Rachel Nazarian, MD, FAAD, board-certified dermatologist with Schweiger Dermatology in New York City

Did you know all sorts of things can wreak havoc on your skin - hormonal changes, aggressive beauty routines... not to mention psychological stress and fatigue? The result is seriously stressed-out skin that’s extremely dry, irritated, red, and out of balance. Dr. Murad has been studying the stressful impacts of the environment, nutrition, and lifestyle on skin and overall wellness since 1972. That’s why he formulated Intense Recovery Cream. Mostly, though, it's lauded for its ability to near-instantly hydrate and nourish skin. Another customer says, "As soon as I got to my car, I put some on over my full face of makeup. It instantly offered relief to the tightness of my dry skin. [After that], I couldn't wait for my nighttime skin-care regimen! This morning when I woke up, my skin not only felt so much softer, it looked so good. The extreme dry areas around my mouth are visibly softer, the tightness not there as well as the redness is gone." When high levels of cortisol remain in the body, it starts to break down collagen and the reduces the skin barrier’s lipid levels. It also slows down cell turnover and can increase the amount of dead skin cells. This can in turn lead to breakouts because bacterialoves dead skin cells. Mirabillis Jalapa Extract has brilliant effect on redness. It works really well with the emollients in the formula to protect the moisture barrier and it also works to boosts ceramides and filaggrin.

High levels of cortisol, the stress hormone in the body, can really affect skin. We are only meant to have short bursts of cortisol, but many of us are experiencing it for prolonged periods.

Though rosacea is a chronic skin condition that will need careful maintenance, the great news is that you can drastically reduce these symptoms with a simple (and often inexpensive) routine. I love that you can use it around the eye area, and also it’s really good on lips. What does Stress to do Skin? This Murad Intense Recovery Cream if perfect for dry to severely dry skin types, whether environmental or triggered by lifestyle.Plus, very importantly, it’s a non-comedogenic formula. This means that as well as calming and soothing, this product allows the skin to remain hydrated, yet keeps it free from breakouts. My verdict on Murad Intense Recovery Cream

This cream is designed to 'undo' all that damage and strengthen your skin barrier so that it's better adept at fighting off damage. Hero ingredients include: The ingredients work to deeply moisturise the skin to relieve severe dryness, so that visible redness and signs of sensitivity are subdued. A Murad study showed that after a month of usage, 88% of people agreed that their over-stressed skin looks calmer. So if you’re suffering with redness or your skin is showing signs of sensitivity, this is definitely a moisturiser to have a look at. Clinical trials have also indicated that you will see results with lines and wrinkles too. What is Murad Intense Recovery Cream? After about a week of using this product, I noticed a huge change in the way my skin felt. While the visual appearance wasn’t a dramatic change, the dryness and flaky texture had completely vanished. My skin is the softest it’s ever been. The irritation isn’t completely gone, but I have already seen a major decrease in redness. Arguably, this is one of my favorite launches of this entire year. My skin has been going through it these last few months. After spending a week in New Mexico's dry, winter air, my complexion felt scaly, and anytime I'd apply any skin-care product, patches of skin would sting and redden. To make things worse, I was testing out some new retinol serums and didn't think to slow my roll ( retinol is strong enough to cause irritation if you overdo it). My complexion was so angry, I could feel a sharp sting as sweat dripped down my face during my workout (literally adding salt to the wound). I had to course-correct, stat.

Speaking generally, adapting a skincare routine with a small amount of steps, prioritising a great cleanser, moisturiser and SPF, will help you on your way. Presently, most derms and skincare pros agree that stress tops the list of threats to a clear and happy complexion. As well as sending sebum and oil production into overdrive, stress hormones like cortisol can 'create tiny microscopic holes in your cell membranes that lead to water leaking out of your cells, dehydrating the skin and causing inflammation, dullness, fine lines and even adult acne,' explained Dr Murad, board-certified dermatologist and founder of Murad Skincare.

To help you to navigate this brave new world of retinol, AHAs, jade rollers and double cleansing, WH beauty editor, Perdita Nouril, is here to try and test the new drops that are making their way into her (very full) bathroom, via her new column, Beauty Dispatch. Here, she'll share the freshly released heroes that she loves: ready to let you know where to spend your skin and hair care cash. This time around, she tries Dr Murad Intense Recovery Cream. Murad Intense Recovery Cream was the perfect antidote to what we call sensitized skin. This happens when the skin's barrier has been weakened due to the elements or harsh products (or both), which causes redness, flaking, and intense dehydration—aka precisely what I was dealing with. While other brands have similar skin recovery products, none have similar ingredients like Murad’s clinically tested formula. I have been giving this cream a little go at night time when I feel like my skin needs a bit of extra TLC, or if I have used a lot of actives and I’m worried my skin could get a little sensitive.Also, with increased investigation into skincare, lots of people are over-exfoliating. When that happens, you need to include a calming emollient cream into your routine. Key Ingredients Murad Intense Recovery Cream Water/Aqua/Eau, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Betaine, Cetearyl Methicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Myristate, Stearyl Dimethicone, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Polysorbate 60, Dimethicone, Behenyl Alcohol, Glycol Distearate, Mentha Viridis (Spearmint) Leaf Oil, Pogostemon Cablin Oil, Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Peel Oil, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil, Cedrus Atlantica Bark Oil, Chlorella Emersonii Extract, Mirabilis Jalapa Extract, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Solanum Melongena (Eggplant) Fruit Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Ocimum Basilicum (Basil) Flower/Leaf Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Urea, Yeast Amino Acids, Trehalose, Inositol, Taurine, Xanthan Gum, Propanediol, Octadecene, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Hexylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Limonene, Linalool Water/Aqua/Eau, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Betaine, Cetearyl Methicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Myristate, Stearyl Dimethicone, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Polysorbate 60, Dimethicone, Behenyl Alcohol, Glycol Distearate, Mentha Viridis (Spearmint) Leaf Oil, Pogostemon Cablin Oil, Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Peel Oil, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil, Cedrus Atlantica Bark Oil, Chlorella Emersonii Extract, Mirabilis Jalapa Extract, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Solanum Melongena (Eggplant) Fruit Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Curcuma Longa (Tumeric) Root Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Ocimum Basilicum (Basil) Flower/Leaf Extract, Simmondsia Chinesis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Urea, Yeast Amino Acids, Trehalose, Inositol, Taurine, Xanthan Gum, Propanediol, Octadecene, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Hexylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Limonene, Linalool. Between the shiny, millennial-centric brands delivering fresh drops through your letter box, the more established, cult buys and the indie outfits selling a fine line in 'natural and organic' products, the beauty landscape has never felt more cluttered.