Philosophy Hope In A Jar Moisturizer

Crossing the street today I came face-to-grill with a Mack truck, which got me thinking; WHAT HAS MY MOISTURIZER DONE FOR ME LATELY?

If you live in a city like New York, filled with smog and sin, it's essential to protect your skin. I don't like a heavy cream on my face that just feels thick and gross, especially in summer months. I have 3 lightweight facial moisturizers that I swear by (see individual reviews at bottom); Oil of Olay Beauty Fluid, Fresh Soy Face Cream, and Origins A Perfect World antioxidant moisturizer with white tea.
However, this winter has been particularly harsh on my skin. For the most part I was blessed with good skin (thanks mom!), but mother nature has had a few ideas of her own lately. Extreme wind has been leaving me blotchy on my walks to and from work. I've been developing persistent dry patches around my nose and chin that nothing seems to work on. Sure, I can slather some Aquaphor on it, but I figured I needed to invest in a moisturizer that will work a little bit harder for me during these cold months. I went to Sephora yesterday to spend some of my Christmas cash and was convinced by the sales associate to try a sample Philosophy's Hope in a Jar. I'm usually not swayed by pushy sales associates, but I have been a long-time fan of Philosophy products. And who am I to turn down a free sample? I dabbed some on my problem areas on my face, and even put a little on a dry patch I had on the back of my hand. I was not surprised that it had a nice, clean fragrance since I am familiar with the line, but I was surprised that it was a lightweight cream when I was expecting something very heavy. Then I was off to brave the elements in search of lunch. It totally protected my skin from the harsh cold yesterday, but at the same time didn't make my face feel greasy at work. 4 Hours later I was back at Sephora buying the travel-size tub ($15). I used it last night before bed and haven't seen a dry patch since. If I wasn't already in love, I definitely fell hard on my walk to work this morning. It's currently 20 degrees in my fair city, but feels even colder with the wind that was slapping me (HARD) across the face. My skin feels great today. Will Hope in a Jar replace my other go-to moisturizers once the weather turns warmer? Only time will tell. But for now my other brands will have to hibernate for the winter.

Lightweight moisturizers that I love:

Oil of Olay Beauty Fluid ($9)- This facial moisturizer is an institution. Ask your mom, she probably used it. You can't argue with decades of devoted users. It's lightweight and good for sensitive skin.

Origins A Perfect World antioxidant moisturizer with white tea ($37)- If this didn't work, I'd probably still buy it for the smell alone. It's positively delicious! You can't eat it, but you can count on it to protect your skin. It uses some of nature's potent moisturizers to protect skin, such as white tea, Chinese herbs, sugarcane, and fruit oils.

Fresh Soy Face Cream ($38)- this is another one that stole some of mama nature's secrets to help your skin. Rosewater and cucumber are soothers (great for people that are prone to irritation). White, red, and green tea extracts protect. Soy protein helps to retain skin's firmness over time. The smell is a little potent at first, but it comes naturally from the Rosewater and cucumber rather than synthetic fragrances. You can get over the smell when you see the great effects this cream has on your skin.