Winter skin care - dry skin moisturizers reviews

I hate when I search for reviews online I get tons of crap sites.  If I go to a department store, you only get one brand at a time.  So, I went to Sephora where I could get lots of brands, lots of reviews and lots of samples.  The only thing is, I would have loved to find someone who compared brands so I could see what features I like and don't like.  So, here is my attempt.  Enjoy!

I am not a skincare expert, I can only tell you based on my experience and what the box says.

My skin type: combination aka the worst kind.

My definition of combo skin = oily t-zone and normal cheeks, etc.  However, it changes like 2-3 times a year which means I have to change my skincare regiment.  Currently, my skin is SUPER dry, like flaky dry and tight, yet my nose gets a little oily. My chin, well my chin wants to do its own damn thing with these evil things called hormones!!  Ridiculous-ness.

First, my winter skin must-haves:

• Humidifier
• Clarisonic Mia - amaze-balls!
• A gentle cream cleanser - nothing with acne peroxides that will strip your skin
• Exfoliator
• Hydrating mask

Okay, here come my reviews of dry skin moisturizers.  All of them are under $40

Philosophy Hope in a Jar - Dry skin

Cost:  $38 for 2oz. jar
Smell: Nice and light
Feeling:  Feels nice and light on my skin
Pros: SPF 20, light, smell, doesn't contain all the chemical junk
Cons:  Didn't cure the ultra dry skin, doesn't have many anti-aging benefits.
Summary: This is the lotion I use normally but I use the oil-free version with SPF.  I love having SPF in my moisturizer but it is hard to find one with both SPF and high in hydration. The reason I needed to switch was because my skin was seriously flaky and my late afternoon, I needed to put more lotion on.  The same thing happened with this lotion so no-go.

Boscia Revitalizing Black Hydration Gel

Cost:  $38 for 1oz.
Smell: Ehh, not a huge fan.
Feeling:  It's a gel so it's literally a cool feeling on your skin. It was okay.
Pros:  Contains artichoke leaf to tighten pores, something I badly need. Also contains glycolic acid and Vitamin C.
Cons:  No SPF and I didn't love how it worked on my dry skin.
Summary:  I was really pulling for this one because I have huge pores and wanted something to kind of help with that as well as fine lines and my skin texture. I liked it but I just liked the other ones better. Oh, and warning the gel is black.  Obviously it goes on clear but just a little warning.

RUNNER-UP:  Ole Henrikson Nurture Me

Cost:  $40 for 1.7oz.

Smell: Nice! I think my favorite smelling one.
Feeling:  Felt great on my skin
Pros:  Smell, has vitamins A,C & K, great feeling on my skin, worked well on my dry skin.
Cons:  No SPF
Summary:  I really liked this one.  It felt so nice on my skin and it really worked on my dry skin. You don't need to use very much. The only thing that made me nervous was that it's a brand I am not that familiar with.  I love to try new things and be the first with something so nervous might be the wrong word. I would definitely try this one again.

WINNER:  Origins Make A Difference Moisturizer

Cost:  $38.50 for 1.7oz.
Smell:  Good.  I don't even really notice it so perfect!
Feeling:  Goes on smoothly and doesn't feel heavy.
Pros:  Worked on my dry skin ALL DAY long. Helps repair damage. Organic ingredients.
Cons:  No SPF.  Will be too heavy for sure when dry skin goes away.
Summary:  I loved this from when I first put it on.  I love Origins so I was definitely biased but it went on very smoothly, felt light, smelled good, and lasted all day.  My skin feels very smooth and hydrated all day long. I don't like that I don't have SPF on but my tinted moisturizer which I use as a foundation has SPF 15 so that will have to do.

What are your winter skin problems? What products are your must-haves?