SKINCARE | FaceTory Artemisia Balancing Light Creme

When FaceTory started coming out with their own brand of sheet masks, I was THERE so now that they have their own skincare products, I just want to try everything because the packaging is adorable and the pricing is very reasonable for the formulations even factoring in the US exchange rate.  One of the first skincare products FaceTory released was their Artemisia Balancing Light Creme, a lightweight soothing moisturizer targeted at red, oily, acne-prone or combo skin. This is not my skin type at all which is why this moisturizer say untouched until last year's heat dome when I wanted hydration, but without the greasiness!

Included as a bonus with one of my FaceTory subscription boxes

This moisturizer is formulated with 50% artemisia capillaris extract or more famously known as mugwort! KBeauty was all over Centella asiatica a few years ago and then came mugwort! Like its famous friend, mugwort is known for its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antibacterial properties for even the most irritated of skin (think eczema and psoriasis). 

The very first ingredient in this moisturizer is not water, but Artemisia capillaris extract which is unusual, but in a cool way followed by brightening niacinamide and other very hydrating ingredients like squalane, shea butter and hydroxyethyl urea. The plant extracts are all in the lower half of the ingredients list so I'm not too focused on seeing benefits from their presence. 

Ingredients: Artemisia Capillaris Extract (50%), Water, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glyceryl Stearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Squalane, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Cetearyl Olivate, Palmitic Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Sorbitan Olivate, Behenyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Sorbitan, Sesquioleate, Carbomer, Cetearyl Glucoside, Arginine, Phenoxyethanol, Xanthan Gum, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Adenosine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Boswellia Serrata Resin Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Glucose, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Leaf Extract, Thymus Vulgaris (Thyme) Extract, Chrysanthemum Parthenium (Feverfew) Extract, Lippia Citriodora Leaf Extract, Bellis Perennis (Daisy) Flower Extract, Origanum Vulgare Leaf Extract, Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Leaf Extract, Urtica Dioica (Nettle) Extract, Lonicera Japonica (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Camellia Japonica Flower Extract, Myristic Acid, Citric Acid

This moisturizer does have silicone in it in the form of cyclopentasiloxane and dimethicone giving this product a smooth finish when applying. I would have expected the dry down time to be fairly quick because of the inclusion of silicones, but it actually took about 30 minutes! Once everything was absorbed, I really did have beautiful glowy skin that was even in tone, especially around my cheeks. 

Final verdict: In the realm of moisturizers, this is one of the ones I would call "safe" because I know it will work all the time and not upset my skin. If I introduce some new skincare, this is the moisturizer I continue using because it's not "reactive". For a moisturizer targeted at problematic and combo/oily skin, I found this to be more than enough hydration for my dry/normal skin. The mugwort calmed down any redness around my nose and cheeks giving me a clear and even complexion and my skin had that sort of fresh tackiness that you get after having a facial. Overall, this is a solid moisturizer for all skin types!

You can find the FaceTory Artemisia Balancing Light Creme at www.facetory.com