As the weather keeps cooling down, now’s a pretty good time to bring out your rich, more nourishing moisturizers. But if you’ve got sensitive skin (which 70 percent of people say they do, according to this study), you’re going to want a little something a little extra.
Enter the Burt’s Bees Calming Day Lotion ($8), the brand’s sensitive skin hero that promises to boost skin’s moisture and improve your barrier, all while minimizing redness and irritation for a calmer, smoother-looking complexion. It’s the moisturizer that dermatologists continuously recommend to keep dry, sensitive skin in check during the colder months, and Amazon shoppers clearly love it, too—it has over 8,000 5-star ratings to prove it.
Originally $15, now $8
What really makes the Calming Day Lotion special are its hydrating and gentle ingredients—aloe vera and rice milk. Aloe has been a trusted remedy for skin dryness and irritation for eons (W+G beauty writer Kara Jillian Brown rubbed frozen aloe on her face for a week straight and loved the results), so the fact that it’s a star ingredient in the Calming Day Lotion is a great sign. “Aloe is an anti-inflammatory ingredient that’s often used in wound care,” says Rachel Nazarian MD, a board-certified dermatologist practicing in NYC, who adds, “its soothing properties make it a good option for sensitive skin.”
Rice milk boasts similar hydrating and anti-inflammatory properties, but really shines for its antioxidant benefit, according to Dr. Nazarian. “[Rice milk extract] has been shown to be protective against environmental stressors, due to its anthocyanin polyphenols, which act as an antioxidant shield,” she explains—making the ingredient a stellar add to a daytime formula.
The Calming Facial Lotion somehow manages to do all of the above, while still feeling light and comforting on the skin. One reviewer says it even lays beautifully under makeup (a must for any daytime moisturizer): “It’s light and soaks up quickly,” she writes in a 5-star review, adding, “it isn’t greasy at all.” Factor in the fragrance-free formula, and you’ve got a moisturizer that’ll agree with pretty much anyone, regardless of skin type.
According to those who claim to have really reactive skin, this is a moisturizer they can apply without trepidation. One shopper says that after experiencing irritation from another product, she was apprehensive about trying anything new, but is ultimately glad she made the switch: “It glides right on, absorbs quickly, and my face feels amazing afterwards,” she writes in a 5-star review.
Another Amazon shopper says the cream helped noticeably improve the look of her mild rosacea, “[I] immediately noticed a difference,” she says in her 5-star review, “It’s soothing for my skin and I like how soft and nourished my skin feels when I wake up in the morning!”
Moral of the story: this moisturizer is like a cozy sweater for sensitive skin, and there’s really nothing we want more in the fall and winter. Even better, you can get it on sale for only 8 bucks for a limited time.
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