Most women know the value of a good moisturizer and once you find a brand you like, you tend to stick with it. Dermalogica has been producing moisturizer since the late 80s and has established itself as one of the leaders in the skin care field. We took a closer look at Dermalogica Active Moist to see if it is as good as the manufacturer states.

Why Is a Good Moisturizer so Important?

We all know we should moisturize our face daily, but have you ever wondered why? Every day your skin battles against its environment and a good moisturizer will help to keep all the natural oils in your skin and lessen the risk of drying out. There are very few things that are quite as irritating as dry skin on your face.

As we age our skin changes and the moisturizer that was perfect in our early twenties is not so perfect in our fifties. That’s why it’s important to get the right moisturizer for your skin type. You might be able to get away with using your body lotion on your face when you’re a teenager but it’s not advisable for the long-term.

What Ingredients Should I Look for in a Moisturizer?

There are three common groups of ingredients that go into making a moisturizer.

Where Is Dermalogica Active Moist Made?

In 1983, Jane Wurwand opened a school in Merina del Ray, California for licensed skin therapists to participate in postgraduate training to better their skills and reputation. She had trained in the United Kingdom and wanted to share that extensive knowledge with other therapists in the U. S, so she opened the International Dermal Institute (IDI).

In 1986, Jane began to create the Dermalogica skin care range with a focus on skin health rather than beauty. She wanted to create a line of skin care products that didn’t contain the usual irritants that often lead to skin problems. In addition, Jane’s skin care range would be free of lanolin, mineral oil, SD alcohol, and artificial colors and fragrances.

Originally Dermalogica products were only available at the International Dermal Institute but can now be bought all over the world, although they are still manufactured only in the U.S. The products are not tested on animals.

What Does the Manufacturer State About Dermalogica Active Moist?

According to Dermalogica, Active Moist is an oil-free, lightweight moisturizer that helps to improve skin texture. Its ingredients include botanical astringents of lemon, burdock, and cucumber. They encourage you to prep your skin before using Active Moist, with their Multi-Active Toner.

Some of the ingredients include:

What Do the reviews on Dermalogica’s Website Say?

Obviously, the reviews on Dermalogica’s website need to be taken with a grain of salt. Very few companies leave negative reviews on their website unless they’ve addressed the matter in a way that they want the public to know about.

However, I’ve included some information from Dermalogica’s website to show the contrast, and agreement between these and reviews on other websites.

Most of the reviews on Dermalogica’s website are 5 star, and the one I found that was only 3 stars stated that it was “good” but did not explain why they didn’t give 5 stars. The other reviews state that Active Moist is a lightweight moisturizer, non-greasy, and with no fragrances. A few reviews mention that their tube lasts quite a while.

What Do Other Reviews Say?

Customer reviews for the Dermalogica Active Moist on Amazon.com range from 1 to 5 stars. One person commented that the moisturizer was greasy, however other reviews mention that it is not as greasy as other products.

On further reading though, we quickly discovered that many of the negative reviews on Amazon also stated that they believed they had bought a fake product. If you choose to buy Dermalogica Active Moist from Amazon it’s probably a good idea to check that the product you are buying is genuine.

Fortunately, we don’t have to rely on Amazon for unbiased reviews. Other reviews have stated that Active Moist is a good product for normal skin but is not suitable for dry or combination skins. Also, most reviewers felt that the moisturizer provided better value for money in the bigger tube.

Dermalogica state that their products are free of artificial colors and fragrances and the reviews support that claim. Interestingly the reviewers who weren’t happy with the product all seemed to like Dermalogica’s products in general but found that Active Moist tended to cause breakouts.

How Does Dermalogica Active Moist Compare to Other Moisturizers?

The Body Shop Tea Tree Mattifying Lotion claims to provide many of the benefits that Dermalogica Active Moist does. The Body Shop was founded in 1976 by Anita Roddick and they advertise themselves as an ethically responsible company.

The Tea Tree Mattifying lotion is advertised as a lightweight moisturizer for skin with mild blemishes. It’s easily absorbed and non-greasy. It’s certainly cheaper than Dermalogica Active Moist at around $12,75 for a 50ml tube, however, it doesn’t come in a bigger size.

Most reviews agree that this moisturizer dries quickly however, many have commented that you need to use continually for at least a week to see any visible results. They also mention that the tea tree makes it good to use on spots to ward off infection.

A few reviews mentioned the smell of this moisturizer, however, this is due to the strong scent of tea tree and not any artificial fragrances. Although it does smell more than Dermalogica Active Moist, this is due to a natural product.

Proactiv don’t give a lot of information about their company but they do claim that their Proactive system was created by qualified Dermatologists. Proactiv products are a reasonable price and this moisturizer sells for $38 for 89mls.

Reviews are mixed for this product with most stating it feels non-greasy but is a bit pricey for what it is. The best results have been achieved by using it in conjunction with other Proactiv products. On the plus side, this product does contain an SPF 15 sun protection.

How Does Dermalogica Active Moist Compare with Other Dermalogica Products?

Dermalogica has a wide range of moisturizers for sale including oil control lotion, supersensitive shield SP30, night and day creams and more. Their power rich potent firming cream is advertised at $323 for 5 X 10ml tubes.

Dermalogica Active Moist is listed in their top seller category along with their skin smoothing cream, intensive moisture balance cream, dynamic skin recovery and super rich repair. Let’s see how each stack up against each other.

As you would expect, as the benefits and ingredients go up in these products so does the prices and Active Moist is the cheapest of Dermalogica’s moisturizers. However, that does not necessarily mean that the quality is lower than the others.

The other moisturizers target a specific age group or skin problem while Active Moist and Skin Smoothing Cream are suitable for most skin types without any specific issues such as acne or rosacea. The difference between the two is that Active Moist is lightweight while Skin Smoothing is a medium-weight moisturizer.

Is Dermalogica worth Its Asking Price?

Although Dermalogica is a well-known brand and Active Moist is a good product, there are other moisturizers that will do the same thing for half the price. For a product that is used at least once, and usually twice, a day you want something that isn’t going to break the bank.

Dermalogica does not appear to spend a lot of their budget on packaging as some brands do but they market themselves as a skincare brand that you can only buy in consultation with a skincare specialist. This makes the product even more expensive.

However, if you’re happy to pay for the experience as well as the product, then Dermalogica Active Moist may be perfect for you. Once again, we advise against buying from Amazon or similar sites as there are many fraudulent sellers out there.

The simplicity of the names of Dermalogica’s products makes it easy to understand each product’s purpose which can be confusing. For example, a product called a Tea Tree Mattifying lotion only tells you what it is if you know the benefits of tea tree extract.

Dermalogica Active Moist may not be the best moisturizer out there, but it’s certainly not the worst. It’s a product that’s best suited for people with normal, or perhaps younger skin, as it does not seem to cope well with any skin conditions or problems.

General Advice About Buying Moisturizers

To decide which moisturizer is going to work best for you, knowing your skin type is essential and this isn’t as easy as it sounds.  Most of us have combination skin, but if you’re unsure you need to consult a skin or beauty therapist.

Consulting a professional about your skin type does not have to be expensive as most pharmacy’s and department stores have staffed trained in cosmetics and skincare. After proper consultation, you may decide that Dermalogica Active Moist is the best option for you.