I do like to change up my moisturisers from season to season just because the weather can have quite a dramatic effect on my skin. I would describe my skin as normal to dry (and probably very dry in the winter) although I don’t really suffer from dry patches but rather dull, lack-lustre complexion when my skin is not happy. Luckily I also don’t have to worry yet about fine lines and wrinkles but because my skin can get quite dry and dehydrated, my two main issues of concern are hydration and firmness/elasticity. During winter I do like to slap on the heavy duty moisturiser and the thicker the better because my skin goes absolutely parched. But in spring and summer, although my skin is still on the dry side, I need something that is a little lighter to allow my skin to breath but at the same time provides enough moisture that my skin still craves. So today I thought I’d share with you my current moisturisers for morning and night to help improve hydration and maintain skin’s firmness and elasticity as well as providing other anti-aging benefits.

My current morning moisturiser is Kiehl’s Super Multi- Corrective Cream. I absolutely adore everything about this product;  the texture, the scent, the way it makes my skin feel and most importantly the result I see after using it. The cream contains; 1. Jasmonic Acid, which is supposed to be very effective in supporting epidermal renewal as well as retexturising and smoothing the skin’s surface 2. Beech Tree Extract, which is said to visibly improve skin firmness, plumpness and density 3. Fragmented Hyaluronic Acid, which is known to reinforce skin’s moisturisation and improve skin elasticity.

I LOVE the scent and texture of this cream. From the jar it looks quite thick but once applied to your face it’s so airy and lightweight, like a soft whipped cream is the best way I can describe it. It’s very hydrating, keep skin feeling soft and supple and last throughout the day. The cream has a lovely herbal, eucalyptus-like scent, which is really refreshing and great at waking you up in the morning. I wouldn’t say it sculpts or firm my skin (as claimed by Kiehl’s) and for that I will probably have to pair the cream with a stronger anti-aging serum of some sort. But overall it has made my skin feeling more plumped up and hydrated and I always look forward to using it every morning.

When it comes to my evening routine I tend to invest a little bit more on products that are also packed full of anti-aging ingredients and on my recent trip to SpaceNK, I was talked into trying out the  Zelens 3T Complex Essential Anti-aging Cream. This is basically a ‘perfect’ night time moisturiser for me as it is specifically catered for dry and dehydrated skin with an addition of some powerful anti-aging ingredients, since dryness can also be a first sign of aging skin. As our skin age, it often becomes more dry because aging skin starts to lose more water content. The true secret, therefore, is to use a moisturiser with the most concentrated water content with some oils in lesser concentration to help lock the water in. Zelens 3T contains water as its first main ingredient and 7 herbal oils to help seal in that moisture. However what’s most impressive about this product is that it contains Ursolic Acid, which is one of the most ‘effective’ ingredients in increasing skin’s lipid content and collagen production, resulting in more hydrated, firmer, plumper skin. Ursolic Acid is very rare to find in any other skin care brands and has not yet been incorporated into most brands because it is one of the most expensive ingredients out there. Other cream that contains Ursolic Acid is Sisley Global Anti-Age Cream, which has a whopping price tag of £240, purely because it’s main unique benefit is the Ursolic Acid itself. This should somewhat vouch for Ursolic Acid as being among the most effective anti-aging ingredients in my opinion.

The cream has a lovely consistency; not too heavy and not too light with a fresh, slightly floral scent. Once applied, it completely melts and absorbs into your skin leaving your skin feeling ‘super’ gorgeous, hydrated, supple and glowy, like you’ve just had a facial. I hate to be a sucker for expensive product but the result I see after using this cream is quite amazing. My skin feels the healthiest it’s ever been and completely nourished from within. Plus I now have a good makeup day almost everyday because I tend to wake up with a lovely dewy, supple skin and makeup just goes on like a dream.

Zelens 3T is quite pricey but compared to other brands like Sunday Riley, which everybody is dying over at the moment, I have to say this one is much more worthy of the price tag. A lot of high-end skincare brands these days are developed by ‘facialists’ (Sunday Riley and Sarah Chapman, for example), and while I don’t doubt their expertise in the skincare field, I have to say their knowledge in the science and chemistry behind each and every skincare ingredients will probably not be as deep and comprehensible compared to doctors or dermatologists. Having said that I think it’s us consumers that need to exercise our own judgements and caution and only choose something that absolutely work for us as opposed to products that get the most publicity and hype but may not be something that’s suitable for us at all. I know I definitely have to take my own advise on this!

Sorry for such a long and rambling post! I’m also interested to know What are your current daytime and nighttime moisturisers?