The Importance of Being Moisturized

So first and foremost I should probably explain my skin woes. They aren't exactly "woes" as I've been lucky enough to have pretty decent skin my whole life with an occasional spot here and there. Rather, I should be saying "skin concerns." When I was younger I had a much milder case of your typical teen sebum-slicking face. Thankfully mine happened to be sans cystic acne (my skin has always favored getting those horrid under-the-skin bumps which are much easier to camouflage, but hurt like a motherbitch) and high on the shine. If only there was a way to harvest that oil and use it to power vehicles. Whoa. That's a fantastic idea. Is that possible? Where there's a will there's a way, right? I've got dibs on this idea! Dibs, dibs, dibs all over the place... I digress.

Nowadays, my skin has done a one-eighty in terms of its behavior. It still gets temperamental at times and pops up with a spot and gets shiny towards the end of the day (except that my eyelids are still forever an oil slick - good for aging, bad for eyeshadow. Primer is my best friend!) but I'm fairly certain that happens to us all. But the majority of the time, I don't really have any "woes" to complain about. My "concerns" however, lay within the fact that, fight it and deny it as I might, I am still getting older. 

With age comes two things. One good. One bad. Both starting with the letter 'W.'

Wisdom. Aaaaaand... WRINKLES!! Ohhhhh nooooo, Charlie!

So I'm most concerned with the prevention of these little bastards. My first sign of aging has showed itself in the guise of dehydration almost a year ago. I noticed that even though I was moisturizing my skin like I would normally - the same way I've been doing since I was 16 - my skin would get oily, but start flaking, too. I was flabbergasted. It was a paradox. Oily skin that flaked? How was that possible?  

Thus began my hunt for the proper skincare. My search began with Google which led me to YouTube and a time warpish black hole that led to me discovering Vivianna Does Makeup (who I still adore and follow religiously. the girl is a goldmine of knowledge and wonderful advice) and she linked me over to Caroline Hirons, who I have worshiped ever since. She is my skincare Yoda. Seriously. This lady knows her shiz. And she tells it in a no-frills attitude. I love it.

And while my first product in the fight with my aging skin was not a recommendation by my Yoda, it was inspired by her advice on how to combat dehydrated skin. So I popped over to my local Ulta and dropped a cool $40 on this little ditty below.

Source

I had read some good reviews and it boasted a "tri-radiance complex" that would pump up the water reserves. Good things for dehydrated skin, so I felt positive that this would be my answer. And I was right. At least for a while. I am now nearing the bottom of my second jar. That's right, I liked it so nice - I bought it twice! 

However, for some unknown reason I'm beginning to react poorly to this. I'm also just plum fed-up with the smell. Initially the smell was pleasant and relaxing, but now I'm beginning to find it over-powering and obnoxious. It has also begun making my eyes burn and water like crazy. I don't understand why this has started to happen, and it makes me sad because I really did like the way it made my skin feel. Just plump and moist and glowy. It's quite a lovely product, I just wish it came in an unscented version as I'm fairly certain its the fragrance I'm reacting to. 

Perhaps I should add sensitivity to my skin concerns now? Is this my newest sign of aging? Oh jeez, it just never stops, does it?!

So my hunt for a new night cream begins! Got any suggestions?!

-xx-