My long list of moisturizer fails :(

People often say to be thankful for your mistakes because its the only way you learn and grow. Sometimes wisdom in hindsight isn't so phenomenal. I know, speaking for myself, even a few years ago I wasn't worried about moisturizers or SPF. When it comes to your skin; what you have is what you get. I don't have the money or the desire for plastic surgery so I want what I got to stay looking youthful. Having a baby sure has a way of making you feel old. I know that 25 is by no means ancient but if I can take a few preventative measures on aging then I may as well take advantage. Over the past year I've been changing and tweaking my skin care routine. One thing I have a HUGE problem finding: moisturizer. I've explained by skin type and issues before. Oily/combination and then in the winter it's oily/combination/super dehydrated. I've been lucky enough to never have had a problem with acne or pimples but my nose is like a Crisco factory. My forehead and cheeks are normal to dry. I also struggle with rosacea-like redness.
I realize its too much to ask for one product to address ALL of these issues. I'm just looking for something that is going to leave my skin hydrated without just turning my nose into a deep fryer. I really didn't think that this would be such a feat to accomplish but my medicine cabinet is full of useless-to-me products and my skin is still missing something.
First one I bought was Garnier Moisture Rescue Gel-creme. I bought this in the end of summer when my skin was in the more oily end of combination. This has been described as a dupe for Clinique's Even Better moisturizing gel. Gel moisturizers are supposed to be good for oily skin. I used this for a few weeks and it helped keep the oil at bay on my nose but I started getting dry patches on my cheeks. This led me to pick up my next candidate. (I still use this on my nose on my night time skin care routine to keep the oil at bay because my night cream really gives me the "Crisco effect")
I got another Garnier Moisture Rescue, this time for dry skin. I didn't use this for long at all because it wasn't hydrating enough to fix the dryness and it seemed to irritate my dry skin a bit.
I decided to try something geared towards combo skin so I picked up Neutrogena Moisture for combination skin. It basically claims to be everything I need in a moisturizer. I used this for a few weeks and I really wanted it to be the one but I just didn't notice any change for the better in my skin. It didn't affect it negatively which was good and I do want to try this again now that I'm using a serum that I love.
A couple months ago my skin got really, really dry so I got L'oreal Hydrafresh gel-creme. It's supposed to be really hydrating and it's a gel so I thought I'd try it out. It feels nice and fresh in your skin and it was really hydrating but again I couldn't use it on my nose. When my skin is feeling very dry I will occasionally use it on my cheeks alone.
I got a bottle of Aveeno Ultra-Calming daily moisturizer in a GlossyBox and I was really excited to try this out. It's oil-free, fragrance-free and non-comedogenic and is supposed to calm redness on your face. Sounded like EXACTLY what I needed. I used it for a few days and loved it but then I started getting this evil under-the-skin zitties. Another one bites the dust. *sigh*
After knocking down 5 in a matter of a few months (thank god they were all drugstore) I decided to get serious about this. I literally spent 25 minutes in the skin care aisle. I read the back if every package and searched online on my iPhone. In the end I chose a brand I couldn't find much info on (smart, right?) I decided on the Formula 10.0.6 Seriously Shine Free Mattifying Oil-Free Moisturizer. Wow, that's a mouthful. It has soothing Aloe Vera and bamboo extract that is supposed to help absorb excess oil. It did exactly what it said. It seriously was a fantastic moisturizer for skin like mine. My skin was matte all day. It moisturized my skin enough. I really tried for this one but there was a deal breaker. The smell. Most smells don't irritate me too badly but I couldn't get over this one. It reminds me of how a witch doctors house would smell. Like if you had a crazy old granny that makes her own salve. I dunno, it's hard to explain but it gave me headaches. I couldn't do it. That one broke my heart.
I am currently testing out a new one (high-end) and I'm hoping it works out. I really need something I can live with for more than a few weeks. Cross your fingers for me!

What is your holy grail moisturizer?

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