While I think of myself as relatively chill and low maintenance in most aspects of life, I’m not ashamed to admit I get a “little” fussy (and critical… and finicky…) when it comes to beauty products. I’ve been fortunate enough to have tested thousands of toners, creams, and treatments over the last 12 years of my beauty career. As a result, I know exactly what I like, and more importantly, what works for my skin. In this post, I’m going to spend some time talking about moisturizers – one of the most important components of any beauty regimen. Let me just tell you now – a great moisturizer is a girl’s best friend!

Let’s take a look at my 10-point checklist (only a “little” fussy) for what I look for in a moisturizer:

• Luxurious texture / feels heavenly applying
• Quick to absorb, lightweight
• Doesn’t have a strong scent or fragrance
• Gives me ‘chok-chok’ (촉촉: Korean word for hydrated, dewy) glow
• Leaves my face baby soft and bouncy
• Keeps my combination skin balanced
• Eliminates skin flaking
• Doesn’t clog my pores
• Doesn’t cause me to break out
• Provides me with lasting hydration

My finickiness is in large part a response to the temperamental nature of my skin – something I affectionately refer to as “super combo”. Extra oily on the T-zone but parched on the U-zone. Finding products that work really well for me gives me such a massive sense of accomplishment. So when I found my essence match, Yuripibu’s Artichoke Power Essence, I was super excited and immediately wanted to share it with the world! I’ve emptied bottles and bottles of it. It’s been selling out on our site and I’m so happy I was able to recommend a pore-tightening and glow-boosting bottle to my fellow skin twins out in the world.

This time, I’ve found my moisturizer match: Make P:rem’s Micro-Tension Cream.

Not only does this tick off every item from my checklist, it also passed my personal, multi-step (of course) product test process. Here’s what I did to see if the product works:

1. After incorporating it in my nightly routine, the first thing I do when I wake up the next morning is press my cheeks and see if they feel soft, hydrated, and bouncy.
2. I apply it while on a plane, after sheetmasking.
   

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   That face you make when your sheetmask is too tight to move your face ✈️🎭 #jetsheeting #glowtesting

   A post shared by Sarah Lee (@sarah_glow) on Sep 2, 2017 at 7:13pm PDT

   
   Airplane air is 50% fresh air and 50% recirculated air, with humidity levels that hover around 12-15%. That means when you’re flying, you’re exposing your skin to air that is drier than many deserts, so this is perfect opportunity to test in an ‘extreme’ environment.

3. I check and see if my skin improves over time. I love immediate effects, but it’s also very important that my skin loves the product when I continue using it over many weeks and months.
4. I measure my hydration levels over time with the Wayskin Skin Analyzer.
   

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   Remember when we first showed & demo'ed this super sleek, luxurious, yet freakin' adorable donut that not only measures but also TRACKS your hydration level? Many of you loved this device, called Way Skin, and asked when we could curate it at @glowrecipe. So…. we just kicked off the pre-launch sale today! We're giving away a gift set (hint: they're fruity) for limited quantities & time only. You guys, this little donut is borderline addictive but it has immensely helped my skin. I track my hydration level every day so my skin is never dehydrated! It's also such a fun and easy way to test if some of products actually work on your skin 😉Is your skin hydrated enough? 🙏🏼Link in bio #stayhydrated

   A post shared by Sarah Lee (@sarah_glow) on Sep 28, 2017 at 2:43pm PDT

The Micro-Tension Cream gives me that lasting ‘chok-chok’ without leaving a mess on my pillow at night. It keeps my skin super hydrated even during long flights on dry, stuffy planes. And finally, my skin looks and feels more plumped after having used it daily for the last few weeks.

I also love the unique botanical extracts, which include arctic berries, fennel, thyme and olive. They are known to soothe and calm the skin, with antioxidants to protect the skin from free radicals.

I’d say the texture is one of my favorite elements of this jar. It’s a fluffy gel cream that feels silky and cushiony at the same time. And this beautiful texture deeply hydrates my skin in the lightest yet instantly noticeable way. It feels like a cold, thin silk blanket that wraps my skin almost instantly, but in such a luxurious way. I especially appreciate this sensation after applying actives such as Vitamin C or AHA.  

If anyone is looking for a true ‘chok-chok’ product, or a long-lasting hydrator, I’d recommend this cream in a heartbeat. This is also a great choice if you’re looking for a skintertaining, sensorial texture that gives you that joy of application and a pampering experience.

Lastly, if you’re a super-combo like me, I feel you, you’ve been struggling to find that perfectly balancing moisturizer that is rich enough to feel efficacious and luxurious, but lightweight enough to keep your skin breathable. Here you go. Your skin will truly thank you.

I’m off to pat this cream in my face now. Looking forward to pressing my skin tomorrow morning for that addictive bouncy texture!

Xoxo,

Sarah