This Moisturizer Is Magic For Sensitive Combination Skin

If your skin is dry, oily, and sensitive all at the same time, Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin Cream is second to none.

We hope you love the products we recommend! Just so you know, BuzzFeed may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. Oh, and FYI — prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication.

Please raise your hand if you've ever felt personally victimized by combination skin.

Paramount / Via giphy.com

My combination skin is a champion multitasker: It's super dry around the jaw area, oily in the T-zone, highly sensitive and prone to redness, and frustrating no matter the season! I've tried a lot of different moisturizers over the years, ranging in price from $8.99 to >$70 (I know — I KNOW), and it always went the same way: If it moisturized my muzzle (is that a cute or a gross way to refer to my lower face? I can't decide), it left my forehead a puddle of grease. But if it spared the grease, my face was dry, dull, and itchy.

Plus, about 70% of the moisturizers I tried gave me little patches of itchy redness after I applied them. Those went away eventually, but like...can you not, expensive lotion?

I assumed that no matter what, I would always be either a little oily or a little dry, so one fateful day in Sephora, I said, essentially, "Fuck it, I'm just gonna buy the one with the packaging I like most," which happened to be Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin Cream. Turned out, it was also exactly what my fussy skin needed.

Jessie Gaynor / Via BuzzFeed

This cream is chock-a-block with ceramides, which are apparently the Hot New Ingredient (HNI) in skincare. As with most HNIs, it's sort of hard to find an explanation of what exactly they do, but here's my very unscientific understanding: Ceramides are lipids that occur naturally in skin, and that help it retain moisture and stay all plump and cute. But, much like a tolerance for bullshit, ceramides diminish with age. Soooo, products with ceramides can help restore some of your skin's former glory.

Look, I'm going to be honest: I have no idea whether any of that is even remotely scientifically valid. But I can tell you that I have seen a significant difference in my skin since I started using this cream two months ago. When I bought it, I was in the midst of a cold, and I had the very fetching nostril dryness that accompanies excessive nose-blowing. After two days of twice-daily application, all trace of dryness had vanished.

This stuff also claims to "alleviate signs of sensitivity," which, as a skin sensie, I can corroborate. I haven't seen a trace of the garden of little red patches that used to bloom all over my face when I lotioned up.

AND! My formerly typical late-afternoon forehead shine is a thing of the past. My skin stays hydrated and matte all day.

Jessie Gaynor / Via BuzzFeed

Oh, and it smells, subtly, like a very fancy spa — sort of earthy and fresh, like some expensive kind of dirt that only Gwyneth Paltrow knows about.

At $48 a tube, it's not cheap. But it is without a doubt the best thing I've ever done for my face (okay, aside from quitting smoking).

If you're still reluctant to fork over your hard-earned cash based on the recommendation of one person on the internet, perhaps you'd like to hear from many people on the internet? This stuff has nearly 500 five-star reviews on Sephora. Let me lay some on you:

Sephora

"I have THE most sensitive skin including rosacea. I live in LA, so the sun is brutal along with the extremely dry desert air — my skin was a complete disaster when I moved here. I use tried and true Cetaphil as my face wash, spritz rose water on my face afterwards, and apply this cream before bed (I pat it in until it's fully absorbed). My skin is so incredibly soothed after. Zero breakouts or rosacea issues since. Highly recommended." —feliciti

"This is truly an amazing product. Completely worth it. I'm a man with combination skin with dry, flaky irritated patches around my nose, and after one month of using this, I honestly now have the best skin I've ever had. Virtually blemish-free and...dewy. Seriously. I typically wouldn't review a product, but this is just so good that I had to. I use this over the Ceramidin Liquid daily and absolutely love it. I find the smell very invigorating and pleasant, too. I had been searching for a moisturizer that works for me for a while and I think I finally found it." —nmmathhew

"I have ventured in my thirties with some problematic skin. I've always had dry skin, but in the past year I've developed an oily T-zone. Moisturizers either didn't do anything for my dry skin or it would make my skin oily. This cream, along with the liquid, makes my skin feel soft and smooth ALL DAY. It's a great base for makeup and if you have super-dry skin this will be amazing for you. So glad I finally tried this." —carminemelody

Me to this moisturizer:

Summit Entertainment / Via giphy.com

Get it from Sephora for $48.

Some reviews in this post have been edited for length and/or clarity.

Looking for the perfect gift for any occasion? Check out all of BuzzFeed’s gift guides here!

Allison Krausman / Via BuzzFeed