Top 8 Moisturizers to Combat Dry Skin and Keep Your Winter Glow!
Winter can be a tough time for our skin. For many, the cold months mean battling dryness, redness, and that uncomfortable tightness that just won’t go away. A great moisturizer can make all the difference, soothing irritation, calming flakiness, and even easing the occasional breakout. But with so many options out there, finding the one often feels like a bit of a guessing game. To make things easier, we’ve rounded up dermatologist-approved moisturizers with ingredients that truly deliver on their promise. These top picks aren’t just about hydration—they’re about bringing comfort back to your skin and helping you glow all winter long.
Top Pick for Ultimate Hydration: SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid 2:4:2
Price: $150
Why It’s a Favorite: If your skin is endlessly thirsty, no matter what you try, you’re definitely not alone. SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid 2:4:2 is a savior for that deep, unshakable dryness many of us face, especially in colder months. Packed with ceramides, natural cholesterol, and fatty acids, this cream doesn’t just hydrate; it brings back the elasticity that makes skin feel truly comfortable again. Dr. Magovern loves it for restoring balance when other creams fall short, easing that tight, uncomfortable feeling so many of us know too well.
Key Ingredients: Ceramides, natural cholesterol, fatty acids, essential oil blend
Best For: Deeply hydrating dry, tight skin and supporting a gradual introduction to anti-aging products.
Size: 1.6 fl oz
Type: Cream
Fragrance: No
Best Drugstore Find: CeraVe Moisturizing Cream
Price: $18 (was $19)
Available At: Amazon
Why We Love It: If dry, flaky skin has become part of your daily life, rest assured, you’re not alone in that struggle. CeraVe’s Moisturizing Cream, a tried-and-true favorite, uses ceramides and hyaluronic acid to reinforce your skin barrier, keeping hydration locked in longer. Dr. Garshick loves it because it’s a solution that actually lasts, and for anyone with rough patches or irritation, it’s a little touch of daily relief without breaking the bank.
Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, ceramides, MVE technology
Best For: Daily hydration and softening of those stubborn, rough patches, whether on your face or body.
Size: 19 oz.
Type: Cream
Fragrance: No
Best Lightweight Choice: Rhode Barrier Restore Cream
Price: $38
Available At: Rhode
Why We Love It: If you’re craving hydration but worry about feeling greasy or clogged, Rhode’s Barrier Restore Cream could be a game-changer. You’re definitely not alone if your skin needs moisture without the weight, and this cream delivers just that. With shea butter, squalane, and niacinamide, it hydrates and calms while still feeling wonderfully light. It’s an ideal choice for those of us who layer multiple products or have skin that’s easily overwhelmed by thicker creams.
Key Ingredients: Shea butter, squalane, peptides, acai, niacinamide
Best For: Lightweight hydration for sensitive or easily clogged skin, perfect for layering.
Size: 50 mL
Type: Cream
Fragrance: No
Best for Fine Lines: Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance
Why It’s Great: Fine lines can be a frustrating reminder of aging or dehydrated skin, but they don’t have to feel permanent. Dermalogica’s Intensive Moisture Balance plumps and smooths with hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid and ceramides, giving skin a refreshed, youthful glow. Dr. Magovern recommends it for anyone whose skin could use a little extra help in keeping its bounce—proof that you’re not alone if you’re seeking that dewy, revitalized look.
Key Ingredients: Algae extract, aloe vera, ceramides, hyaluronic acid, lactic acid, vitamin E
Best For: Softening fine lines and adding a refreshed, plump look to dehydrated skin.
Size: 3.4 fl oz
Type: Cream
Fragrance: No
Best Night Cream: Obagi Medical Hydrate Luxe
Why We Love It: If your skin often feels dry and tight by the end of the day, you’re certainly not alone in that experience. Obagi Medical Hydrate Luxe is designed to bring lasting relief overnight with rich shea butter and strengthening biomimetic peptides. Even if you didn’t manage a full night’s sleep, Dr. Magovern recommends it for how it helps you wake up looking refreshed—a little overnight support that can make a big difference.
Key Ingredients: Peptides, shea butter
Best For: Deep moisture to combat dryness while you sleep, so you wake up with soft, nourished skin.
Size: 1.7 oz
Type: Cream
Fragrance: Yes
Best for Aging Skin: Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream
Why We Love It: Aging brings its own unique skin challenges, from fine lines to a loss of firmness, and you’re not alone if you’re seeking something to help with both. Augustinus Bader’s The Rich Cream is packed with omega-6 fatty acids, amino acids, and antioxidants that target these common issues. Clinically shown to smooth fine lines, it’s a powerful ally for mature skin that needs a little extra support.
Key Ingredients: TFC-8 complex, evening primrose oil, squalane, vitamin E, hyaluronic acid, hydrolyzed rice protein
Best For: Addressing the visible signs of aging, including fine lines and loss of firmness, while deeply hydrating.
Size: 1.7 oz
Type: Cream
Fragrance: No synthetic fragrances
Best for Sensitive Skin: Symbiome The One Cream
Why It’s Ideal: Sensitive skin can be tricky, often reacting to even the simplest products—but you’re not alone if you feel limited in your options. Symbiome’s The One Cream keeps it simple with just three ingredients: water, croton cajucara leaf oil, and lactobacillus ferment. This minimalist formula helps calm and nurture the skin’s microbiome without overloading it, making it a gentle, safe choice for anyone whose skin needs a break.
Key Ingredients: Water, croton cajucara leaf oil, lactobacillus ferment
Best For: Soothing and hydrating sensitive, easily irritated skin with a pared-back, gentle formula.
Size: 50 ml
Type: Cream
Fragrance: No
Best Luxury: Sisley-Paris Sisleÿa L’Intégral Anti-Age Extra-Rich Cream
Why It’s Worth the Splurge: If your skin feels dull, tired, or just in need of a serious glow-up, you’re not alone. Sisley-Paris Sisleÿa L’Intégral Anti-Age Extra-Rich Cream brings luxury and potency together in one transformative product. Rich botanicals like apple pip and rhatany extracts help smooth and protect skin while shea and mango butters add lasting moisture. It’s the kind of product that makes you look as refreshed as you feel, with skin that’s soft, smooth, and radiant.
Key Ingredients: Apple pip extract, rhatany extract, lady’s mantle extract, mango butter, cottonseed oil, camelina oil
Best For: Smoothing and rejuvenating dull skin while tackling wrinkles and dryness.
Size: 50 mL
Type: Cream
Fragrance: Yes
Best for Very Dry Skin: Retrouvé Intensive Replenishing Facial Moisturizer
Why It’s a Go-To: When dry skin becomes a constant struggle, you’re far from alone—Retrouvé’s Intensive Replenishing Facial Moisturizer was made for exactly that. This cream, loved by celebrity makeup artists, provides lasting hydration with its oil-rich formula, including squalane and pomegranate. It’s perfect for very dry skin that needs a little extra love and a radiant, replenished look day and night.
Key Ingredients: Squalane, pomegranate
Best For: Providing intense hydration for very dry, tight skin that needs round-the-clock support.
Size: 1 oz
Type: Cream
Fragrance: No
Above Dress by : Michail
We’ve all been there—reaching for product after product, hoping for that one moisturizer that finally feels just right. The truth is, skincare is personal, and what works best comes down to knowing your skin’s unique needs. Hopefully, this list makes the search a little easier, and maybe even inspires a sense of relief in finding the perfect fit for you. Here’s to embracing winter with skin that feels as good as it looks, knowing you’re taking care of yourself in the most comforting way. After all, our skin is with us every day, and it deserves nothing but the best.
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