My elusive search for the ‘perfect’ facial cream and serum has been a journey - not a destination. Like the children's tale of Goldilocks and The Three Bears, you have to try a lot of beds (i.e. facial creams and serums) to find the one that fits you just right. 

We are all different, live in different parts of the world with different weather and environments. We are different ages, different sexes, dealing with different hormonal changes. We have different genetic makeups and diets that can dictate how and when our skin produces oils as well as how often. 

I started using facial products in my teens. However, now that I’m a man-of-a-certain-age, using high quality products that perform is more important than ever. Yes, you hear about all the regular things that you are supposed to do: get at least 8 hrs of sleep (I do), do not smoke (I do not), wear sunscreen (I do, most of the time) and drink lots and lots of water (I do do do!). But what is the one other variable that you can control? The products that you use. I am in the position where I get sent lots and lots of things to try, which is lucky for me, but also makes me very discerning about the products I endorse.

Like a lot of men, my skin is not overly delicate. But, my eyes have become super sensitive to certain products (doesn’t matter how luxe some of them are) that contain certain ingredient(s) that I have yet to figure out. Right off the bat, that becomes a litmus test for the products that I can tolerate. In addition, my concerns and my wants include: no weird smelling products, products that do nothing, thicker products (especially in the winter when hydration is a factor) and products that improve my skin over time. Some products feel good initially, but the benefits are short lived. Add to that products that neither dry my face out nor make it feel sticky. Finally, products that can adjust to various climates and cities while I travel.

So back to my Goldilocks analogy…. you will see that I have tested out A LOT of beds, metaphorically speaking, over time. I was sent a new facial cream and serum by DefenAge called 24/7 Barrier Balance Cream and 8-In-1 BioSerum respectively. I finally got around to trying it and it was a little bit of an ‘Ah ha!’ moment. Everything on my skin’s “want” list was addressed: texture, hydration, non-irritating, ingredients that were not sensitive to my eyes, no fragrance, immediate results, long-term results and ease of use. 

Sometimes, the product benefits outweigh the cost, and in this case, DefenAge does tenfold. 'You get what you pay for' was never truer. All their claims were true, and just like Goldilocks, my years of sleeping around in different beds and never feeling satisfied came to an end as I slid into this one-size-fits-all bed called DefenAge and it was JUST RIGHT.