The Best Moisturizers for Dry Skin

Hello winter, and hello dry skin! Even if your skin is not usually dry, the winter months can be particularly dehydrating for your skin. Using different products throughout the year when seasons change can be key to maintaining healthy skin throughout the year. As someone who always has incredibly dry skin, I’ve tried what seems like every kind of deeply hydrating moisturizers and creams. After many, many years of testing and trialing, these are my favorite moisturizers.

Best Moisturizers for Dry Skin

Under $50

Glossier Priming Moisturizer Rich  – I love this product for the price, it’s one of my favorite Glossier products. It is SO much better than the original priming moisturizer (IMO) and a little goes a long way. I actually use it for its named purpose, which is as a priming moisturizer underneath foundation. Overall, a huge fan of this moisturizer and how accessible it is.

Belif The True Cream Moisturizing Bomb – one of my first forays into Korean beauty led me to this moisturizing cream. This is a very solid option for dry skin types and didn’t irritate my skin. It’s also paraben and sulfate free, which is always a win in my book.

Fresh Rose Deep Hydration Moisturizer – I’ve written about my love for this moisturizer before. I love the mild rose scent (and I’m not usually a rose person). I use it for day or night, but if your skin doesn’t need as much hydration it makes a wonderful night cream.

Dr. Jart Ceramidin Cream – I don’t know how to describe this cream, other than it made my skin… better? My skin feels firm, supple, and moisturized for hours after using it. If I were to go without any makeup for the day, it’s usually after using this cream.

Under $100

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream – this feels like an old Hollywood kind of night cream, in the best way possible. I like to think of it as the grown up version of the Glossier cream above. I’ve been using it as a priming moisturizer lately and I’ve noticed my makeup appears much smoother and my skin seems to glow from within.

Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Moisturizer – this didn’t feel quite heavy enough for nighttime, but it remains one of my favorite daytime moisturizers to date. My one complaint is the packaging – I really wish Drunk Elephant would make more sustainable packaging – but otherwise, this is my go-to, do it all moisturizer.

Kate Somerville Goat Milk Moisturizing Cream – packs a surprising moisturizing punch, despite how thin the consistency is. This is another great daytime cream if you don’t like the feeling of “heavier” creams.

Tatcha The Dewy Skin Cream – a recent favorite. This cream feels so much more luxurious than the price tag and leaves your skin unbelievably soft and smooth – like a pillow, or a baby’s bottom. I use it during the day and at night although it may be too heavy for some skin types. One of my favorites out of everything listed here.

Kiehl’s Rosa Artica Youth Regenerating Cream – this is a heavy duty cream, in my opinion. I used it religiously when I lived in Chicago during the winter. It will solve all wind burn and cold related irritations. Now that I live in Southern California, I haven’t felt as much of a need to use such a thick cream, but my love for it remains.

$100+

Eve Lom Moisture Cream – great for sensitive skin (I swear there is virtually no scent) and layers nicely with all of your serums and other products. Highly recommend if you have the budget for it (at $150 a jar, it ain’t cheap).

La Mer Crème de la Mer – all right, the elephant in the room – is La Mer worth it? I’ve shared my thoughts before – it’s super luxurious and rich, and if your skin needs the extra moisture, it’ll feel like your skin is absorbing all of it in. Truthfully, I’m not sure if I can justify the price tag, and word on the street is there are cheaper drugstore dupes that are practically identical. Do I still love La Mer? Yes. But I would recommend trying a sample before committing to the full jar.