Our Moisturizer Top Picks
With a little expert insight, choosing your ideal facial moisturizer is easy.
Hydration is the key to a face that looks healthy, luminous and supple. Apply a moisturizer after your a.m. and p.m. cleansing and you'll attract water to your skin's cells and keep that water locked in. Here we compare moisturizers designed to quench different skincare needs. See which is best for your thirsty skin, read customer reviews and then add your top pick to your basket.
Click on a category to see comparisons of our top picks.
 |
 |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
This cult favorite has serious cred: It was originally created for the medical market. Fragrance-free, it won't clash with your favorite perfume. | Its hard-working ingredients don't just hydrate, they exfoliate as well, zapping roughness and leading to smoother touch-me skin. | For maximum effectiveness wait a few seconds after cleansing your skin, so that you're applying to a clean, dry canvas. |
|
It's sheer, oil-free and doesn't leave any greasy residue behind, but this moisturizer is no lightweight when it comes to protecting the skin. | A salad of botanical ingredients refines and hydrates the skin: lemon, ivy, watercress, burdock, lavender, mallow and cucumber. | This moisturizer should be applied over damp skin with light, upward strokes. And don't forget your neck! |
|
This is the powerhouse that keeps some of your favorite stars looking dewy in prime time–tt was included in this year's Emmy gift baskets. What's more, clinical studies back up what you see on your TV. | The pretty blue jar contains a high-tech, high-potency combination of matrixyl 3000, argireline and hyaluronic acid. The formula decreases wrinkles and boosts skin's softness and elasticity. | Quench your skin from inside, too. You don't need to drink eight full glasses of water a day, but don't wait until you feel thirsty to chug some H20. |
|
With an SPF 30 that offers broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection, along with skin renewing antioxidants, this product boasts great value, along with eco-friendly packaging. | Dermatologists regularly tout this line; the natural ingredients, such as wheat protein and shitake mushrooms, are effective in speeding up skin renewal and gentle enough for sensitive skin. | For full sun protection, apply generously 15-30 minutes before sun exposure. That gives time for the active ingredients to be absorbed into your skin. |
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
As it hydrates dry skin, it also addresses the signs of premature aging, such as fine lines. | Rich in phytonutrients: beneficial compounds that appear naturally in plants and have been shown to help reverse signs of sun damage. | Make this the last-step in your skin care regimen at night; in the morning follow with sunscreen. |
Murad
Buy NowHydro-Dynamic Ultimate Moisturizer Reg. $19 |
The newest and most hydrating moisturizer from the results-driven dermatologist-developed line, this luxurious cream delivers both instant and long-term benefits to dehydrated skin. | Formulated to address the signs of genetic aging, the uber-rich formula contains Murad's proprietary system for optimizing cell hydration and boosting collagen strength. | For maximum effectiveness, take a few extra seconds to massage this rich cream into your face, neck and chest. |
Kinerase
Buy NowHydraBoost Intensive Treatment Reg. $75 |
This concentrated mineral-infused gel attracts water to parched skin cells and binds it there, keeping skin supple and minimizing wrinkles. It's effective even when air is dry and humidity is low. | With 25% hyaluronic acid, this product is a moisture magnet. There's more: The mineral extract Mala'Kite—along with Evodiox, a skin soother developed in traditional Chinese medicine—filters out stressors like free radicals. | After cleansing your skin, and before moisturizing, apply two to three pumps of this distinctive blue gel. |
|
As hardworking as this moisturizer is—providing long-lasting hydration, controlling age-related hyper-pigmentation and prompting collagen growth—it's an elegant, easily absorbed formulation. | This formula contains a number of different peptides—think of these as the skin's messengers—that tell the cells to produce more collagen. They also fight free radicals that lead to signs of aging. | Use this moisturizer in the morning so it can protect your skin against aging UVA/UVB exposure, as well as pollutants and other forms of potential environmental damage. |
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
You get a bionic blend of acids, antioxidants and cell-communicating ingredients that even out skin tone, improve texture, clarity and elasticity; and decrease fine lines. | The patented poly-hydroxy acid is gentler than alphahydroxy acids, smoothing your skin and decreasing lines and wrinkles without irritation or drying. | This product contains a potent exfoliant so you can keep your use of scrubs to just once or twice weekly. |
|
The newest breakthrough product from a line once available only in doctor's offices, this anti-aging moisturizer is like skin aerobics in a jar: it tones and tightens to improve contours. | Paired with the plant hormone kinetin, LOXL Stimulator (a dill extract) targets elastin protein coils, meaning this product goes beyond building collagen to strengthen and lift the skin. | To keep your skin looking its most youthful be sure to follow this cream with a sunscreen, even on overcast days. |
|
Satiny, but easily absorbed, this state-of-the-art moisturizer provides instant radiance while it works overtime to boost collagen production. | You get the benefits of red wine without the calories or hangover! This luxe moisturizer is loaded with resveratrol, a potent antioxidant found in red grapes and wine. | Simplify your skin care regimen. Use this twice a day; apply after cleansing in the morning and after your treatment products at bedtime. |
|
This pioneering French anti-aging skin care line—they introduced hypoallergenic products and over-the-counter retinols—delivers a value-packed daily moisturizer sunscreen that fights wrinkles. | RoC's soy complex offers proven anti-aging benefits, including fading age spots and other discoloration, improving skin texture and visibly diminishing fine lines and wrinkles. | If you find yourself out in the sun longer than expected, reapply generously to keep photoaging at bay. |
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
Fragrance free and super light, this lotion really is perfection in a tube, delivering oil-free hydration without clogging pores, and soothing redness and irritation. | Pores become less noticeable as texture is refined, and in just three days, most users will notice fewer pimples. | During the day, follow this with a broad-spectrum sunscreen to protect your skin against UVA/UVB damage. |
|
This moisturizer is oil-free but it's silicone- based so it glides on and leaves skin soft, smooth and prepped for makeup application. | Created for skin that's sensitive and pimple-prone but in need of hydration, this smart salve contains a natural antimicrobial enzyme to promote skin clarity. | Apply as a last-step in your skincare regimen after you've applied all other treatment products, including sunscreen. Allow two to three minutes to dry before applying make-up. |
|
Ideal for combination skin, this high-IQ lotion delivers moisture only where it's needed so skin becomes balanced over time yet increases hydration immediately.. | This smart formula cuts down on the need for mirror checks and touch-ups. With excess oil reduced, shine stays away for up to eight hours and your skin retains a just-powdered matte look. | Be stingy: A pea-sized amount is all you need for your entire face. For even application, dab dots around your face and blend together, paying special attention to your T-zone. |
|
"Dew" says it all: this product is almost light enough to float. It won't clog pores—great news if your skin tends to produce extra sebum. | Developed by a top New York dermatologist, the DDF line is recognized for its state-of-the-art moisturizers, including this product for oily, acne-prone skin. | Be sure your fingers are squeaky clean before applying, and close the container after each use to avoid introducing contaminants. |
Miracle Worker All-Over Brightener and Dark Spot Corrector
Reg. $62
Age Smart Multivitamin Power Firm
Reg. $54
Environmental Shield Age Spot and Pigment Lightening Serum
Reg. $60
Plus Spa Hand and Nail Cream
Reg. $16
"Scrubbing your face won't get those darn spots off. But this silky skin corrector will. With nightly use, it improves the appearance of pesky dark patches and skin discoloration caused by acne scarring, aging or sun damage. The result: an even and bright complexion, no matter your skin tone or ethnicity."
—Kelly Aiglon, a freelance editor at DailyCandy.com, lifestyle reporter and copywriter
"There's nothing I love more about aging than fine lines that pop up around my eyes and are accentuated every time I smile. Yay for getting older! If you don't feel the same way, however, then Dermalogica's skin-rebuilding antioxidant vitamins, silicones and red seaweed will help reduce these lovely lines by smoothing and firming the skin."
—Amanda Kippert, a former health and lifestyles reporter, now freelance writer and blogger, based in Phoenix
"This blemish banisher is quite the overnight sensation. It works while you sleep to cool and calm active, acne-prone skin and reduce redness. Thanks to antioxidants, herbs and cooling agents, any inflammation will hit the road by morning."
—Brooke Showell, a skincare and makeup maven who's written for Self and Martha Stewart Weddings
"A lot deep diving went into this intensely moisturizing hand, nail and cuticle cream. The hydrating marine blend includes kelp fronds from the Sea of Japan, sea lettuce cultivated off the coast of Brittany, France, and fennel ribbons that grow along English sea cliffs. No scuba gear needed to apply!"
—Shelley Levitt, a beauty blogger, skincare geek and onetime chronicler of celeb glamour for People and Self
