Winter Skincare Chapter 2: Daytime Face Care

Once Operation Skin Repair was under way, I quickly moved to Phase 2: Face Care.  For the better part of this year, I stuck to my Bare Escentuals SPF 20 Moisturizing Lotion for day time. I knew when I started that my winter skin would need more, but like I said yesterday, winter just snuck up on me! I turned up in November with terribly tight and flaky skin. Not a food look.

So research began and I finally decided I would try Olay products. The new Pro X line  had me intrigued, so with the help of a CVS sale, plus some coupons, I overhauled my face care with Olay products in the hopes of finally have good skin. 

Olay Regenerist Regenerating Serum Fragrance Free $17-$20

I was most nervous about this serum. I wasn't sure if this was going to be too harsh on my skin or be sticky and gross. My review research showed that people had the best results with the fragrance free formula, because the regular version is far too scented and turned people off. 

The serum is in a small pump top package which locks shut for traveling. Nice touch, Olay. It's a translucent white serum that feels very slick and thin on your fingers as well as your face. 2 Pumps cover my whole face and neck and it sinks in fast but leaves the face feeling smooth, like a makeup primer.  A lot of people use this has a makeup primer but that would require layering it again, on top of a moisturizer since this is not. Some people with oily skin could probably get away with this as their only moisturizer, but I'm a firm believer in lotioning up every chance you get. 

I use this morning and night after washing my face with Bare Escentuals Purifying Facial Cleanser, under my moisturizer. In the 2 months I've been using this I've noticed that it is helping fade some dark marks and is also keeping my skin smooth and just generally looking better.  It doesn't dry out my face or give me any bad reactions. It's totally fragrance free and I'm glad it lives up to the reviews of being a helpful product in the prevention of aging. I can't say it will repair signs of aging, but it seems to be helping the overall softness and smoothness of my face. 

Olay Pro X Age Repair Lotion if Broad Spectrum SPF 30 $45

For my moisturizer I went with the new ProX line and chose a lotion with a good broad spectrum SPF. The higher the better for me!

The large fancy bottle has a pump so the lotion is sealed away from air and light, keeping the SPF and other ingredients stable and safe and always working their best.  

The lotion is smooth and silky for a product with so much SPF. Usually anything over SPF 15 becomes thick and requires tugging at your skin.. Not this stuff! It goes on like a nice thin cream and leaves no greasy, oily feeling or residue. No chalky white aftermath from the SPF  It just glides on and leaves me with slightly luminous, dewy skin. It makes my skin feel a little plump and smooth, which is perfect for going on under my makeup.

And although this lotion is rich, it goes on so effortlessly that I think it might just transition really nicely into summer. Which is when all that SPF is really going to come in handy!

So far I really like both of these products and what they're doing for my skin.  I don't have poreless, porcelain skin like that of a supermodel, but I don't think I ever will. I can't respond on the anti aging properties, but I believe that hydration is key to prevention and so far this feels like it's really going to do the job since I haven't felt dry or tight once since starting this, even in the cold wind and dry heat of a New England winter. 

   Now, I know most people will say that for this kind of money you could get something from a 'bigger' brand. But lets face it, Olay's been in the market for a very long time, so they must be doing something right! I think that Olay really got it right and because it's a drugstore brand, that means my favorite S word. I SALES!  That's not something you're going to find too often with the beauty counter brands.

Pro products down the street that I can use coupons on?? Sold!