Here, we’ve rounded up super-hydrating moisturizers to alleviate dry skin, redness, and irritation this winter and beyond.
As much as we love cozying up with a warm beverage and donning our cutest sweaters, the arrival of colder temps can do a number on skin, especially if you experience dryness or redness year-round. However, incorporating the right face moisturizers into your skin-care routine can help minimize flaking and irritation, creating a healthy glow with or without makeup. And, thankfully, we had expert help finding out what to look for when it comes to the best moisturizer for all skin types, but specifically for those with dry skin.
“People prone to dry skin should look for moisturizers that contain ingredients that prevent water loss and repair the skin’s moisture barrier,” aesthetician (and founder of her own skin-care range) Skin-care expert and esthetician Renée Rouleau tells Allure. “This is important year-round, but especially during the harsh winter months when dry skin can be even more sensitive.” (For the record, these creams will work for not only sensitive skin but acne-prone skin, too.)
However, once you’ve found your go-to hydrator, you may find that making small adjustments to your daily routine — such as using all fragrance-free products or incorporating a shea butter or emollient that absorbs quickly — can make a world of difference. “If you struggle with redness or irritation, it’s important to be thoughtful about how you are cleansing your skin,” says New York City-based board-certified plastic surgeon Adam Kolker, MD, who recommends patients use “cool water or lukewarm water” to avoid exacerbating any dry patches or redness.
As for how to make the most of your product? Another expert tip is to layer them in order of lightest to heaviest in texture. “A serum and a cream have different functions, and therefore [different] molecule sizes,” explains New York City board-certified dermatologist Dendy Engelman, MD. “A serum placed on top of a moisturizer will not allow the serum to be fully absorbed since the smaller molecules cannot penetrate the larger ones. Start the products with the lightest consistency like toner, followed by serums and ampoules. Next, are any prescription topical treatments, lotions, creams, and finally sunscreen.”
La Roche-Posay Lipikar Eczema Cream
New York City-based board-certified dermatologist Shari Marchbein, MD, loves the La Roche-Posay Lipikar Eczema Cream for its skin-nourishing formula. Inside this tube is oatmeal and niacinamide that work together to soothe and hydrate the skin in no time.
Vanicream Moisturizing Cream
Dr. Marchbein says the Vanicream Moisturizing Cream is an “amazing hypoallergenic formula,” and we couldn’t agree more. Glob this super hydrating formula all over your body, from head to toe, for unbeatable moisture and soft skin (thanks to the exfoliating glycolic acid in the formula.)
Olay Hyaluronic + Peptide 24 Hydrating Gel
The Olay Hyaluronic + Peptide 24 Hydrating Gel hit shelves this month with a special seal in tow. This fragrance-free formula earned itself a 2022 Best of Beauty award Award should be capped! in the Light Facial Moisturizer category for its potent skin-plumping powers and gel-cream formula. Hyaluronic acid and firming peptides combine forces to deeply hydrate skin while giving it more bounciness and resilience.
Caudalie Premier Cru The Cream
The 2022 Best of Beauty-winning Caudalie Premier Cru The Cream brings the dew we all know and love. However, remarkably, it’s not super-duper-heavy or greasy. Use it regularly, and you’ll be on the path to firmer, more supple skin – thanks to the formula’s honey locust, which instantly tightens skin for up to six hours.
Youth To The People Polypeptide-121 Future Cream
The Polypeptide-121 Future Cream with Peptides and Ceramides is a 2022 Best of Beauty winner because of its weightless formula that’s packed with clean ingredients. You’ll find ceramides to maintain the skin’s moisture and smooth wrinkles but, as you’d expect, the star is polypeptide-121. This vegan peptide is infused with over 180 amino acids) to firm skin and reduce the appearance of fine lines over time.
Avène Eau Thermale XeraCalm A.D. Lipid-Replenishing Cream
Avène Eau Thermale’s intensely moisturizing XeraCalm A.D. Lipid-Replenishing Cream is so good, it took home a Best of Beauty Award…three times in a row. Packed with I-modulia (a proprietary concoction of lipids, amino acids, and sugars), omega-6, and glycerin, the fragrance-free cream supports a healthy lipid layer, helping skin retain moisture and heal over time.
Tatcha The Dewy Skin Cream
Don’t let the gorgeous indigo and gold jar fool you: Tatcha’s The Dewy Skin Cream means business. Packed with antioxidant-rich Japanese purple rice and hyaluronic acid, it acts as a shield against environmental stressors like pollution and replenishes moisture, leaving the skin looking lit-from-within (no highlighter needed).
EltaMD Barrier Renewal Complex Face Moisturizer
Because EltaMD’s Barrier Renewal Complex Face Moisturizer contains five different types of ceramides, it works super well at preventing water loss and improving barrier function in just a few uses, so skin looks less dehydrated and more on the dewy side. It also contains vitamin E, which fights free radicals, as well as squalane, biotin, and an enzyme blend that soothes inflamed skin and calms breakouts. It’s a lovely one for the neck, too, where the skin is thinner.
First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream
Colloidal oatmeal extract (a naturally soothing ingredient) plus the brand’s proprietary antioxidant booster complex are two ingredients you’ll find in First Aid Beauty’s Ultra Repair Cream. Together, they address environmental stressors and fight free radicals to give your skin some much-needed T.L.C.
Farmacy Honey Halo Ultra-Hydrating Ceramide Moisturizer
Farmacy’s Honey Halo Ultra-Hydrating Ceramide Moisturizer is a thick, decadent moisturizer that works wonders on stubborn flakes and dry spots. Made with buckwheat honey, propolis, and a royal jelly blend, as well as ceramides, the ultra-hydrating formula soothes distressed skin and locks in moisture so skin stays plump and dewy.
CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion
Ceramides are some of the most effective ingredients to incorporate into a skin-care routine due to their ability to retain moisture and improve your skin’s barrier function. “Environmental factors can disrupt the lipid layer of the skin, which locks in moisture and acts as a barrier against pollution and bacteria,” says Engelman. “Ceramides help to restore the skin’s barrier by holding the cells together. As a result, skin feels smoothier, plumper and more moisturized.” CeraVe’s PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion, which also contains niacinamide and hyaluronic acid, delivers serious hydration without breaking the bank.
Belif The True Cream Moisturizing Bomb
Belif’s The True Cream Moisturizing Bomb is exploding with herbs and the brand’s hero Napiers moisture formula — truly a game-changer for anyone with dry, sensitive skin.
Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant
The Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant is an oldie but a goodie — and a dermatologist favorite for good reason. “The formula hasn’t changed since the product was created in the 1930s, and it has definitely stood the test of time,” says Dr. Engelman. “The best part is it can be used for hands, as lip balm, or anything that needs extra moisture.”
Skinfix Barrier+ Lipid-Peptide Cream
Skinfix’s Barrier+ Lipid-Peptide Cream is a 2019 Best of Beauty winner, and for good reason: It’s chock-full of peptides and omegas that help kick stubborn dryness to the curb. Another plus? The foolproof pump jar keeps its ingredients in tip-top shape.
Drunk Elephant Lala Retro Whipped Cream
Drunk Elephant’s Lala Retro Whipped Cream (a 2016 Best of Beauty winner and two-time Readers’ Choice winner) rich, velvety formula is packed with marula, baobab, and passion fruit oils, plus skin-repairing ceramides, making it a formidable opponent against dry, flaky skin.
Kiehl’s Dermatologist Solutions Centella Sensitive Cica-Cream
Cica, a catchy portmanteau for centella asiatica, is a leafy herb that, when utilized in skin-care products, can help soothe and repair irritated skin. Kiehl’s Dermatologist Solutions Centella Sensitive Cica-Cream was made with sensitive skin in mind, and also contains vitamin B3 for long-term hydration.
Renée Rouleau Hydraboost Rescue Creme
“Surprisingly, a moisturizer for dry skin doesn’t need to be greasy, oily, or heavy,” explains Rouleau. “A super-thick moisturizer isn’t the simple solution; it’s important to look for a moisturizer with a blend of barrier-repairing ingredients, so with continued use it helps the skin retain its moisture.” The Renée Rouleau Hydraboost Rescue Cream is packed with red marine algae, niacinamide, and passion fruit extract to instantly soothe skin and improve moisture levels.