Best Moisturizer for Dry Skin

As if flakiness, dry patches, and tightness weren’t enough to contend with when dealing with dry skin, it ages easier — and more rapidly. Simply put, dry skin is more likely to show wrinkling and rough skin texture since it doesn’t have the natural moisture necessary to “smooth out” those telltale lines and cracks. 

Perhaps the most vital part of a skincare routine for thirsty skin is a dry skin moisturizer. However, it can be complicated — if not wholly overwhelming — to find one that actually works. The best moisturizer for dry skin can be elusive if you haven’t done your homework. 

Not sure where to start? No worries. Here at the Derm Review, we’ve reviewed hundreds of products with a scientific lens to ensure you’re creating a skincare regimen that’s safe and effective. 

Best Moisturizer for Dry Skin: The List 

BEST OVERALL
Carrot & Stick The Repair Cream

Carrot & Stick The Moisturizer

FULL LIST
Formulyst Age Defying Daily Moisturizer

Cosmedix Phytoharmony Balancing Skin Moisturizer

SK II Essential Power Rich Cream

La Solution 10 de Chanel

Dr. Brandt Hyaluronic Facial Cream

Exuviance Age Reverse Hydrafirm

Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream

La Roche-Posay Toleriane Ultra Hydrating Cream

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream

Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance

Skinceuticals Emollience

Perricone MD High Potency Classics Hyaluronic Intensive Moisturizer

Best Moisturizer for Dry Skin

BEST OVERALL
Carrot & Stick The Repair Cream
A proprietary probiotic formulation keeps the microbiome operating at peak performance and skin looking hydrated and visible issues diminished. Formulated to nurture and protect skin’s microbiome. The microbiome is the ecosystem of microbes that live on the skin surface. Happy microbes equal a healthy microbiome and a healthy microbiome equals healthier-looking, more radiant skin. For dry to very dry skin.

Carrot & Stick The Moisturizer
This lightweight antioxidant formula is a hydrating powerhouse that leaves skin feeling remarkably smooth and radiant. Overflowing with potent plant proteins, vitamins, peptides, and amino-collagen, plus a stem cell extract from hardy alpine roses delivers multi-level hydration. For normal to dry skin. 

FULL LIST
Formulyst Age Defying Daily Moisturizer
This hydrating anti-aging formula contains humectants like glycerin, gluconolactone, sodium lactate, and Aloe vera leaf juice to draw moisture into the skin. It also contains several emollients, like squalane and caprylic/capric triglyceride from coconut, as well as a couple occlusives like dimethicone to lock in moisture. In addition to these moisturizing ingredients, this formula is rich in antioxidants and a blend of natural complexes – including rosemary extract, sunflower extract,and nourishing watermelon rind. 

Cosmedix Phytoharmony Balancing Skin Moisturizer

A sure bet for mature, postmenopausal dry skin, this antiaging moisturizer nourishes and hydrates the face with the help of phytohormones —  or phytoestrogens — which are plant hormones that are critical components of plant growth.

In human skin, they have estrogen-like effects. Isoflavones are one of the three categories of phytohormones and have been shown in studies to “significantly” improve skin roughness and dryness, reduce facial wrinkles and improve skin laxity. 

SK II Essential Power Rich Cream
This face moisturizer for dry skin features the brand’s signature trademarked ingredient called Pitera, a substance found in sake (the alcoholic beverage) chock full of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and organic acids. Pitera was supposedly discovered when it was noticed sake brewery workers had extraordinarily youthful hands.

Another critical ingredient is panthenol, which is both a humectant and emollient. As a humectant, it helps skin retain water, absorbing moisture from the air and deeper in the skin to bring it up to the surface to hydrate dry skin effectively. 

La Solution 10 de Chanel
Many consider this face lotion the best moisturizer for dry, sensitive skin — whether it’s naturally sensitive or has been temporarily sensitized by overuse of harsh products. It’s only formulated with ten ingredients (hence the name.) 

Highlights include nourishing shea butter, vegetal squalane, and antioxidant-rich needle ta extract, which has lovely soothing properties. This lotion for dry skin is alcohol-free, fragrance-free, oil-free, non-comedogenic, anti-pollution, and dermatologist-tested.

Dr. Brandt Hyaluronic Facial Cream
Anyone with dry, mature skin knows that if they skimp out on moisturizer just once, their parched facial features pay the price. While we don’t want to give you an excuse to become lazy with your skincare routine, this peptide-packed moisturizer keeps the skin moist and supple for an impressive 72 hours while targeting loss of tone in the process. 

As the product’s name implies, hyaluronic acid works to hydrate and plump the skin, reducing the look of fine lines and wrinkles.

Exuviance Age Reverse Hydrafirm
This face moisturizer for dry skin promises to hydrate, lift, firm, and plump up the skin. With time skin tends to become lax, develop fine lines and deep folds, and overall roughen in texture. It also becomes dryer and decreases in oil production. Once again, hyaluronic acid is one of the top ingredients, helping to retain as much moisture as possible to achieve that desirable, highly sought-after plumpness. 

Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream
The Cream is by far the brand’s most popular product. However, it can be too lightweight for those with dry skin, so the brand formulated The Rich Cream. This moisturizer for dry skin is ideal for normal to dry skin, more mature skin types, and colder, drier climates. It’s formulated with the brand’s pantentedTFC8 (Trigger Factor Complex) technology and emollients like coco-caprylate/caprate, sunflower seed oil, squalane, and argan oil, avocado oil, evening primrose oil, and shea butter.

La Roche-Posay Toleriane Ultra Hydrating Cream
This face moisturizer for dry skin is also great for those who experience sensitivity too. It’s been shown to be effective against extreme dryness that includes symptoms like flakiness. Key ingredients include shea butter and squalane. 

Shea butter is a well-known moisturizer that can be used on all skin types. It’s incredibly hydrating, and long-term use can show such benefits as wrinkle reduction and overall softening and smoothing of the skin. Squalane lubricates and protects, improving skin roughness and dryness. It can even prevent loss of hydration, which will only help the skin remain moisturized for longer.  

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream
This head-to-toe moisturizer by First Aid Beauty can be used as a daily moisturizer to prevent dry skin and help alleviate dry, itchy, and red skin. The skin is said to be left feeling smooth, hydrated, and comfortable after just a single-use. 

The main active ingredient in First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream Intense Hydration is 0.5% colloidal oatmeal, a skin protectant that has been used for centuries to soothe and heal the skin and reduce inflammation and redness. There are also several emollients in the Ultra Repair Cream, including shea butter and squalane. 

Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance
Dermalogica has specifically developed a nourishing facial moisturizer to restore lipid balance to dry, depleted skin for optimal barrier performance. The formula contains a BioReplenish Complex that delivers a combination of crucial barrier lipids to help enhance the skin’s natural resilience and support barrier recovery. 

This dry skin moisturizer also includes two forms of hyaluronic acid — sodium hyaluronate and hydrolyzed sodium hyaluronate — to help enhance the skin’s moisture content and reduce the appearance of fine lines.

Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream
Ultra Facial Cream is the brand’s number one moisturizing cream for dry skin that provides ultra-lightweight 24-hour hydration. It’s recommended for all skin types, including those with sensitive skin. 

This cream contains a high concentration of squalane, which is found in the skin lipid barrier of humans and animals, therefore playing an essential role in skin lubrication and protection. However, the amount made and retained in the skin decreases over time. Topical application of squalane helps replenish the skin’s lipid barrier, resulting in softer, smoother skin.

Skinceuticals Emollience
This dry skin moisturizer is formulated with three types of algae extracts that help bind water to the skin while providing antioxidant benefits. Further hydration comes from plant oils derived from grape seed, rosehip, and macadamia nut. 

While this is a popular moisturizer for dry skin, note that it contains essential oils (rosemary, lavender, and peppermint), which could cause sensitivity — or worsen an existing sensitive skin type. Conduct a patch test first to ensure this moisturizer for dry skin is right for you. 

Perricone MD High Potency Classics Hyaluronic Intensive Moisturizer
This gel-cream moisturizer for dry skin is formulated with three different forms of hyaluronic acid to moisturize and nourish and revive the skin’s appearance deeply. Micro hyaluronic acid plumps the skin, cross-linked hyaluronic acid delivers continuous hydration to reduce the appearance of fine lines, and barrier HA helps prevent vital moisture loss. Additionally, DMAE helps address the loss of tone over time. 

What’s the best face moisturizer on the market?

Overall, we suggest Carrot & Stick The Repair Cream.

We recommend using a hydrating serum before moisturizing. We recommend Carrot & Stick The Concentrate. This innovative bi-phase serum combines natural, moisture-rich ingredients with anti-aging ingredients in one replenishing and nourishing formula.

Sources:
“Moisturizers: Options for Softer Skin,” Mayo Clinic.
“Assessing the Relationship between Vitamin D3 and Stratum Corneum Hydration for the Treatment of Xerotic Skin,” US National Library of Medicine National Center for Biology.