Daily Facial Moisturizer Reviews

As a twenty-something with combination skin, I am always on the look for an affordable moisturizer with SPF coverage that feels good, is affordable, and smells good. Below are my reviews of four I've recently tried. Hope this helps you on your skin care journey as well!

With sun protection and a luxuriously thick consistency, it might surprise you that this moisturizer is absorbed in three to five minutes, or the time it takes you to brush your teeth. Blue in the container, it applies clear to skin. This moisturizer does not melt in high heat. I wore it all around Disney World in Florida during ninety degree plus days, and it did not worry me once. Once absorbed, it also serves as a great base for makeup. I noticed my makeup stayed on longer with this product than others I have tried.

Score: 5 out of 5

This product smells amazing, applies smoothly, and is considerably less thick than the Mario Badescu Suncare SPF 30. Seemingly, the two products would be similar, right? No. This product started running into my eyes after about 5 minutes in my car with the sun glaring down on me. It burned! The melting also made my makeup run. I'll stick with Mario's Suncare SPF 30.

Score: 2 out of 5

I tried this product hoping to find a less expensive alternative to Mario Badescu. I noted that it took more of the product to get the same coverage that I'm used to with Mario. This product has a great smell, but it did not absorb completely on my skin. All day it felt like I was wearing thick sunscreen. My makeup was considerably trickier to apply with this moisturizer as well, likely because of the lack of absorption. I tried this product for about four days before I abandoned it because my normally clear skin started breaking out.

Score: 3 out of 5

The same price as Mario Badescu's Oil Free Moisturizer, I was attracted to 100% Pure because of its natural, paraben-free, vegetarian line. Low on supplies, I reluctantly branched out. I am SO GLAD! This moisturizer is very light on the skin. It takes far less to get good coverage than other moisturizers I've tried and absorbs quickly. I love it! I think I'm a convert! There isn't really any smell to it, but its smooth texture and light feeling make up for it. I also love that it comes in a glass bottle with a pump, so concerns of leeching plastic are gone. Very excited about this find!

Score: 5 out of 5