My skin has always been hard to please. I’ve got combination skin, so while my cheeks get as dry as sandpaper, my T-zone is always on the verge of an oil spill. I also have rosacea, and I’m not immune to a few spots erupting as and when they please. All of this means it’s almost impossible to find a moisturiser that strikes the right balance of being nourishing, yet not greasy enough to break me out or cause sensitivity. It’s safe to say, my skin is a fussy customer.

I usually compromise when it comes to moisturisers – the aim is to achieve at least one out of my three skincare goals, but Dermalogica made the impossible, possible when it launched its Stabilizing Repair Cream. 

Among the new buzzy skincare brands out there, I’ll admit that I haven’t reached for any Dermalogica products since my teens, but this cream claimed to tick off all of my fussy skin’s requirements in one product, so I wanted to put it to the test.

It aims to calm stressed skin upon contact, while the ceramide-building complex nourishes skin and restores the skin barrier. It also contains hydrating glycerin and squalane, as well as tasmannia lanceolata extract (a mouthful, sure, but it’s essentially rich in antioxidants and works to soothe any flare-ups your skin might be experiencing).

As it’s not messing around in the hydration department. I decided to use this as my last step before bed. My skin drank up the balm-cream hybrid and left me with a glossy – not greasy – finish. I’d recently had an allergic reaction to a product I’d been testing but woke up to see that not only was my skin looking less angry and red, but the dry patches the reaction had caused seemed to be undetectable. It made a very good first impression.  

I used this religiously for months and noticed my skin had never looked juicier or happier (ie no sensitivity had ballooned). Despite it being so nourishing, I was happy to see it hadn’t flooded my skin enough to cause any angry breakouts. Instead, my skin was smooth and clear of any pesky spots. So much so that I had a backup in waiting just to prepare for when I eventually ran out.

If you suffer from flaky patches and struggle to keep your skin’s moisture levels topped up during the winter months, Dermalogica’s Stabilizing Repair Cream might just be the one for you. Even if you don’t require such a thirst quencher, I’d still keep this in reserve for when you’ve gone OTT with the exfoliating acids or have upset your skin when trying out a new product. 

Think of it as your skincare comfort blanket. Trust me, your skin will thank you. 

Images: Charlotte Bitmead; Dermalogica