Egyptian Magic Is The Best Nighttime Moisturizer

 

When I buy a nighttime moisturizer, I’m a sucker for good design.

The right packaging to a nifty flip open top to beautifully modern text  – they all lure me in like M&Ms lure my 2 year old. I’ve learned, however, some of the best products intentionally maintain less than spectacular appearances because what’s inside doesn’t need any hype.

Case in point – Egyptian Magic.

Last month, my nighttime moisturizer by Origins ran out. I loved the moisture it provided but wanted something which wouldn’t make me breakout. For years, Egyptian Magic has been on my radar as a mysterious, natural product with lackluster packaging and a cult-like following.

I found it at my local Whole Foods.  Only because of their very awesome return policy did I shell out the $37 for the product. I crossed my fingers for glowing skin and hoped to not be returning to the service desk all pimply faced looking for my money back.

Before I tell you about how I fell in love with this balm, I have to tell you my expectations for a nighttime moisturizer. The air in our home is on the dry side, so I want something to keep my face moist throughout the night. I also want to wake up to skin looking plump and nourished, as though whatever I’ve put on my face has been working hard.

I don’t expect miracles but if I spend a pretty penny, then I want to look presentable when the sun comes up.

I’m calling this a balm because it’s solid at room temperature but melts instantly when you touch it. It’s very greasy if you use too much, so a smallish scoop is all you need. The first time I used it I was worried because it left my face shiny and took a while to be absorbed. As someone who breaks out easily, I was quite nervous.  Then I figured Kate Hudson and Rachel Zoe and the countless other celebs couldn’t all be lying (right?) so I went to sleep shiny faced.

The next morning I was very pleasantly surprised to find no trace of shine and very happy skin.

I’ve been using Egyptian Magic for just under a month now and cannot rave enough about it.

The secret to Egyptian Magic is in the all natural ingredients. Aside from olive oil, which is rich in antioxidants, all the other ingredients come from our buzz worthy friends – bees. Beeswax, bee pollen, honey, royal jelly and bee propolis round out the ingredient list. That’s it. Easy to pronounce, created by nature ingredients. This Eco-conscious mom is pretty stoked!

My skin is super soft, supple and looks healthy. I even use it during the day as an eye cream. Such a small amount is needed that this one jar will likely last me straight through the fall. Yes, I’m saying that in March.

I’ve gotten over the boring packaging.  Now I like to think of it as old-fashioned, retro chic. If you ever spend any time on beauty forums, you’ll come across the term “holy grail” which beauty product junkies will use to describe the products they cannot live without.

Egyptian Magic is holy grail status for me.

Now if I could just find the right moisturizer for the daylight hours!

Ask Buy-Her: Moisturizer

Welcome to a new feature at Buy-Her, Ask a Buy-Her! You know how frustrating it is to be looking for a product, but you don’t know which brand or model to buy?  We’re here to help!  Just send an email with your question to askbuyher@gmail.com and the Buy-Her contributors will give you our recommendations.

Our first question comes from Dry as the Desert:

I am looking for a new nighttime moisturizer because the one I currently love is made by Bobby Brown, and is $68 a jar.  It’s rich and creamy but doesn’t give me the zits, and it smells lovely.  But while a jar lasts me over 6 months, I’m just not willing to shell out that kind of cash anymore. I’m looking for a somewhat rich, but non acne causing formula that smells nice because if it smells like monkey butt I’m not going to put it on my face. I’ve tried Hope in a Jar by Philosophy before, and it’s ok but I don’t love it.  Can anyone recommend something else?

Corrin suggests: A Perfect World white tea products from Origins are very nice. Loaded with antioxidants, non-greasy, very clean scent, and the Skin Guardian cream turns powder-like when you apply. There’s also a Checks and Balances foaming face wash that’s great for combination skin and the antioxidant moisturizer is an Allure editors choice. It’s priced between Bobby Brown and Philosophy, but I find that it lasts about six months.

Megan G. says: I love Hope In A Jar because it’s not too rich. Then again I live in a humid climate…

I used Olay’s Microsculpting Creme for a bit. It smelled good, but was too rich for me. You can buy it at the local drugstore for $25 or so (I think) or at BJ’sn@ 2 for $40. Walgreens also makes a knockoff version.

I generally don’t break out from moisturizers so I can’t speak to that aspect. But Olay stuff has a pretty good reputation.

Britt replies: Alrighty – so I’m currently using Bioelements All Things Pure.  I love this moisturizer because it’s not too heavy but I actually feel my skin soak it up.  And there’s basically no smell.  It’s “certified natural and organic”.

Confession: it’s not cheap.  It’s $43 for a jar, but that jar will last forever.  I only have it because I got it free as a Bioelements “insider”.  I’m kind of terrified about what I’m going to do when it runs out – but that will be like 2013, so I try not to think about it.

Sheila says: I don’t use a “night time” moisturizer but I use Eucerin’s moisturizer every morning and night.

It doesn’t make my face red or irritated like most moisturizers tend to do – plus it has SPF 30 and isn’t greasy at all.  It also doesn’t make my make up look cakey and when I use it twice daily like I’m supposed to, I pretty much never break out.

Oh – and it’s only $8 for a bottle and mine lasts me about six months.

I hope this helps, dear Dry as the Desert!

Do you have a question for our Buy-Her contributors?  Send us an email at askbuyher@gmail.com and we’ll do our best to help you out!

Featured Photo used under Creative Commons License by: flydime

Cleansers for oily AND dry skin?

I love it when people ask me questions.

It makes me feel smart and better than you.  I mean, helpful.  It makes me feel helpful.

My point is – someone asked me a question.

Elizabeth asked:

“do you know of any good facial cleansers that control oily and dry spots? As in, both at the same time? My forehead is both. I have no idea how this is scientifically possible, but my old cleansers aren’t working anymore. Help!”

Allow me to pretend to be an expert in skin care.

My immediate answer is your skin is probably not actually both oily and dry.

Truly oily skin is very, very rare.  And while cosmetic companies have been talking about “combination” skin for pretty much EVER, that is also pretty rare.

And yet, you’re breaking out AND having parts of your skin flake off, right?

Been there.

In fact, I actually had black heads and zits once right not top of skin that was dry and flaking off.  I googled and googled and then finally broke down and scheduled an emergency facial.

And then I rolled around for a few minutes in the idea that I was someone that scheduled emergency facials.  I started imagining myself using terms like “the help” and “my Jimmy Choos” and “that lovely woman who does my toes.”

But back to my schizophrenic face.

As it turns out, what was actually going on was that my face was really, really, really dry.  The blackheads and zits and oiliness were a result of my skin trying to work overtime to make up for the fact that I was stripping away the moisture in my skin by trying to fight the zits.

At least, that’s what the very expensive esthetician told me.

I didn’t believe her, of course.  Because it doesn’t make sense that dry skin would have blackheads and oil slicks.  And also – maybe I made my skin more dry by trying to fight the acne, but I had to do that because the acne was there in the first place, right?

My very expensive esthetician told me to shut up and do what I was told.

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