rosehip Oil.
Curiously, the third ingredient in the INCI is one I’d never seen before: Calycophyllum Spruceanum Bark Oleic Extract (Pau Mulato). I thought I’d discovered more alien technology until I googled it. It’s an extract popular in herbal medicine from the Amazon rainforest and derived from the Amazonian “Tree of Youth”. According to the US National Library of Medicine, it has anti-aging, antioxidant, antimicrobial, emollient, wound healing, hemostatic, contraceptive, stimulant, and anti-diabetic properties.
Beam me up, Scotty. Now how do I work this One Skin device?
SHOP THE BLOG: Purchase the One Skin OS-01 Topical Supplement for $120 here.
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Layers | Immunity Moisturizer
I first featured this innovative skincare range that cares for the body’s microbiome on the Skincarma Blog several weeks ago when I reviewed the Layers Probiotic Serum. It’s one of the most innovative and pro-skin health treatments that I’ve come across this year — and one of my favorite exfoliating serums with one of the gentler AHA’s, Lactic Acid.
So yeah, Layers has had me intrigued from the start. I’ve been having so much fun exploring the brand and its innovative science — and am excited to feature the Layers Immunity Moisturizer in my SS21 recommendations of the best summer face creams.
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Layers was founded by Rachel Behm, a beauty industry veteran with extensive experience and knowledge of the microbiome and the link between gut health and skin health. Over several weeks this spring, Rachel and I connected over our shared passion for gut health; mine, of course, being related to my drive to understand and conquer my migraines.
I was fortunate to have the opportunity to pick Rachel’s brain on emerging microbiome science, the link between the gut microbiome and the skin, and how what’s going on in your gut can affect the way your skin behaves each day.
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Excerpts from my conversation with Rachel:
Carmine: How did you come up with the idea for Layers?
Rachel: The idea for Layers came to be when I learned of the human microbiome project, and the profound connection between gut health and skin health. The Human Microbiome Project was conducted over 10 years and studied the interactions between humans and their microbiomes to health-related outcomes. Ranging from obesity to mental health to skin health. It produced 4 terabytes of data that is available to the public to continue to advance this field (much like the human genome project did almost 2 decades ago). 50% of the cells in and on your body are bacteria…and this project taught us a lot more about their importance in human health.
Carmine: How did you become interested in the microbiome?
Rachel: I just so happened to work as a lab tech on the human genome project many years ago, and when learning about the Human Microbiome Project, I saw that it had the same potential to change healthcare outcomes for the better. And one element of that being overall skin health.
I’m always on the hunt for true skincare innovation that stands apart from marketing fluff and Layers feels like a genuine breakthrough in the science of the skin and, more specifically, in the way skincare interacts with the skin to promote optimal skin health.
Rachel gets right to the heart of it — the reason she created Layers in the first place:
“I created Layers to honor the interconnectedness of our body's systems and how they work together to reveal skin's natural glow. And I promise that we’ll advance along with the burgeoning field of microbiome science. After almost a decade in the industry, I saw fads come and go. But what has stayed true is our skin’s natural ability to optimize its own health – rooted in our gut and skin microbiome. Like the soil in our farmland needs to be balanced and nourished for crops to grow, our gut and skin bacteria need to be diverse, balanced, and flourishing to keep our bodies and our skin at their healthiest.”
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Like the Layers Probiotic Serum, the brand’s Immunity Moisturizer is infused with lactobacillus ferment to soothe, balance and nourish the skin — and its surface microbiome.
According to the experts on the Paula’s Choice Research Team, lactobacillus ferment is one of the best actives in skincare. Lactobacillus ferment is a “lab-created, non-living probiotic ingredient made by fermentation of the microorganism Lactobacillus. Applied to skin, it’s been shown to have a potent soothing effect that in turn strengthens skin’s ability to defend itself from aggressors.
“Research has also revealed that this ferment may play a role in helping skin’s microbiome to maintain a healthy mix of flora, a benefit that may reduce the risk or visible severity of several common, often uncomfortable skin conditions.”
The Layers Immunity Moisturizer is a clean, vegan thick-whipped cream with a relatively tight ingredient list that comprises fewer than 20 ingredients.
As spring made way for summer, I found myself testing it out in climates varying from hot, humid sweltering days to more temperate, even chilly nights. It performed well throughout — and has been supremely comfortable on my skin.
It’s actually quite a remarkable formula. In addition to the skin-nourishing and balancing lactobacillus ferment, there’s antioxidant-rich Sunflower Seed Oil and Pomegranate Flower Extract — as well as Meadowfoam Seed Oil, also prominently featured in the Layers Lactic Acid-powered Probiotic Serum.
What Is the Microbiome and What Is the Link Between the Gut and the Skin?
I’ve been exploring the microbiome for the better part of the past year; in particular, its effects on skin health have intrigued me. Randomly, I’ve noticed that my skin seems to act up for no reason. And, of course, my migraines can strike at any time — again, seemingly for no reason. It was only over the past six weeks that I’ve really begun to grasp the existence of a gut-brain link.
Rachel Behm, CEO and Founder of Layers explains the body’s microbiomes and the link between our gut and our skin this way:
Your microbiome is made up of trillions of microbes found in your gut and on your skin, working as your skin’s natural defense system. Creating the right environment for the microbiome to be diverse and balanced (in a state of homeostasis), while also protecting it, leads to improved skin resilience from all stressors thrown at it, from aging to weather.
Gut Microbiome: In your gut, microbes digest lactose and fiber, make amino acids and vitamins, and even regulate your immune system. Your gut microbiome contributes to digestion, healthy weight, immunity, and glowing skin.
Skin Microbiome: On your skin, microbes protect you from internal and external stressors. They maintain the skin’s pH, regulate immune response, and defend against pathogens. Healthy skin relies on a healthy relationship with these microbes to prevent skin inflammation, causing redness, dehydration, dullness, and loss of elasticity.
The Gut-Skin Connection (gut-skin axis): The microbes in and on your body outnumber your human cells by a factor of 3:1. And your gut and skin are home to the largest communities of these microbes. A profound relationship exists between your gut and skin. Amazingly, these two seemingly separate systems talk to one another through your microbiome, the trillions of good bacteria whose micro-language is responsible for everything from releasing natural antibiotics to supporting our immune system to improving hydration and supporting collagen production.
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Antioxidant Milk Thistle is featured as well for its powerful anti-inflammatory benefits that help to calm and replenish the skin. Interestingly, my naturopathic doctor prescribes a Milk Thistle for me each morning so it’s not unfamiliar to me — or to my gut’s microbiome!
As I said, the texture of the Layers Immunity Moisturizer is a thick-whipped cream. But it’s softer than what you’d expect and has the qualities of a richer gel-cream, making it an ideal face cream for a hot day.
SHOP THE BLOG: For a limited time, save $10 off every order $49+ with code SKINCARMA10. Enter the code to purchase the Layers Immunity Moisturizer for $39 (reg. $49) here.
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Skin Alphabet | 2% Hyaluronic Moisture Creamserum
Two summers ago, I came across a truly innovative skincare brand from The Clean Beauty Co called The Clinical Beauty. To this day, the brand’s Moisture Cream is one of the most well-formulated moisturizers and best face cream for most skin types that I have ever come across. The stuff is no joke. But what’s so different about The Clinical Beauty’s Moisture Cream?
With an exceptional 2% concentration of humectant Hyaluronic Acid, the Moisture Cream is a clean, vegan formula, comprised of 93% natural and 81% organic ingredients. But the truly remarkable number is this one: 100%! The Clinical Beauty’s Moisture Cream is 100% “skin active”.
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What that means is there’s nothing in the Moisture Cream formula — not a single ingredient — that doesn’t have a benefit for the skin. That includes water, or lack thereof. In a topical skincare product, water is useless for the skin. In fact, products — including $500 anti-aging moisturizers — can contain up to 70% water. It’s like the cantaloupe in a fruit salad: a cheap filler.
Water isn’t the only useless ingredient in skincare. Ingredients like stabilizers, preservatives, texture enhancers, and much of the formula base are worthless when it comes to the skin. None of them advance your skin health. They (usually) do no harm, but they also do no good.
The Clinical Beauty’s Moisture Cream is 100% goodness. That’s what’s different, what’s so exceptional about it.
So I’m excited to try the company’s newest brand, Skin Alphabet — a range of equally well-formulated skincare products that are democratically priced. Skin Alphabet is a clean, affordable skincare brand with the kind of “single-note” creams, serums and oils that have been popularized by brands like The Ordinary and The Inkey List.
Think products like The Ordinary’s superstar humectant serum Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 and the Bakuchiol Cream from The Inkey List — a superb anti-aging cream and one of the best Bakuchiol creams for face with one percent of the Retinol alternative. It costs just $9.99 at Sephora in the US.
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The Skin Alphabet 2% Hyaluronic Moisture Creamserum is just $11.65 for a one ounce bottle. With a light, creamy texture and infused with 2% Hyaluronic Acid, it’s ideal for most skin types year round, except perhaps very oily skins.
Like its sister brand The Clinical Beauty’s Moisture Cream, the Skin Alphabet 2% Hyaluronic Moisture Creamserum formula contains a bio-compatible lecithin base which allows the formula to melt more effectively into the skin, aiding in absorption of beneficial actives. And perhaps most importantly, it contains zero useless water; rather, the first ingredient in the INCI is organic Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice.
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In fact, the formula is 100% natural and made with 30% high-quality organic oils, including Olive Fruit Oil, Shea Butter and MCT oil. Skin Alphabet’s 2% Hyaluronic Moisture Creamserum is clean, vegan, cruelty-free and, of course, 100% skin active — making it one of the most efficient and effective face creams for the price.
SHOP THE BLOG: For a limited time, save 20% on all skin care from The Clinical Beauty. Purchase the Skin Alphabet 2% Hyaluronic Moisture Creamserum for $9.32 (reg. $11.65) here.
That’s it, guys! I hope this helps you to find your ideal summer moisturizer — one that feels comfortable on the skin while delivering everything your skin needs to stay healthy and hydrated in the heat. Be sure to catch part one in my summer moisturizer series here.
See you next week…
💟 Carmine @skincarma
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The Ingredient List of the Paula’s Choice 0.3% Retinol + 2% Bakuchiol Treatment:
cci|aox|amic, Arachidyl Alcohol emo|vc, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate vc, Dimethicone Crosspolymer vc, Behenyl Alcohol emo|vc, Glycerin 
sii|h 0 0, PEG-75 Shea Butter Glycerides emu|surf, Glyceryl Stearate emo|emu 0 1-2, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate emo|amic, Polysorbate 20 emu|surf 0 0, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate aox|sb, Retinol cci, Ceramide NG sii, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 cci, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12 cci, Sodium Hyaluronate sii|h 0 0, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate so|h, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract so|sb, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract aox|so|emo|abrasive/scrub, Arctium Lappa (Burdock) Root Extract aox|so, Salix Alba (Willow) Bark Extract so, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Sterols emo, Lecithin emo|emu, Allantoin so 0 0, Tocopheryl Acetate aox 0 0, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein h, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 cci, Sodium Hydroxide buff, Tribehenin emo, Caprylyl Glycol h|emo, Dipeptide-2 cci, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract aox, PEG-10 Phytosterol emu, PEG-8 h|solv, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate vc 0 0, Arachidyl Glucoside emu|surf, Chrysin, Pentylene Glycol solv|h, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer vc, Steareth-20 emu|surf 1 2, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer vc, Cetearyl Alcohol emo|vc|emu|surf 1 2, Coco-Glucoside surf, Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone aox, N-Hydroxysuccinimide, Disodium EDTA chel, Phenoxyethanol pres, Benzoic Acid pres, Ethylhexylglycerin presThe Ingredient List of the One Skin OS-01 Topical Supplement:
sii|h 0 0, Calycophyllum Spruceanum Bark Oleic Extract (Pau Mulato), Sorbitan Olivate emu, Cetearyl Olivate emu, Squalane sii|emo 0 1, Carapa Guaianensis Seed (Andiroba) Oil, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil aox|emo, Pentaclethra Macroloba (Pracaxi) Oil emo, Rosa Canina (Rose Hips) Fruit Oil emo, Prunus Domestica (Plum) Seed Oil, Caprylhydroxamic Acid chel, Glyceryl Caprylate emo|emu, Decapeptide-52*, Hyaluronic Acid sii|h, Sodium Hyaluronate sii|h 0 0, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer sii|aox|h, Niacinamide cci|sb|aacne|h, Allantoin so 0 0, Bentonite vc 0 0, Tocopheryl Acetate aox 0 0, Tocopherol aox 0-3 0-3, Cellulose vc, Cetyl Palmitate emo 0 0, Sorbitan Palmitate emu, Xanthan Gum vc, Potassium Sorbate pres, Phenoxyethanol pres, Sorbic Acid pres, Caprylyl Glycol h|emo, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate chelThe Ingredient List of the Layers Immunity Moisturizer:
so|pres, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer vc, Glycerin sii|h 0 0, Limnanthes Alba (Meadowfoam) Seed Oil emo, Tocopherol aox 0-3 0-3, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil emo 0 0, Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Flower Extract, Silybum Marianum (Milk Thistle) Extract aox|so, Acetyl Heptapeptide-4 h, Cetyl Alcohol emo|emu|vc|surf 2 2, Stearyl Alcohol emo|vc|emu|surf 2 2, Lecithin emo|emu, Maltodextrin, Cetearyl Olivate emu, Sorbitan Olivate emu, Caprylyl Glycol h|emo, Fragrance 
perfThe Ingredient List of the Skin Alphabet 2% Hyaluronic Moisture Creamserum:
so|h, Olea Europaea Fruit (Olive) Oil (Organic) aox|emo|perf 0 0-2, Pentylene Glycol (Humectant, Natural) solv|h, Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine (Lecithin, Natural) emu, Sodium Hyaluronate (Natural) sii|h 0 0, Glycerin (Humectant, Natural) sii|h 0 0, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (Mct Oil, Natural) emo, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter (Organic) emo|vc, Leontopodium Alpinum (Edelweiss) Extract (Natural), Equisetum Arvense (Horsetail) Extract (Natural) so|emo, Laminaria Ochroleuca (Algae) Extract (Natural)
