Pixi Beauty recently sent me the most gorgeous case full of rose-scented skincare goodies to try out, and while I'm still taking my time testing the other products, I couldn't resist spotlighting the newly launched Pixi Rose Ceramide Cream ($24) in its own post because it is just that good. A rich intensive moisturizer is just what the doctor prescribed for my dryer-than-normal skin, especially as Vancouver continues to hover around sub-zero temperatures. No wonder I've been reaching for it repeatedly.
As I mentioned in my winter skin SOS post, ceramides have been the MVP of my skincare routine this winter for their ability to boost my skin's moisture barrier and soothe dryness, redness, sensitivity and stinging/itching. Hyaluronic acid is often touted as a hydrating hero, but when the air is as dry and cold as it has been this winter, it can sometimes accelerate moisture loss. That's because hyaluronic acid is a humectant that draws moisture from the air and the deep-down layers of your skin, then holds the moisture in the uppermost layer of skin to create that plumped-up dewy appearance. When there's zero moisture in the air and your skin's moisture barrier is compromised, that moisture from deep inside your skin just gets drawn up and out. Ceramides are a fatty lipid that helps skin maintain its moisture barrier—all the better to keep the hydration locked in skin where it belongs.
Ceramides are not the only hero ingredient at work in Pixi's Rose Ceramide Cream. Rose flower oil is supposed to nourish and restore skin, while probiotics protect and balance it. Pixi has always prided itself on formulations that feature skin-loving ingredients. In perusing the ingredients list for this moisturizer, I can see that emollients like dipropylene glycol and glycerin rank high on the list. There are a lot of natural, nourishing ingredients as well: shea butter; oils of grapefruit peel, rosemary, and bergamot fruit; sunflower seed oil; and a slew of botanical extracts.
The only ingredient I have some misgivings about (and it comes in fourth on the ingredients list) is dimethicone, a silicone that's used to give primers and skincare products a silky texture, fill in pores and wrinkles, and create a barrier on the skin. Dimethicone can be pore-clogging for acne-prone skin, and as someone who gets congested pores often I try to avoid silicones in skincare if possible.
In this case though, dimethicone is a necessary addition that enhances how this product functions and feels. All-natural moisturizers and facial oils can feel great when first applied and for the first 6-8 hours or so, but they tend to absorb fully which can leave skin feeling dry and unprotected 8-12 hours later. Not so with Pixi Rose Ceramide Cream—the skin-loving ingredients go to work and absorb into skin, but the dimethicone forms an occlusive barrier and also slows the absorption rate of the moisturizer. 12+ hours later I can still feel this moisturizer on my face, but not in a gross, heavy, silicone-y way like Pixi's Rose Flash Balm (not a fan of that one). It's more like a thin veil of product that keeps my cheeks and forehead from becoming winter-ravaged.
Other notes about Pixi Rose Ceramide Cream: It has more of a citrusy scent than a rose-heavy one, probably thanks to the grapefruit peel and bergamot fruit oils; it doesn't feel greasy; and I love the pink-and-green tube with the rose doodles (it looks so pretty in my medicine cabinet and on my beauty blogging desk).
I've reviewed my share of rich, intensive moisturizing creams ideal for dry skin and/or harsh winter conditions over the years on this blog, ones with price tags ranging from $60 to $300+. Pixi Rose Ceramide Cream works just as well and for a fraction of the price. In Canada, Pixi products are sold nationwide at Shoppers Drug Mart. I wasn't able to find the Rose Ceramide Cream listed on the website because it is a pretty new launch, but I suspect it's going to retail for $34 Cdn like all the other face moisturizers currently listed.
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