I've found THE best moisturiser for my combination skin

Shout it out from the rooftops, I've found my perfect match! My review of K-Beauty brand Purito’s Dermide Relief Barrier Moisturizer.

I've always wanted to try Purito's Dermide Cica Barrier Sleeping Pack. Being a big fan of Purito skincare in general (the Centella Unscented Serum is a staple in my skincare routine), I was instantly drawn to the Purito Dermide Sleeping Pack. One of the brand's bestsellers, it comes with huge hype and a slew of positive reviews hailing it as a miracle worker for a damaged barrier.

Now you all know I'm someone who is constantly trying new skincare and sometimes (read: frequently) getting overexcited with active ingredients. Hence, I always need a good barrier repair treatment handy. When SKIN&LAB temporarily discontinued my favourite Barrierderm Milky Serum (pssst....it's coming back soon in revamped packaging), I was devastated and set out to find substitutes. This led me to the Purito Dermide series.

My acne-prone skin can get a bit weird with ceramide-heavy products

There was just one issue: my combination skin. Annoyingly, the combination changes depending on what season it is and how I've been treating my skin, too. Being sometimes oily, sometimes acne-prone, sometimes dehydrated but still greasy, it was a bit temperamental with barrier-promoting products. I found most of them too greasy or heavy for my T-zone, although my dryer U-zone would tolerate them well. And while I totally understood the need for ceramides (and wanted to incorporate more into my routine) to prevent skin sensitivity, I was worried about breakouts. A lot of the products I tried seemed to do the trick with respect to reducing redness and discomfort, but lo and behold - I'd get a zit as well.

Why do good, ceramide-rich products that seem to work on everyone else cause breakouts on some?

As you know, what works on others might not work for you. Initially, I thought that occlusive ingredients (i.e. those that sit on top of your skin to prevent moisture loss) were problematic for me because they also trapped excess sebum and other pore-cloggers. This meant steering away from ceramides, as well as silicones and heavy oils. BUT, I realized that some of the products that my skin asbolutely loved (such as my trusty Barrier Cream from SVR Laboratories and even the Purito Centella Serum) contained occlusive ingredients such as carbomer and lipids. So, what's the deal, skin?!

After much trial-and-error using different products, I found that it wasn't so much certain ingredients, as it was the amount of those ingredients in the formula. For instance, my breakout-prone chin found the Advanced Snail 92 All In One Cream way too heavy, being at least 92% occlusive (although my cheeks loved it). The ceramide-rich Topialyse Intensive Balm from SVR was a bit too much for my T-Zone while the more lightweight Barrier Cream struck a better balance. Given the Purito Dermide Cica Barrier Sleeping Pack ingredients listed occlusives near the top of its list (namely, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Squalane and Sunflower Seed Oil), I thought I should play it safe and avoid it.

Enter Purito’s Dermide Relief Barrier Moisturizer - a perfect blend of rich and lightweight

When Purito's Dermide Relief Barrier Moisturizer was released and promoted as a more lightweight version of the Sleeping Pack without silicones, I was excited. The reviews came in thick and fast, and didn't disappoint. In fact, people with both dry skin and oily skin were calling it "perfect". I received one (thanks, Kanvas Beauty!) and from the very first application, it was love. The formula is refined and luxe - but the feel to describe. It feels rich, but is at the same time extremely lightweight. It uses 5 different kinds of ceramides and squalane, but has kept my acne-prone skin happy. It somehow works BOTH on my dry U-zone as well my oily T-zone, without exacerbating the latter. The finish isn't shiny or greasy, and I don't have to apply a huge amount for results. I don't know how they did it, but it's AMAZING. I know I'm raving but I just love that I've found the "Goldilocks" moisturizer that puts up with my skin and that I can wear in both hot and cold weather (Melbourne can't make up its mind).

Purito Dermide Relief Barrier Moisturizer ingredients

The formula of this Purito moisturizer offers plenty of emollients like the Sleeping Pack, but with a couple of key differences that I believe made it relatively more versatile across skin types.

1. Firstly, the moisturizer uses the lighter and more sebum-matching Meadowfoam Seed oil as a key ingredient, while the thicker squalane (a top ingredient in the Sleeping Pack) is further down the list. Meadowfoam is a highly stable oil with a unique, velvety texture, making it less greasy than a traditional oil. It also absorbs very well into the skin.
2. Secondly, moisturizer also forgoes the jojoba and sunflower seed oils found in the Sleeping Pack for fermented extracts of the Garcinia Cambogia plant (a unique ingredient said to have anti-ageing properties) and soothing allantoin.

Ceramides and panthenol dot the list of both products. So although the Relie Barrier Moisturizer is a slightly lighter formula, it still packs a moisturizing and reparative punch. All-in-all, you have an emollient-packed and gently occlusive cream that still allows more congested and oilier skin to breathe.

Where it fit in my routine

I started off with incorporating the Relief Barrier Moisturizer into my evening routine, because emollient-rich products work wonderfully at night when the skin is in repair mode. I also wanted to see how my skin fared with it. After double cleansing, toning and applying my latest serum (currently I'm cycling the Alpha Arbutin Serum from Acure - loving it), I applied the moisturizer. It seemed to absorb quickly after a minute, without the need for rubbing it in. Once I registered that my skin was completely eating it up, I started wearing it in the mornings too, under my Black Girl Sunscreen.

Texture and application      

This is probably my favourite aspect about this moisturizer: it's velvety and feels so lovely on the skin. On the texture scale, it's right in between a cold cream and whipped cream. It finishes with just a teeny hint of dewy, but doesn't feel oily. I can apply it all over my face without trying to avoid my T-zone and it's enough to satisfy my dry-ass cheeks. Basically, I've found The One (for me). Someone compared to the Lala Whipped Retro Face Cream from Drunk Elephant - but even better because you get the same high quality ingredients and airtight packaging at a tres affordable price point that K-Beauty is known for.

Results and final verdict

When my skin was ruined after way too much time in the sun (and too little application of SPF) during the heatwave of my holiday in France, I wore this moisturizer under a layer of SVR's Cicapair+ Skin Repair Accelerator Cream. Once I returned to Australia and my skin started improving, I just kept the Relief Barrier Moisturizer and my skin started feeling soft and plump again. About a month later, I introduced arbutin and lactic acid into my routine - and joy! No peeling, dry skin or redness (ceramides! I get it now). I was a bit worried when the weather started to get warmer, and was thinking of switching to something a bit lighter. So far, however, this moisturizer has stayed the course and seems to be suitable even in this weird warm / humid / cold / rainy combination that Melbourne is offering at the moment. Would I recommend it? It's a hell yes from me. 

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Find the Relief Barrier Dermide Moisturizer from Purito online in Australia at Kanvas Beauty

You can shop the moisturizer and other stellar products from Purito right here on Kanvas Beauty.

We ship Australia-wide, including all the major cities (Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Darwin, Adelaide and Canberra). Enjoy free standard shipping with any purchase over $50, and free express shipping with any order over $99.

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Happy shopping! If you have further questions on Purito or any of our other brands, drop us a line on chat or on email: hello@kanvasbeauty.com.au.

Have you tried any Purito products? What did you think?