6 Clean, Buttery Moisturizers to Bring Your Sad Winter Skin Back to Life

Each month, model, art director and clean beauty buff Braina Laviena will be sharing her musings on skincare, ingredients, and everything in between. So far, she shared her clean makeup favorites and products she’s used to the very last drop. This month, she’s sharing the clean, effective moisturizers that save her sensitive skin during the frigid winter months.

We all know the winter months can be incredibly harsh on our skin. When the temperatures drop and our skin gets drier, your first impulse might be to reach for the heaviest moisturizer within our near vicinity—but it might benefit your skin to take pause. A lot of mainstream moisturizers offer that thick, comforting, balm-y texture you want to slather all over our face, but a closer look at the ingredients list reveals reveals preservatives, fillers, and even toxic ingredients that do anything but hydrate your skin. As someone who struggles with dry skin all year long, I’ve tried my share of lotions, creams, and balms. I need my lotions to not just to feel good and work in the moment, but also to contribute to my skin’s ongoing health with natural, clean ingredients that are responsibly sourced. I’m highly demanding when it comes to moisturizers, which is why I wanted to share my favorites ahead. (Not included in this list but always a favorite is Youth to the People Adaptogen Deep Moisturizer, which I wrote about in my last article about skincare products I use to the last drop.) 

African Botanics Marula Intense Skin Repair Balm

This super luxurious balm melts into a serum that is totally absorbed into your skin, leaving no stickiness behind. Powered by marula oil, it repairs damage to your skin from stress and environmental pollution; with repeated use, it can increase the firmness of skin over time. But my favorite thing about it is the wonderful scent of jasmine, damask rose and bergamot—I like to apply to my pressure points as an alternative to perfume. 

Photography and art direction by Braina Laviena

7 Clean Face Masks for Sensitive Skin That Actually Work, by Braina Laviena