July Best/Worst

Best:

Yes to Carrots Daily Facial Moisturizer with SPF 15 (US$14.99 for 1.7 ounces / 48 gms ).

This is a very good daytime moisturizer with sunscreen for normal to dry skin not prone to blemishes. The sole active ingredient is zinc oxide, and it’s in an emollient formula that is cosmetically elegant and treats skin to a good mix of antioxidants. Ignore that claim that this detoxifies your skin—it doesn’t and no one at the Yes To brand can specify which toxins this product can supposedly eliminate. Hokey claim aside, this is highly recommended and, for the most part, is about as natural as you can get when it comes to moisturizers with sunscreen. By the way, the company’s Hydrating Body Lotion with SPF 30 is also a winner! 

WORST:

H2O+ Face Oasis Ultra Hydrator (US$40 for 1.7 ounces / 48 gms).

This is a terrible moisturizer that isn’t the least bit hydrating. Skin-damaging, free radical-generating alcohol is the second ingredient and this contains far more mica (an ingredient that adds shine) than the beneficial ingredients your skin really needs. All the algae in the sea cannot compensate for what a truly bad formula this is--and I haven’t even gotten to the problematic preservative this contains! This is one of many H2O+ facial moisturizers with underwhelming-to-problematic formulas.