When your skin is feeling extra parched, tight, cracked and uber irritated, swapping out a lightweight moisture cream for a richer, more intensive formula is key to treating the discomfort and getting your complexion back to normal as quickly as possible. With that being said, however, when you switch to a heavier cream product, you also run the risk clogging your pores or simply ending up with extra greasy skin that feels like a straight-up oil slick—and if you’re looking to add makeup on top, you can just forget about it staying put for anything longer than an hour or so.

Whether you battle dry and irritated skin year-round or the dehydration just crops up from time to time (often when you least expect it), keeping an intensive, thicker moisturizer in your skincare lineup is essential if you want to act fast to heal and soothe the flare-up. Not all heavy moisturizers are created equal, and it is possible to find a super nourishing cream that tackles dry patches, redness, peeling, and cracking without going overboard on the oil and emphasize pores and other imperfections. Ahead, we’ve rounded up a few of our favorite high-potency hydrators to always have on hand.

Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

Over the past decade, at-home teeth whitening has come a long, long way. While going into the dentist (ugh, the worst) is clearly the most effective course of action, there are some pretty advanced ways to combat yellowing teeth without having to shell out the major bills at the dentist. Back in the day, whitening toothpastes, strips, and even gargling peroxide — if you want to be super old school — were some of the only out-of-office options. Just like LED light treatments used on the skin for anti-aging and acne benefits, at-home LED devices are now being used to brighten up your pearly whites. And, while were initially rather costly, finding the best LED teeth whiteners when you’re on a budget is surprisingly pretty easy.

As an avid and long-term drinker (addict?) of coffee, I can safely say that my teeth have most certainly paid the price. And while I’m definitely insecure about my stained teeth, I am certainly not willing to give up my morning (and afternoon, let’s be honest) cup of joe for a blinding smile. With that being said, despite my aversion for quitting such common teeth-staining culprits, I’m also a big advocate for finding ways to combat years of my habit, without relying on costly in-office treatments to get the job done. Frankly — and apologies if this is slightly gross — if I’m going to go to a dentist’s office, it’s going to be for a cavity, root canal, or something relatively serious. Because no one in their right minds wants to be in a dental office if it isn’t absolutely necessary.

LED whitening kits work blast away discoloration by using a topical whitening solution alongside a mouth-sized LED light. LED technology has been found to amplify the effects of whitening solutions, which are generally peroxide-based. I thought the idea was a gimmick, to be sure. But after experimenting with a few on the market, I’ve found they actually do work, and some of the kits don’t cost more than my once go-to whitening strips.

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Silicone—a derivative of Silicia—is one of the most common additives in foundation, makeup primers, concealers, and blurring products because it helps to absorb excess oil, smooth out imperfections, fill in fine lines and enlarged pores and disguise texture, just to name a few key benefits. It basically functions as a silky-soft barrier that sits on the surface of the skin creating a super even canvas that allows your foundation and other complexion products to glide on like a dream, avoid creasing and seeping into divets in the skin and extend the wear time by a few hours or so. It sounds like a cosmetic dream come true, right? Well, not exactly.

While silicones can make the skin look absolutely flawless and help our base makeup function, apply and wear better, the ingredient does come with its fair share of notable downsides. For some people, silicone can be a pore-clogging ingredient, leading to blackheads and increased texture. Additionally, because they do a great job of keeping oil at bay, they can, therefore, be ultra-drying for those with normal and dry skin types—but I’m afraid the list goes on. Silicone creates a silk-like film on the skin—which is why it’s so smoothing—but overtime without thorough cleansing, this film can build up, which can result in dirt and other impurities sticking and becoming trapped (and we all know this means: breakouts, texture and dull tone). So, are you ready to try a silicone-free foundation yet? If so, we’ve rounded up a few of our favorite clean formulas to test out for yourself.

Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.