This Elasticity-Boosting Moisturizer Is the Only One That Rivals La Mer—But for a Fraction of the Price

A few years ago, back in the ‘before times’ (sigh), I took a trip to Glen Ivy’s famous natural hot spring and spa in Southern California, where an esthetician treated my parched visage to a deliciously hydrating and soothing facial. Afterward, I couldn’t get over just how deeply quenched my face felt—not greasy, not heavy, not overly saturated with product—it was simply replenished.

Yes, I looked good (we all know hydration is excellent for combatting “crinkles” and dullness), but more importantly, I felt good. I was so enchanted by the sensation that I left with several products, one of which I haven’t stopped talking about since: Comfort Zone Hydramemory Cream ($68).

Comfort Zone Hydramemory Cream — $68.00

I’m clearly not one to gatekeep, so before I get too far into this open love letter to an inanimate object, here’s the boilerplate for your new favorite skin-care product:

• Sensation and feel: deeply hydrating with a sorbet-like texture
• Standout ingredients: macro hyaluronic acid and fair-trade moringa oil
• Skin types: all—it’s powerful enough for dehydrated skin like mine, light enough for combo skin, and there’s a gel-cream iteration if you’re on the oilier side.
• Effects: “24-hour double hydration,” long-lasting moisture and luminosity, and a restored and reinforced skin barrier

Since that fateful day at the spa, I’ve purchased several jars of Comfort Zone’s (somehow still under the radar) perfect concoction—and that says a lot coming from a writer whose job affords her a lot of free beauty products.

The cream is gorgeous, and I say that without exaggeration. It’s on par with my favorite La Mer soft cream, but a fraction of the price at $68 for just over 2oz (nearly $300 less than the competition). The texture, the light-as-air fragrance, the sensation as you apply it—true perfection.

Here’s how it works: The “biomimetic fragments” of hyaluronic acid in the formula can penetrate the skin more easily for deep hydration, while “macro” HA molecules retain more water and help the skin maintain elasticity and softness. The moringa oil—rich in omega 3, 6, 9, and vitamin E—seals in that moisture, and vitamins and antioxidants help to protect the skin barrier.

Soraya Zekria, certified aesthetician at The Spa at Hotel Washington, is also a fan of this product, particularly for winter skin—and especially for anyone who needs extra hydration. “I recommend Hydramemory Cream to clients who experience dull and lifeless skin and/or skin that is starting to show wrinkles,” says Zekria. “In the winter, the skin can feel tight and very dry due to central heating and poor daily intake of water, so that is a perfect product to help remedy that.”

Because there’s such a high concentration of hyaluronic acid, pros recommend that you massage the cream into your skin to ensure complete absorption and allow you to feel the full effects of its quenching powers.

It’s crafted in Parma, Italy, and made with 92% natural-origin ingredients from apple, lentil, and watermelon rind. It also comes in a pale blue glass jar and CO2-compensated packaging. In other words, Hydramemory Cream is Italian, stylish, cares about the planet, and doesn’t mind that I’m thirsty— just like all of my crushes (wink wink).

One thing to keep in mind: There is fragrance, and it’s not the last item on the ingredient list, which means that it’s in there in pretty full force. The scent was artfully crafted (so European) with citrus top notes, basil, thyme, and freesia middle notes, and a gentle amber base. I have sensitive, dry skin, and the fragrance is not an issue for my skin—I personally love a perfumed experience —but if you have a fragrance allergy, this is something to keep in mind.

While it isn’t exactly a budget buy, my soft, supple skin and I agree that it’s well worth the investment.

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