There’s no denying that the best moisturizer for dry skin can be a game-changer—tackling everything from redness and tightness to itchiness, flakiness, and even breakouts. Choosing the right one is never easy, though—it’s often a matter of trial and error to understand how your skin reacts over time. But you can simplify the choice by knowing what type of moisturizer to seek out—is it a gel, cream, or balm?—and which ingredients work best for your skin type and concerns. With expert tips from dermatologists, and Vogue editors’ very own feedback, we’ve rounded up 18 of the best moisturizers for dry skin that help restore both hydration and radiance.
Vogue’s Favorite Moisturizers for Dry Skin
- Best Overall: SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid 2:4:2, $150
- Best for Fine Lines: Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance, $74
- Best Drugstore: CeraVe Moisturizing Cream, $17
- Best with SPF: Elta MD UV Lotion Broad Spectrum SPF 30+, $44
- Best Night Cream: Obagi Medical Hydrate Luxe, $78
- Best for Sensitive Skin: Symbiome The One Cream, $125
- Best K-Beauty: Aestura Atobarrier 365 Cream, $32
- Best Lightweight: Rhode Barrier Restore Cream, $30
- Best for Plumping: Skinfix Barrier+ Triple Lipid-Peptide Cream, $54
- Best for Aging Skin: Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream, $300
In This Story
- What is the difference between dry and dehydrated skin?
- What do dermatologists recommend for extremely dry skin?
- Should you switch up your face moisturizer depending on the season?
- Is a cream or balm better for very dry skin?
- Meet the Experts
BEST OVERALL: SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid 2:4:2
- Why We Love It: “I especially love SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid 2:4:2 moisturizer because it includes natural cholesterol, pure ceramides, and fatty acids—which are essential to protect the skin barrier,” Dr. Magovern enthuses. “These key lipids not only protect the skin, but also restore moisture and elasticity.”
- Key ingredients: Ceramides, natural cholesterol, fatty acids, essential oil blend
- Best for: The cream dovetails nicely with an anti-aging skincare regime: It can shorten the adjustment period to retinoids, and decrease retinol-related dryness.
- Available size: 1.6 fl oz
- Type: Cream
- Fragrance: No
BEST DRUGSTORE: CeraVe Moisturizing Cream
- Why We Love It: Ceramides and hyaluronic acid—the star ingredients in this budget-friendly buy— “help support the skin barrier and draw moisture in,” Dr. Garshick explains. The formulation also contains MVE technology, which ensures lasting hydration.
- Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, ceramides, MVE technology
- Best for: As a bonus, the velvety face cream can be used on the body.
- Available size: 19 oz.
- Type: Cream
- Fragrance: No
BEST K-BEAUTY: Aestura Atobarrier 365 Cream
- Why We Love It: This deeply nourishing cream is packed with a lipid complex of ceramides, fatty acids, and cholesterol that’s similar the actual skin barrier. Board-certified dermatologist Michelle Park, MD, previously told Vogue of this Korean moisturizer that “the ceramides in question are encapsulated, allowing them to be better retained in the skin barrier for a long period of time, where they seal gaps and lock in hydration for hours.” Safe for sensitive skin, the formula has undergone allergy and sensitivity testing, and is free from colorants and fragrance, ensuring it’s gentle enough for daily use without causing irritation.
- Key ingredients: Ceramide, fatty acids
- Best for: Ultra dry skin that needs soothing and strengthening.
- Available size: 80 mL
- Type: Cream
- Fragrance: No
BEST LIGHTWEIGHT: Rhode Barrier Restore Cream
- Why We Love It: Where some barrier creams can feel heavy and greasy, Rhode’s Barrier Restore Cream is super lightweight while still delivering intense hydration. A staple in Bieber’s own routine—and one of the brand’s first launches—it features nourishing shea butter, hydrating squalane, niacinamide, and peptides to keep dry, sensitive skin comfortable. These ingredients, which pair well with virtually any other products in your skin-care routine—from exfoliating acids to retinols—and its weightless texture makes it a reliable, hassle-free moisturizer, earning a permanent spot in Vogue’s senior beauty writer Kiana Murden’s vanity.
- Key ingredients: Shea butter, squalane, peptides, acai, niacinamide
- Best for: Soothing and comforting a compromised skin barrier while nourishing and hydrating the skin.
- Available size: 50 mL
- Type: Cream
- Fragrance: No
BEST FOR FINE LINES: Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance
- Why We Love It: According to Dr. Magovern, Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance “provides extreme hydration with key ingredients including hyaluronic acid and aloe vera.” It also keeps fine lines at bay.
- Key ingredients: Algae extract, aloe vera, ceramides, hyaluronic acid, lactic acid, vitamin E
- Best for: Infused with an algae complex, the formulation helps rebalance the complexion to give it an overall healthier glow.
- Available size: 3.4 fl oz
- Type: Cream
- Fragrance: Contains less than one percent synthetic fragrance
BEST NIGHT CREAM: Obagi Medical Hydrate Luxe
- Why We Love It: “Obagi Medical Hydrate Luxe is great for nighttime,” Dr. Magovern says. “Shea butter locks in moisture, while biomimetic peptides strengthen the skin barrier.”
- Key ingredients: Peptides, shea butter
- Best for: The cream fulfills dreams of waking up to a softer, more radiant complexion — even without a full eight hours of sleep.
- Available size: 1.7 oz
- Type: Cream
- Fragrance: Yes
BEST FOR AGING SKIN: Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream
- Why We Love It: “Like the name suggests, Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream is packed with rich nutrients, including omega 6 fatty acids and antioxidants,” says Dr. Magovern. “Natural amino acids strengthen the skin barrier, while humectants like squalane and hyaluronic acid keep it visibly hydrated.”
- Key ingredients: TFC-8 complex, evening primrose oil, squalane, vitamin E, hyaluronic acid, hydrolyzed rice protein.
- Best for: What’s more, the coveted cream has been clinically proven to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
- Available size: 1.7 oz
- Type: Cream
- Fragrance: No synthetic fragrances
BEST FOR SENSITIVE SKIN: Symbiome The One Cream
- Why We Love It: “If you have sensitive skin, Symbiome The One Cream is a great option due to its simple three- ingredient list,” Dr. Magovern says. “The sebum-like formula includes water, croton cajucara (sanoma) leaf oil, and lactobacillus ferment to enhance the skin’s microbiome.”
- Key ingredients: Water, croton cajucara, lactobacillus ferment
- Best for: Powered by gentle, plant-based ingredients, the moisturizing cream calms irritated skin.
- Available size: 50 ml
- Type: Cream
- Fragrance: No
BEST FOR REDNESS: La Roche-Posay Toleriane Rosaliac AR
- Why We Love It: “In addition to providing moisturizing benefits for the skin, as it contains glycerin, this works to reduce redness,” notes board-certified dermatologist Dr. Marisa Garshick. “It contains color-correcting green pigment that can quickly improve the appearance of visible facial redness.”
- Key ingredients: Neurosensine, La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water, green pigments
- Best for: The French-pharmacy staple is powered by thermal spring water, which offers a cooling touch to dry, stinging skin.
- Available size: 1.35 fl oz
- Type: Cream
- Fragrance: No
BEST LUXURY: Sisley-Paris Sisleÿa L’Intégral Anti-Age Extra-Rich Cream
Sisley Paris
Sisleÿa L’Intégral Anti-Age Extra-Rich Cream
- Why We Love It: One of the most luxurious—and acclaimed—creams on the market, this revitalizes dry, dull skin while targeting the key signs of aging—wrinkles, firmness, and radiance. Sisleÿa L’Intégral is powered by a host of rejuvenating botanicals: white willow bark, apple pip, Lady's Mantle, and rhatany extracts smooth skin while protecting against free radical damage; whereas, shea and mango butters lock in moisture, and cottonseed and camelina oils leave skin soft to touch. All of these and more are whipped into a plush cream that melts into skin—imparting a natural luminosity to any complexion.
- Key ingredients: Apple pip extracts, rhatany extract, lady’s mantle extract, mango butter, cottonseed oil, camelina oil
- Best for: Targeting firmness, and wrinkles, and boosting radiance, this extra-rich cream deeply nourishes and revitalizes tired skin.
- Available size: 50 mL
- Type: Cream
- Fragrance: Yes
BEST FOR PLUMPING: Skinfix Barrier+ Triple Lipid-Peptide Cream
- Why We Love It: “This hydrating face cream works to brighten, firm, plump and moisturize using key ingredients such as lipids, peptides, hyaluronic acid, and shea butter,” says Dr. Garshick.
- Key ingredients: Triple lipid complex, nutri-peptide blend, glycerin
- Best for: The fragrance-free formulation is gentle enough for those with sensitive skin.
- Available size: 1.7 oz
- Type: Cream
- Fragrance: No
BEST FOR ECZEMA: First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream Intense Hydration
Ultra Repair Cream Intense Hydration Face & Body Moisturizer
- Why We Love It: “This lightweight but effective moisturizing cream provides immediate hydration without leaving the skin feeling greasy,” says Dr. Garshick. Formulated with colloidal oatmeal and allantoin, the cream acts as a soothing balm on itchy, eczema-prone skin.
- Key ingredients: Colloidal oatmeal, shea butter, allantoin
- Best for: The multipurpose cream can be used all over the body, relieving dryness head to toe.
- Available size: 6.0 oz
- Type: Cream
- Fragrance: No
BEST WITH SPF: Elta MD UV Lotion Broad Spectrum SPF 30+
- Why We Love It: “This is a formulated moisturizing sunscreen with hyaluronic acid to moisturize the skin during the summer, while providing great UV protection,” says board-certified dermatologist Dr. Michael I Jacobs.
- Key ingredients: Octinoxiate, zinc oxide, hyaluronic acid
- Best for: The SPF-enhanced cream makes the perfect travel companion for sun-drenched getaways.
- Available size: 7 oz
- Type: Cream
- Fragrance: No
BEST FRENCH PHARMACY: Embryolisse Lait Crème Concentré
- Why We Love It: There’s a reason this cult-classic cream sells every 10 seconds. The French-pharmacy staple does triple duty as a face cream, a mask, and a makeup primer, soothing and nourishing skin all the while.
- Key ingredients: Soy proteins, beeswax, aloe vera, shea butter
- Best for: The multipurpose cream makes any makeup look more radiant, fresh—and French.
- Available size: 1.01 fl oz
- Type: Cream
- Fragrance: Yes
BEST SMART CREAM: U Beauty the Super Hydrator
The Super Hydrator
- Why We Love It: The high-tech cream isformulated with proprietary capsules that keep the skin nourished with a steady supply of active ingredients. Also known as a smart hydrator, the moisturizer intuitively delivers hydration to the most parched areas of the body.
- Key ingredients: Proprietary Hydra-Siren capsules
- Best for: The high-tech cream will surely appeal to dry-skinned and science-minded beauty-lovers alike.
- Available size: 1.7 oz
- Type: Cream
- Fragrance: No
BEST FOR VERY DRY SKIN: Retrouvé Intensive Replenishing Facial Moisturizer
- Why We Love It: Beloved by celebrity makeup artists, the velvety cream uses oil-based ingredients to deliver deep hydration to the skin. It can be used as an overnight treatment—but those with very dry skin will wish to call on its glow-boosting assistance morning and night.
- Key ingredients: Squalane, pomegranate
- Best for: In a sleek black tube that handily tucks into a hand bag or makeup bag, the cream keeps up with those on-the-go.
- Available size: 1 oz
- Type: Cream
- Fragrance: No
BEST CLASSIC: La Mer Crème de La Mer
- Why We Love It: Intensely rich and deeply hydrating, the (justifiably) legendary moisturizer contains Miracle Broth. The patented ingredient lives up to its name, soothing the skin and unveiling a more lifted, radiant complexion.
- Key ingredients: Seaweed extract, mineral oil, petroleum
- Best for: Approved by Vogue editors and dermatologists alike, the sumptuous cream is a coveted addition to any vanity.
- Available size: 1 oz
- Type: Cream
- Fragrance: Yes
BEST SCENT: Fresh Rose & Hyaluronic Acid Deep Hydration Moisturizer
- Why We Love It: Formulated with rose damask extract and rosewater, Fresh’s calming moisturizer leaves a dewy glow—and a light, blooming scent—in its wake.
- Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, rosewater, damask rose extract
- Best for: The garden-fresh salve delivers lasting hydration, keeping skin flooded with moisture for up to 72 hours.
- Available size: 1.6 oz
- Type: Cream
- Fragrance: Yes
What is the difference between dry and dehydrated skin?
Though dryness and dehydration are similar, they’re not exactly the same. “Dry and dehydrated skin may cause similar symptoms, such as rough texture, irritation, redness, itching and tightness,”says Dr. Ashley Magovern, board-certified dermatologist in Manhattan Beach, CA and medical advisor for Dermstore. “However, treatment may require different products and ingredients.”
The major difference between dry and dehydrated skin is the kind of moisture that’s lacking: oil or water. “Dry skin doesn’t produce enough oil, or sebum, while dehydrated skin is deprived of water on the top layer of the skin, or the epidermis,” Dr. Magovern says.
So how does one determine their particular condition? “Pinch your skin,” instructs Pennsylvania-based board-certified dermatologist Dr. Nazanin Saedi. “Does it snap back? If you have dry skin that snaps back, it’s likely just dry. If you have dry skin that doesn’t quickly bounce back, it’s likely that your skin is dehydrated.”
What do dermatologists recommend for extremely dry skin?
Ingredients
“For dry skin, seek out face moisturizers with humectants like glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and lactic acid which retain and draw moisture to the top layer of the skin,” Dr. Magovern says. “Natural oils and butters, like cocoa butter, shea butter, coconut oil and jojoba oil, are also great ingredients for dry skin, as they mimic the properties of the skin’s natural sebum.”
