After testing 50+ moisturizers over 4 years, these are the best for dry skin

While people with oily skin have their own set of obstacles, those with dry skin have to pay special attention to their complexion, especially in the winter to avoid dry patches and flakiness. One way to keep those issues at bay is with a good skincare routine and the proper products to kickstart a new regimen. For that routine, you need one of the best moisturizers for dry skin.

“The skin is our largest organ and serves many important functions including acting as a protective barrier, maintaining temperature, and preventing loss of water from the body,” Smita Ramanadham, MD, a New Jersey-based double-board certified plastic surgeon, told the New York Post. “Unhealthy skin that is dehydrated and dry can compromise these important functions.”

RELATED: Best face washes for dry skin we reviewed

To help you keep your dry skin as healthy as possible, we reviewed and tested a variety of moisturizers for more than four years to best understand how each one functioned on our dry skin. Plus, you’ll find detailed notes on best practices for using night creams, serums, masks and more to quell that parched-skin feeling.

Be sure to check out our FAQ section for more on shopping for your next best moisturizer.

Best Moisturizers for Dry Skin

Best Overall: Sunday Riley ICE Ceramide Moisturizing Cream

Found: the best moisturizer for dry skin to end all other moisturizers. There’s nothing more decadent and heavenly to use than the Sunday Riley ICE Ceramide Moisturizing Cream. It’s one of the only formulations I’ve found to be rich and lightweight simultaneously, alongside giving my skin a load of benefits.

One of those benefits includes ceramides. The dermatologist-approved skincare ingredient replenishes the moisture barrier, offering hydration your skin will drink up in laps. Because my skin is sensitive and notoriously dry — especially around my jawline — it helps reverse any dull or cracked texture. Simply put, I use this all the time.

What I love most about the brand is its cruelty-free and thoughtfully curated ingredient list. It provides antioxidant support, too, and works best when I pair it with the brand’s C.E.O. 15% Vitamin C Brightening Serum ($116) and Auto Correct Eye Cream ($62).

Active Ingredients: Ceramides, Red Algae Extract, Vitamin F | Size: 1.7 oz

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Best Drugstore Moisturizer: Olay Regenerist Ultra Rich Hydrating Moisturizer

“As someone with acne-prone, combination skin, I’ve tried a ton of products to find my true holy grails, and Olay’s ultra-rich face moisturizer has become one of them for me, especially during the coldest, dryest months,” Meaghan Roche, senior commerce SEO manager, shared. “Last winter, I came across this product when I was searching for a heavier, richer moisturizer to revive my skin after a ski trip in Utah. My skin needed some serious hydration, and Olay delivered. I love that the formula isn’t greasy and absorbs quickly.”

Roche applies it in the morning layered over her COSRX snail mucin and before her makeup. “At night, this cream is my final skincare step to lock in all of the retinol and eye cream benefits,” she added.

Ingredients like niacinamide, vitamins, peptides and shea butter allow for this formula to feel intensely hydrating, as well as apt at minimizing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Active Ingredients: Niacinamide, Shea Butter, Vitamin B3 | Size: 1.7 oz

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Best Tinted: Hourglass Veil Hydrating Skin Tint Foundation

When in doubt, I use the Hourglass Veil Hydrating Skin Tint Foundation. It doesn’t break out my skin, leaves a your-skin-but-better finish and blends like a dream. It has to be the most cosmetically elegant tinted moisturizer I’ve tried that doesn’t streak off my face or look shiny or greasy.

Offered in a buffet of shades, this tinted moisturizer is a lovely addition to anyone’s routine if dry skin is the issue of the hour. Without fail, it layers on top of my proceding skincare and makeup, allowing me to take it on the go when traveling.

Another brownie point in its favor is its inclusion of hyaluronic acid, a sworn ingredient that locks in hydration. Overall, it’s efficacious and worth the investment as it’s versatile and leads to a lovely finish.

Active Ingredients: Hyaluronic Acid, Meadowfoam Seed Oil (to help with moisture barrier), Squalane | Size: 1.2 oz

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Best with SPF: Origins A Perfect World SPF 40 Age-Defense Moisturizer with White Tea

The Origins A Perfect World SPF 40 Age-Defense Moisturizer with White Tea has a feather-light consistency that’s like whipped cream, but better. As airy as it is, don’t let that fool you; the hydration factor is A+.

Sure, it costs more when compared to most other moisturizers on the market, but it offers suitable sun protection and applies silky-smooth. It’s packed with SPF 40, a higher count than the dermatologist-recommended count of 30, and soothes my skin whenever I use it.

Its unique antioxidant-rich white tea formula makes it apt for sensitive skin users as it’s one of the most gentle options you can treat your skin to. Not only does my skin feel more refined and rejuvenated each time it’s dolloped on but its antioxidant and UV rays protection makes me feel like I’m doing my skin good.

Active Ingredients: SPF, White Tea, Cranberry Blend | Size: 1.7 oz

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Best Moisturizer for Acne-Prone Skin: Mario Badescu Hyaluronic Dew Cream

When I started a more comprehensive skincare routine, the Mario Badescu Hyaluronic Dew Cream was one of the first moisturizers I used. Following the brand’s iconic Seaweed Cleansing Lotion ($16) as my face wash, this refreshing formulation was the skin soother that, at the same time, helped clear bumpy texture on my cheeks.

At a suitable price point, this moisturizer is worth buying if you want to alleviate that unwanted dry skin feeling and try to counteract your blemishes. Because it’s extremely soothing with a cooling feel, it leaves the most stunning dewy finish that makes me feel confident in my skin. Sometimes, I don’t even layer any makeup on top.

Keep in mind that it’s not as rich as some other moisturizers on this list, but that’s A-OK. In fact, because of its versatile blending power, it makes it perfect for those who want a lightweight feel.

Active Ingredients: Hyaluronic Acid, Squalane, Clarifying Thyme Extract | Size: 1.5 oz

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Best for Sensitive Skin: Alpyn Beauty Super Peptide & Ghostberry Moisturizer

Something has to be said about the Alpyn Beauty Super Peptide & Ghostberry Moisturizer. If you’ve been following my beauty reviews for a while, you know I write a love letter to the brand every chance I get (read our full Alpyn Beauty review for proof). The clean beauty brand is truly making strides in that it mixes clinical ingredients with wild-harvested plants that create the most epic natural skin regimen.

Its latest moisturizer is a rich and emollient cream that never fails to soothe my sensitive skin. Helping to eradicate redness and uneven texture, the formulation goes a step further than most. It doesn’t just nurture my thirsty epidermis but visibly helps repair it.

Its formulation has been accepted by the National Eczema Foundation, many thanks to its dual benefit of hydrating and reversing blotchy, red tones. Its mixture of 14 peptides and five ceramides is further evidence that it’s working overtime for your skin — in the best way possible, that is.

Active Ingredients: Peptides, Ceramides, Hyaluronic Acid, Ghostberry | Size: 1.7 oz

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Best for Mature Skin: Drunk Elephant Bora Barrier Repair Cream

When Drunk Elephant announced it was debuting a brand-new moisturizer last year, I practically fled to the beauty brand on speed dial. You’ll find a full review of the product that underscores how it quenched my dry skin and climbed the ranks as my favorite of the brand’s aesthetically pleasing moisturizer tubs yet.

More hydrating than its Protini Polypeptide Cream ($69) and a bit more absorbable than my former all-time favorite Lala Retro ($64), Bora Barrier is all about nurturing your skin’s barrier — as if its name isn’t any indication.

Additionally, it’s a buttery and deeply moisturizing hydrating product that blends ceramides, lipids, minerals and potent antioxidant compounds. It’s pretty exquisite and worth the treat-yourself purchase, especially for those seeking a best moisturizer for aging skin.

Active Ingredients: Hyaluronic Acid, Collagen, Lipids | Size: 1.69 oz

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Best Korean Moisturizer: COSRX Hyaluronic Acid Intensive Cream

I don’t know how many people I’ve raved to about COSRX, but it’s truly the most impressive skincare brand for the least amount of money. It helps give that glass skin look, as effective Korean skincare is known to do, and my skin *lives* for it. You’ll find out more in our full review of the brand.

It contains hyaluronic acid to naturally plump up the skin which, combined with its glass skin finish, is a match made in heaven. It’s also long-lasting and I find I don’t have to reapply as often, allowing my face to simply soak up its formulation.

It’s just as buildable as the other creams though not as lightweight. However, it absorbs quickly, which is a checkmark in its favor. It’s also one of the best to layer over other products and for slugging.

Active Ingredients: Hyaluronic Acid | Size: 3.52 oz

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Best Oil-Free Moisturizer: Tatcha The Water Cream Oil-Free Pore Minimizing Moisturizer

Beauty lovers can’t get enough of Tatcha, and The Water Cream Oil-Free Pore Minimizing Moisturizer is a great solution for those who desire an oil-free formula that’s both elegant and quick-working.

While it’s not the thickest moisturizer on this list that I’ve tested, it’s certainly one of the most luxurious-feeling. It blends into my skin practically on demand, minimizing the look of pores and making my skin nearly porcelain. For all of those reasons, its price tag is justifiable.

The moisture it-factor is present as well. A little goes a long way, simply because it absorbs like a gem and even doubles as a makeup primer; just be sure to use a good facial SPF afterward.

Active Ingredients: 23-Karat Gold, Hadasei-3 Complex, Wild Rose | Size: 1.7 oz

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Best Night Cream: Alpyn Beauty PlantGenius Melt Moisturizer

A “melts-right-in�� moisturizer, the Alpyn Beauty PlantGenius Melt Moisturizer has a dreamy and velvety formulation that supports dry, dehydrated skin. It contains hyaluronic acid, squalane, ceramides and wild plants to provide essential hydration and support the skin’s moisture barrier. It’s one of the moisturizers I’ve used the longest and continue to use for its nurturing feel.

Impressively, it contains bakuchiol, a plant-based retinol alternative, that helps soften the look of lines and wrinkles, while ceramides and squalane bring suppleness to the skin. It’s a creamy feeling moisturizer that isn’t at all greasy and pairs well with the brand’s Pore Perfecting Liquid with 2% BHA & Borage ($39) before dolloping this moisturizer on.

Active Ingredients: Bakuchiol, Hyaluronic Acid, Squalane, Ceramides | Size: 1.7 oz

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Best Multi-Purpose: CeraVe Moisturizing Cream

Not only does the CeraVe Moisturizing Cream have more than a whopping 140,000 reviews but two of the experts we interviewed raved about it, too! It’s one of our favorite skincare brands we reviewed and can even double as a body lotion because it’s so versatile.

“I love CeraVe products,” Shari Sperling, MD, board-certified dermatologist, told The Post. “Its moisturizing cream is very hydrating and applies easily on the skin.” Sperling is also a fan of this cream for its affordable price point!

Hadley King, MD, a NYC board-certified dermatologist, also raved about this CeraVe product.

“This is a great moisturizer choice,” said Dr. King. “It contains hyaluronic acid, which is a powerful humectant for hydrating the skin, as well as ceramides to lock in that moisture and restore and protect the skin barrier. It’s [also] non-comedogenic so it won’t clog pores and contribute to acne.”

Active Ingredients: Hyaluronic Acid, Ceramides | Size: 19 oz

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Most Lightweight: La Roche-Posay Toleriane Dermallergo Ultra-Soothing Repair Moisturizer

Angela J. Lamb, MD, board-certified dermatologist and associate professor of Dermatology, recommends La Roche-Posay’s Toleriane Ultra Moisturizer for those with dry, sensitive skin.

“Those who have sensitive skin or allergy-prone skin are more likely to have a skin reaction or irritation to products that are usually well tolerated by normal skin,” Dr. Lamb said. “This is why sensitive skin needs a moisturizer that strengthens the skin barrier and is free of ingredients that potentially cause irritation or allergic reactions.”

It’s also one of our favorites we reviewed from La Roche-Posay. Its lightweight feel is beyond compare and its packaging allows us to take it everywhere with us. It’s even good for your car’s center console

Lamb also likes this product because it doesn’t contain any irritating ingredients and is free from preservatives, parabens, fragrance, or drying alcohol.

Active Ingredients: Thermal Spring Water, Shea Butter, Peptides | Size: 1.35 oz.

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Best for Extremely Dry Skin: First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream

Celebrity makeup artist, Jill Powell — whose client list includes Demi Lovato, Jamie Lynn Spears, Sabrina Carpenter, and many more describes First Aid Beauty’s Ultra Repair Cream as “a drink of water for your skin.”

This is the moisturizer I’ve been using for years, especially in the wintertime months when my skin felt like it was beyond repair. I guess that’s where the Repair Cream comes in handy. I love how it contains colloidal oatmeal.

“This cream absorbs immediately into the skin with no added fragrance, so it’s perfect for both men and women that lack hydration,” she added. “You will be left with hydrated skin that doesn’t feel sticky or greasy.”

Active Ingredients: Colloidal Oatmeal | Size: 6 oz

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Best Moisturizer for Combination Skin: Versed Skin Soak Rich Moisture Cream

After reviewing Versed for years, the Skin Soak Rich Moisture Cream is one of the hidden gems from the brand that’s budget-friendly and good for dry skin.

Containing algae extract, vitamin E and squalane — the latter an ingredient that helps hydrate and replenish the moisture your skin once had — this rich cream isn’t too heavy. All the while, you’ll be focusing on anti-aging which is always a score.

Celebrity esthetician Candace Marino highly recommends the formulation for those not wanting to spend a ton of money as well.

“This cream is enriched with algae extract, vitamin E and squalene to help replenish the moisture level of the skin,” said Marino. “It nourishes and hydrates the skin and is rich in texture but not greasy. The texture is ultra-luxe and at the [inexpensive] price point, I don’t think you can do better.”

Active Ingredients: Hyaluronic Acid, Squalane Oil, Vitamin E, Red Algae | Size: 1.5 oz

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An FAQ on Moisturizers for Dry Skin

Which type of moisture is best for dry skin?

For dry skin, it’s best to use moisturizers that have a rich, emollient base to lock in hydration. With several types to choose from, here are categories to consider:

• Creams and Ointments: These tend to be more moisturizing than lotions, allowing them to be long-lasting and effective with consistent use. Ingredients like shea butter aid in additional hydration.
• Humectants: These include ingredients like hyaluronic acid or glycerin that add water to the skin and help maintain moisture levels.
• Occlusives: These include ingredients like mineral oil, lanolin and dimethicone that essentially form a barrier on the skin to prevent moisture loss. This allows skin to stay hydrated for longer.
• Ceramides: These are fats that restore the skin’s natural barrier.
• Natural Oils: These include ingredients like jojoba, argan or squalane that nourish the skin and retain its moisture.

What is better for skin, water-based or oil-based moisturizers?

Though dependent on the severity of your dry skin, typically oil-based moisturizers fare better for dry skin. They tend to provide a more substantial barrier that helps retain moisture and can be more nourishing.

They can also provide essential fatty acids and antioxidants that benefit the skin. Oil-based moisturizers are usually richer and can be more soothing.

While oil-based moisturizers tend to be heavier and may potentially clog pores, you may want to consult with a board-certified dermatologist to address any concerns, especially if you’re prone to acne flareups.

How We Tested

After reviewing the best moisturizers for dry skin for at least four years, here’s the testing criteria the Post Wanted team kept in mind for each formulation tested:

• Formulation: Is it hydrating? Is it effective at reversing dull, dry and cracked skin? These factors were majorly taken into account.
• Irritation levels: I have incredibly dry skin that’s also sensitive, so I made a note if any product broke me out in any way (spoiler alert: thankfully, they didn’t).
• Versatility: Depending on the consistency, some are better for layering serums and other moisturizers on top of, while some feel a bit richer in texture. We took this into account, especially when determining what moisturizer worked best for a specific skin type.

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Why Trust Post Wanted by the New York Post

This article was written by Victoria Giardina, New York Post Commerce Journalist & Content Strategist, who has spent countless hours researching, testing hundreds of products and comparing the latest and greatest makeup, skincare, hair and beauty items and trends to determine what’s truly worth your hard-earned cash. She evaluates formulas, textures, ingredients and more, in addition to consulting medical and industry experts. Some of Victoria’s latest conquests include reviewing the viral Korean beauty brand, Cosrx, and testing dermatologist-recommended acne cleansers. Victoria has been creating shopping guides for the New York Post since 2021 and previously held positions at Insider Reviews and CNN Underscored.

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