I remember the days when I thought moisturiser wasn’t that important… I was younger then and lived in sunny Italy, where the weather never got harsh enough to suck all the moisture out of my skin and wither it like an old prune. That all changed when I moved to London. My first winter here, I was so unprepared, my skin cracked (literally!) at the first sign of winter.
Now, my priority when the temperatures start to get lower is to strengthen my skin’s protective barrier so that even the harshest winds won’t break it down. Sebamed Anti-Dry Day Defence Cream promises to do just that. Does it deliver? Let’s find out!
Key Ingredients In Sebamed Anti-Dry Day Defence Cream: What Makes It Work?
AVOCADO OIL TO MOISTURISE SKIN
You won’t find avocado oil in the ingredient list. It hides under the name Persea Gratissima oil (that’s how scientists call it). Avocado oil is loaded with fatty acids, the building blocks of your skin’s protective barrier (together with ceramides, cholesterol and other stuff).
These fatty acids strengthen the skin’s protective barrier so that it can better withstand harsh weather and anything else that may irritate skin. Plus, they lock moisture in, where it needs to be to keep skin hydrated.
But what if your skin’s barrier is already broken? Fatty acids help fix it and nurse your dry, flaky skin back to health. Wait, there’s more! Avocado oil is also a rich source of Vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant that hydrates skin and fights free radicals, the nasty molecules that give you wrinkles.
Related: Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Vitamin E In Skincare
GLYCERIN TO HYDRATE SKIN
Avocado oil prevents moisture from evaporating out of your skin and drying it out. But what if your skin doesn’t have enough moisture of its own? That’s where glycerin comes in. It draws moisture from the environment into the skin, binding it in. All that extra moisture plumps up your skin, makes it softer, and gives it a dewy glow.
Related: Why Is Glycerin In All Your Skincare Products?!
The Rest Of The Formula & Ingredients
NOTE: The colours indicate the effectiveness of an ingredient. It is ILLEGAL to put toxic and harmful ingredients in skincare products.
Green: It’s effective, proven to work, and helps the product do the best possible job for your skin.
Yellow: There’s not much proof it works (at least, yet).
Red: What is this doing here?!
Aqua: The main solvent in this formula, it helps dissolve other ingredients. It hydrates skin, too.
Glyceryl Stearate SE: It’s an emulsifier, a fancy name for ingredients that help water-based and oil-based ingredients blend together well, so they don’t separate into two gooey layers.
Cetearyl Alcohol: An emollient that makes skin softer and smoother. It also enhances the texture of skincare products.
Brassica campestris Sterols: It’s loaded with fatty acids that help strengthen the skin’s protective barrier.
Tocopheryl Acetate: A form of Vitamin E with antioxidant and hydrating properties.
Cetearyl Glucoside: A blend of cetearyl alcohol and glucose that functions primarily as an emulsifier. It prevents formulas from separating into a watery and an oily layer.
Citric Acid: It adjusts the pH of skincare products.
Sodium Hydroxide: Another pH balancer.
Parfum: It makes the product smell good, but it’s a common allergen.
Phenoxyethanol: A preservative that inhibits the growth of bacteria in your skincare products.
Sodium Benzoate: Another preservative that prevents bacteria from growing in your skincare products.
Texture
This moisturiser is just slightly thick, but spreads easily and absorbs quickly. There’s no greasy or heavy residue on the skin.
Fragrance
Clean, slightly floral scent. I’m on the fence about this. Fragrance is the most irritating ingredient found in skincare products and I firmly believe it has no place in them. But, if it must be there (so many people don’t buy skincare products unless they smell great), this is simple and not too intrusive.
How To Use It
Like all moisturisers, use it in the morning, after serums and before sunscreen. You can also use it at night, as the last step of your skincare routine. Don’t let the name fool you. Your moisturiser doesn’t know what time of the day it is and there’s nothing in here that can’t be used at night too.
Packaging
Sebamed Anti-Dry Day Defence Cream comes in a sleek white jar. It’s not the most hygienic of packaging (wash your hands before you dip it in!), but there’s nothing here that will spoil when it contact with light and air.
Performance & Personal Opinion
Sebamed Anti-Dry Day Defence Cream is a no-frills moisturizer for dry, sensitive skin. It does what it says on the tin – and does it well. I use it in between my vitamin C serum and sunscreen in the morning to up my defences against the harsher winter weather. The cream glides smoothly on the skin, and sinks in quickly – unless you use too much! A little goes a long way.
Upon application, my skin immediately feels softer and smoother. The moisturising effect last all day. Even after days of navigating through the streets of London, my skin shows no sign of cracking or flaking. No dryness, either.
My skin’s not that sensitive or prone to irritations. If yours is, Sebamed Anti-Dry Day Defence Cream can help relieve the symptoms and nurse your skin back to health. But if you use it consistently, your skin is less likely to experience another flare-up. Phew!
Related: How To Care For Dry Skin
How Does Sebamed Anti-Dry Day Defence Cream Compare To Other Sebamed Moisturisers?
Not sure Sebamed Anti-Dry Defence Cream is the right fit for your skin? Check out one of their other moisturisers then:
Sebamed Anti-Ageing Q10 Protection Cream (£13.99): A lightweight cream with a sprinkle of antioxidants. They’re not really enough to prevent premature aging, but if you’re on a budget, it’s a start. Available at Amazon.
Sebamed Anti-Ageing Wrinkle Filler (£14.99): A rich cream that deeply moisturises skin. But there’s nothing here that can treat wrinkles. Available at Amazon.
Sebamed Anti-Dry Night Intensive Cream (£12.49): I actually prefer the day version. This is moisturising, but it doesn’t have much else going for it. Available at Amazon.
Sebamed Clear Face Care Gel (£7.99): A lightweight gel that uses humectants, like aloe vera and hyaluronic acid, to attract and bind water into your skin. In other words, it deeply hydrates it without adding any oil to it. Most suitable for oily and acne-prone skin. Available at Sephora.
Sebamed Clear Face Mattifying Cream (£10.99): A lightweight cream with aloe vera to soothe, niacinamide and zinc to absorb oil and prevent acne, and Hyaluronic Acid to hydrate skin. Better suitable for oily skin. Available at Amazon.
What I Like About Sebamed Anti-Dry Day Defence Cream
Creamy and fast-absorbing texture
Moisturising, makes skin softer and smoother
Helps protect skin from environmental aggressors
Affordable
What I DON’T Like About Sebamed Anti-Dry Day Defence Cream
Contains fragrance, which may irritate sensitive skin
Very basic moisturising cream, has no anti-aging powers
Who Should Use This?
Anyone with dry/sensitive skin, especially if you’re on a budget.
Does Sebamed Anti-Dry Day Defence Cream Live Up To Its Claims?
CLAIM
TRUE?
Calms sensitive, dry skin, relieving tension and irritation.
Yes, it’s soothing.
Created with the same pH 5.5 value as healthy skin, it supports and protects the natural barrier function of the skin’s acid mantle, rapidly absorbs and leaves skin perceptibly smoother and suppler.
All true.
Vitamin E neutralizes free-radicals.
True. But you need more than one antioxidant to fight all free radicals. For better results, use the cream with an antioxidant serum.
Price & Availability
£12.49 at Amazon
The Verdict: Should You Buy It?
If you have dry skin and are on a budget, Sebamed Anti-Dry Day Defence Cream is definitely worth a try.
Dupes & Alternatives
Liz Earle Skin Repair Moisturiser Dry/Sensitive Skin (£22.00): A rich cream with natural oils and shea butter to moisturise even the driest of skin types. Available at Boots and Sephora
Aqua, Persea gratissima oil, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Brassica campestris Sterols, Tocopheryl Acetate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate.
About Gio
Hi, I’m Gio. I’m a no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is skin coach and writer on a mission to help you achieve your best skin day ever – every day. I bust skincare myths and debunk marketing jargon to help you figure out what’s worth the splurge and what’s best left on the shelf – using science, not hype. I also offer skincare consultations to help you create the best skincare routine for your unique needs.
