Best face moisturizer for super dry skin

Cream | Oil-based | Glycerin

Yes, this is technically branded as a body cream, but Dr. Hadley King, clinical instructor of dermatology at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University, says this is “a great cream for both face and body.” That’s because it’s packed with hydrating humectants like glycerin and skin-softening emollients like glyceryl stearate and sweet almond oil. Dr. Rachel Nazarian recommends it to her patients regularly and says that it’s “incredibly lightweight and comfortable for daily use throughout the year.” Plus, it’s readily available at the drugstore. “The price point on this line of moisturizers makes it a no-brainer,” says Dr. Rita Linkner. She recommends transitioning to Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion in the summer because it’s much lighter than the cream for those months when your sebum levels (your skin’s natural lubrication) have balanced out.

Ointment | Petroleum-based | Glycerin

There are those with skin that tends to get parched and flaky, particularly in the winter months, and then there are those whose skin is so dry it can actually look scaly and, as a result, is exceptionally hard to nourish. If you’re in the latter category, Dr. Susan Binder and Dr. Katelyn Woolridge of Westlake Dermatology recommend Aquaphor. “Ointments are the best at fortifying the skin barrier and locking in moisture,” says Woolridge, and Aquaphor does just that. The added glycerin can also help repair a damaged skin barrier, a common culprit for a lack of moisture. Binder warns that “it can be a bit greasy” but thinks it’s “great when used immediately after the shower or bath to lock in moisture and help heal dry, cracked skin.” It’s also fragrance-free, making it a good option for those with sensitive skin as well.

Cream | Petroleum-based | Ceramides

We’ve recommended Vanicream as a solution for extremely dry skin before, but it’s just as effective and gentle for your face. Dr. Ife Rodney, founding director of Eternal Dermatology + Aesthetics, calls Vanicream “ideal” because it’s formulated specifically for sensitive skin, so it’s “free of lanolin, formaldehyde, parabens, and fragrances that commonly irritate dry, sensitive skin.” That said, she notes that it’s “loaded with ceramides, which reinforce the skin barrier and seal in moisture.” Strategist writer Lauren Ro has tested and recommends Vanicream; she was “immediately impressed with how luxurious and rich the cream felt on my skin — and surprised by how easily it spread.”

Cream | Water-based | Glycerin, hyaluronic acid, ceramides

French drugstore brand La Roche-Posay has a cult following, and Dr. Hope Mitchell, a board-certified dermatologist in Perrysburg, Ohio, highly recommends the brand’s Toleriane line for dry skin because “with dimethicone, soothing niacinamide, water-attracting glycerin, and hydrating ceramides,” it’s “perfect for hydrating dry skin associated with redness.” She suggests this moisturizer for those with acne-prone skin, especially if you are treating your acne with drying ingredients like benzoyl peroxide. It’s also a nice option for those with combination skin, which can warrant multiple moisturizers.

Gel-Cream | Water-based | Glycerin and hyaluronic acid

Four of our dermatologists also love this Neutrogena gel cream formulated for extra-dry skin. And so do our readers; it has been on best-sellers lists over ten times. Gel textures are typically targeted toward those with normal or oily skin, but Mitchell says this cream is actually “perfect” for dry skin, and it works pretty quickly. “Give it a week. The hyaluronic acid and glycerin will quench the dryness and deliver soft, smooth, and hydrated skin,” she says. The gel texture also means that it “smoothly disappears into the skin, so it can be worn alone or under makeup,” says Rodney. We’ve also recommended this product for mature skin, sunburned skin, Accutane users, and even for pregnant women, because it’s so hydrating and gentle.

Cream | Oil-based | None

For those looking to keep their skin-care routine as clean as possible with actually effective products, Weleda Skin Food, which contains all natural ingredients, comes recommended by everyone from makeup artists to former Strategist writers to author Stephanie Danler. “My skin was flawless, luminous even, and not at all greasy,” Danler told us after trying it for the first time. Weleda brands the balmlike cream as a natural remedy for excessively dry skin (though it does offer a light version for the summer or those who need less help). Although it doesn’t feature ingredients like hyaluronic acid and ceramides that we’ve called out before, it is chock-full of fatty acids and vitamin E, which naturally moisturize and soften the skin. On top of that, pansy soothes irritation while the calendula flower extract helps to repair the damaged skin.

Cream | Water-based | Glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and ceramides

We named this our best overall drugstore moisturizer once before because it’s full of the ingredients needed to soothe dry, irritated skin, such as ceramides and hyaluronic acid. “These ingredients hold cells together and strengthen the skin’s barrier, protecting it from water loss and influx of irritants as well as offer continuous 24-hour maximum hydration while soothing the skin,” says Mitchell. It also includes niacinamide, which acts as an anti-inflammatory to calm down any redness and tenderness in the dry areas of skin. On top of healing the skin, it’s also “lightweight, noncomedogenic, so it won’t clog pores, and oil-free,” which Mitchell calls “a triple bang for your buck.” And though it’s labeled as a nighttime moisturizer, you don’t necessarily have to just use it at night, but that’s when you’ll probably see the most results.

Cream | Oil-based | Glycerin and Hyaluronic acid

We’ve written about this luxury (fine, expensive) cream many times before. Kathleen Hou, beauty director of the Cut, calls it the “secret to rich-person skin,” while Strategist beauty columnist Rio Viera-Newton once said it was “the most coveted cream in the industry.” It comes highly recommended by dermatologists and skin experts alike, too. Kim Zimmerman, of Rescue Spa in Philadelphia, recommends it for those who prefer a one-and-done product, especially on “the laziest nights when you don’t have time to slather on a million serums, but you still want all the anti-aging benefits.” It’s particularly excellent for dry, aging skin because it contains the brand’s proprietary TFC8 blend, which is a complex of natural amino acids, vitamins, and synthesized molecules that are actually naturally found in the skin. This then guides the ingredients into the cells to help restore the skin. On top of that, it also includes vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B5, and hydrolyzed rice protein, all of which improve the appearance and texture of the skin as well as deeply hydrate it.

Cream | Oil-based | Glycerin and ceramides

Technically, the Augustinus Bader cream also works as an anti-aging moisturizer, but this SkinCeuticals moisturizer is specifically designed to target signs of aging. That’s because it’s infused with specific lipids — like natural cholesterol, pure ceramides, and fatty acids — that are naturally depleted in the skin over time. Adding these lipids back in can “help reinforce the skin’s barrier and help the skin retain moisture,” says Dr. Deanne Mraz Robinson, a partner at Modern Dermatology and an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Yale New Haven Hospital.

Cream | Oil-based | Glycerin and ceramides 

Dermatologists also liked Aquaphor and Vanicream for those with eczema, because it’s unlikely they will trigger any sort of reaction. But for a more dedicated product, Aveeno’s eczema-therapy line has been recommended to us by multiple dermatologists for body lotions and eczema-specific treatments, especially this itch-relief balm. “Rather than just hydrating, I recommend people with eczema also use calming and anti-inflammatory ingredients,” says Nazarian. A “core characteristic” of eczema is skin inflammation, she notes, so this Aveeno cream with colloidal oatmeal, which is “naturally anti-inflammatory,” will help soothe any flare-ups. It also contains ceramides “to improve the quality of skin with continued use,” she adds.