This illuminating moisturizer is keeping my skin lush this summer!

Hi friends!

You guys are probably so sick of hearing this by now, but you know how much my dry skin plagues me. Like, year-round. It gets itchy, it flakes, and it just generally looks so dull all the time. While it’s true that the warmth and humidity of summer brings me some relief, it honestly never feels like enough. So even this time of year I crave something lusciously moisturizing to revive my skin. Well, cue the Rose Glow Face Balm from indie beauty brand The Sexiest Beauty; it’s just that kind of product. I wrote about this brand quite a while back, bringing you through some of their lipstick offerings. They have since branched out into face products, and they very kindly gifted this to me this spring. It’s called a “balm” but think of it as an illuminating moisturizer that tows the line between skincare and makeup; providing a wallop of both moisture and luminosity. I loveeee products like this!

Let’s delve into the nitty-gritty now and discuss the texture, smell, finish and feel. And for the hell of it, I will compare it along the way to my beloved MAC Strobe Cream, a rather iconic illuminating moisturizer. (Fun fact: Heather Fink, the owner & CEO of The Sexiest Beauty, actually helped develop the original Strobe Cream.)

DISCLAIMER: THIS POST CONTAINS A GIFTED ITEM, BUT ALL OPINIONS ARE 100% MY OWN.

 

WHAT IS THE ROSE GLOW FACE BALM?

• About 60 mL for $39.00

Your complexion will be as soft as rose petals with our Rose Glow Face Balm, a decadent, uniquely textured balm that melts into skin. This skincare-makeup hybrid nourishes and delivers long lasting hydration with a dewy, “luminous glow” and a soft rosy scent.

Skin is softened, smoothed and subtly firmed; youthful radiance is restored. With its subtle freshness & soft glow, this luxe balm will have people stop and ask about your skin!

Paraben-Free, Vegan. Hypoallergenic, Dermatologist Tested. Not Tested On Animals.

– The Sexiest Beauty Website

 

KEY INGREDIENTS

Rose Extract is an important ingredient used for sensitive, dry and mature skin. It helps to moisturize, soothe and hydrate the skin while at the same time provides a calming effect diminishing redness and skin irritation.

Rhodiola Rosea Extract helps promote production of beta-endorphins in the skin to benefit inner wellness and relaxation.

Apple Fruit Extract is anti-aging and skin-smoothing. High in antioxidants to protect your skin and to help it maintain youthful elasticity, its mildly acidic nature also makes it a gentle exfoliator.

Oat Bran Extract’s soothing properties have been recognized for centuries, as has Glycerin’s ability to moisturize, protect and nourish the skin.

(For a full list of ingredients, click on the link below to the brand’s website.)

– The Sexiest Beauty Website

 

THE TEXTURE

The Rose Glow Face Balm has quite a thick, almost whipped texture to it that I absolutely love. It’s one of those products that feels like a real treat to touch and apply. It’s definitely not sticky but you will feel a tackiness at first (like with any moisturizer) that mellows throughout the day. I apply this during the day, under my makeup, and everything sits very nicely and evenly on top without any disturbances.

For reference, MAC Strobe Cream is definitely thinner in consistency, and therefore doesn’t feel as luxurious in application as the Rose Glow.

Read this: Glowy makeup primers – my picks!

THE SMELL

If anything will divide people on this illuminating moisturizer, it will be the rosy scent. I feel like you’re either OK with scented skincare, or you’re not. This is where I stand: I definitely prefer my skincare to be fragrance-free, but I’ll tolerate it if a) it doesn’t irritate my skin, and b) the scent is very mild. The good news is that I haven’t noticed any irritation on my skin since I started using it – which I’d say was about six to eight weeks ago – so hooray! And I actually quite like the scent. It doesn’t smell like some nauseatingly strong rose perfume; it has a rather subtle freshness to it that dissipates quite quickly after application.

For reference, MAC Strobe Cream has no scent so if you’re firmly in the no-fragrance-in-skincare camp you’ll probably prefer it over something like the Rose Glow.

 

 

THE FINISH

This has some serious glow to it, which again, for a dry, dull-skinned person like me is thee ultimate finish. Since I tend to wear sheer-to-light coverage bases on an everyday basis, I can really see the illumination come through when I apply this moisturizer first. I’d say the glow level is comparable to L’Oreal Lumi Glotion, but definitely more intense than NARS Tinted Glow Booster or MAC Strobe Cream for that matter.

Read this: NARS Tinted Glow Booster Review; plus comparison to Hollywood Flawless Filter

THE FEEL

The Rose Glow Face Balm gives my skin a nice boost of hydration and nourishment throughout the day. When I touch my skin after a whole day’s wear, I can still feel a softness and plushness that’s really lovely. Between the thickness, the scent and the feel, applying this cream is a real sensorial experience.

I tried this directly against the MAC Strobe Cream – one half of my face with the Rose Glow, the other half with Strobe Cream – and I’d say they have equal levels of hydration (at least on me). I should say, you don’t need to apply a lot either to feel the effect; I just use a few small dabs on my cheeks, nose and forehead.

WHO IS THIS PRODUCT FOR?

I’d say that if you have normal-to-dry-skin that’s not overly sensitive, you like thicker moisturizers, you like your glow, and are not too strict about fragrance in your skincare, you’ll probably love this cream.

 

Do you have a favorite illuminating moisturizer? I’d love to know!

xo, and be well, Erica

 

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