17 Best Face Moisturizers Allure Editors Have Tested and Reviewed
When it comes to the best face moisturizer, the world is your oyster. For many, it's the final step in a skin-care routine, and whether you're looking for a lightweight moisturizer with SPF to wear during the day or a souped-up version to use as a night cream, we've tested countless formulas in our day-to-day work as beauty editors. Whether you've got dry, combination, or oily skin, odds are the perfect face cream for you has passed through our offices.
Here, we've rounded up the best face moisturizers, including Allure Best of Beauty Award winners and recommendations from dermatologists, to help you find the face cream of your hydrating dreams.
Our Top Picks:
- Best Face Moisturizer Overall: SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2, $150
- Best Moisturizer for Dry Skin: Caudalíe Premier Cru The Cream, $129
- Best Moisturizer for Combination Skin: Drunk Elephant Lala Retro Whipped Cream, $62
- Best Moisturizer with SPF: La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer SPF 30, $23
- Best Moisturizer for Mature Skin: Chanel Le Lift Pro Creme, $200
- Best Lightweight Moisturizer: Kate Somerville HydraKate Recharging Water Cream Moisturizer, $76
- Best Moisturizer for Fine Lines: Ole Henkrisen Strength Trainer Peptide Boost Moisturizer, $52
- Best Moisturizer for Rosacea: Dr. Jart+ Cicapair Sensitive Skin Moisturizer for Redness, $52
Frequently Asked Questions
- Why do you need a face moisturizer?
- What step is moisturizing in a skin-care routine?
- How our staff tests and reviews products
- Meet our staff and testers
Best Moisturizer Overall: SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2
Why It's Worth It: We get it: Not everyone has the budget to drop $150 on a moisturizer but there's a reason why dermatologists so highly tout SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2. "They've created the perfect blend of lipids to restore the skin barrier in a super elegant vehicle," Angelo Landriscina, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Brooklyn, New York, says. He also notes that this cream is a great addition to a retinol or retinoid regimen.
- Editor Tip: Starting out with a retinoid can cause redness, peeling, and flaking, which is where SkinCeuticals comes in. The ceramides, natural cholesterol, and fatty acids dial hydration levels up.
- Key Ingredients: Ceramides, cholesterol, fatty acids
- Texture: Rich, buttery cream
- Best For: Dry or mature skin, or people using retinoids
Best Moisturizer for Dry Skin: Caudalíe Premier Cru The Cream
Why It's Worth It: Caudalíe's Premier Cru The Cream features powerhouse active ingredients that smooth and diminish the look of wrinkles and intensely hydrate skin — thus earning this treatment a 2022 Best of Beauty Award. The star ingredients are proprietary TET8 technology, which involves resveratrol (a plant compound commonly found in red grapes that acts as an antioxidant) and honokiol (green extraction of magnolia), viniferine, biotech hyaluronic acid, and sugars derived from honey locust to tighten skin for up to six hours. Our editors say that it truly feels like a blanket of long-lasting moisture and the velvety texture couldn't feel more luxurious and nourishing.
- Editor Tip: If you need a thicker cream come winter, Caudalie developed The Rich Cream to address your dry skin needs.
- Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, vine sap extract, glycerin
- Texture: Rich cream
- Best For: People with age-related dryness
Best for Combination Skin: Drunk Elephant Lala Retro Whipped Cream
Why It's Worth It: A winner of our 2016 Best of Beauty Award and three-time Readers' Choice Award winner, the Lala Retro Whipped Cream by Drunk Elephant is the ultimate fancy-but-not-too-fancy, unscented moisturizer. It'll wrap your skin in an airy blanket of hyaluronic acid, plant-derived ceramides, and moisture-boosting oils that guard against hydration loss for all-day or all-night relief. "Though its label touts 'six rare African oils,' it doesn't feel the least bit oily — even on my oily/combination skin," our tester said. "I was so impressed I tried it on again in the morning, and it dried to a matte finish that was perfect on its own and under my liquid foundation."
- Editor Tip: It's free of essential oils and fragrance, making it a good option if you tend to be sensitive.
- Key Ingredients: Marula oil, ceramides, fermented green tea seed extract
- Texture: Lightweight cream
- Best For: People who need moisture without congestion
Best Moisturizer with SPF: La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer SPF 30
Why It's Worth It: A common complaint about sunscreens (and even moisturizers with added SPF) is that they can show up ashy on tan to deep skin tones. That's not the case with La Roche-Posay's Toleriane Double Repair Moisturizer SPF 30. The thermal water–infused face lotion won't cause makeup to slip and slide and quickly absorbs with a translucent finish, and of course, provides adequate sun protection for a few hours. This La Roche-Posay moisturizer combines two skin-care steps into one, leaving your skin feeling hydrated and protected from the sun.
- Editor Tip: This moisturizer with SPF won a Best of Beauty Award in our sensitive skin category. But, as our tester attests, this non-irritating pick is also great for oily skin. "Even my T-zone felt less oily thanks to the silica in the formula (and the fact that it's oil-free)," she says.
- Key Ingredients: Ceramides, niacinamide, glycerin
- Texture: Lightweight cream
- Best For: Anyone looking to streamline their routine
Best for Mature Skin: Chanel Le Lift Pro Crème
Why It's Worth It: This cream aims to do what few topical formulas can, plumping skin with a combination of sodium hyaluronate (a stable form of hyaluronic acid) and glycerin. The star ingredient, however, is melipona enzymatic honey, a rare form of honey sourced from the tiny melipona bee in Costa Rica, that helps correct advanced signs of aging. (Chanel notes that only the excess honey is collected and no hives are harmed in the process.) And it actually succeeds, which explains why it won a 2023 Best of Beauty Award. Another bonus: It's also fragrance-free, a tough find among luxury skin-care products.
- Editor Tip: Before applying the moisturizer, do Chanel's recommended protocol: Pinch the skin, moving across the cheeks and jawline. Repeat three times. Next, using your thumb and index finger, lightly pinch expression lines perpendicularly.
- Key Ingredients: Melipona enzymatic honey, shea butter, jojoba seed oil
- Texture: Rich cream
- Best For: People with fine lines and sagging
Best Lightweight Moisturizer: Kate Somerville HydraKate Recharging Water Cream Moisturizer
Why It's Worth It: "I love how lightweight the Kate Somerville HydraKate Recharging Water Cream is," associate beauty editor Annie Blay says of her go-to summer facial moisturizer. "It sinks in quickly but leaves my skin moisturized all day and never greasy." For those with oily skin, HydraKate is a great all-year-round formula. Key ingredients at work are blue light-activated algae extract to combat the effects of our devices and marigold flower extract to boost elasticity and smooth the look of wrinkles.
- Editor Tip: Inspired by Somerville's in-clinic micro-channeling treatment, AquaPort Technology is said to mimic micro-channeling (and open up water pathways) to deliver moisture quickly and deeply into the skin.
- Key Ingredients: Algae extract, marigold extract, glycerin
- Texture: Lightweight cream
- Best For: Oily and combination skin types
Best for Fine Lines: Ole Henkrisen Strength Trainer Peptide Boost Moisturizer
Why It's Worth It: Ole Henkrisen's Strength Trainer Peptide Boost Moisturizer boasts impressive numbers, with a powerful blend of eight conditioning peptides, three moisturizing ceramides, and eight amino acids to lock in moisture for the long haul, boosting elasticity and fortifying the moisture barrier. As previously explained by New York City-based board-certified dermatologist Cindy Bae, MD, peptides signal your body to go into repair mode to produce elastin and collagen—leading to firmer, plumper skin. Bonus: Mango shea butter adds a subtly fruity scent that makes you feel like you're on vacation.
- Editor Tip: This balm-to-gel texture seems like it might be heavy at first but it absorbs quickly as you massage the formula in — leaving behind a glowy finish.
- Key Ingredients: Peptides, collagen, hyaluronic acid
- Texture: Rich balm
- Best For: People looking for bounce and a supple texture
Best for Rosacea: Dr. Jart+ Cicapair Intensive Soothing Repair Cream
Why It's Worth It: Dr. Jart+ makes some of our favorite cica skin-care products to curb sensitivity and even treat acne. Used in Asian medicine for centuries, "cica (short for Centella asiatica) is believed to soothe and repair irritated skin," Ellen Marmur, MD, a New York City-based board-certified dermatologist, previously told us, Dr. Jart+'s Intensive Soothing Repair Cream pairs a cica complex and allantoin to calm irritation, while niacinamide provides a gentle boost of radiance.
- Editor Tip: It layers beautifully beneath sunscreen and makeup but also holds its own as a nighttime moisturizer.
- Key Ingredients: Centella asiatica, allantoin, niacinamide, shea butter
- Texture: Midweight soothing cream
- Best For: Redness- or rosacea-prone skin
Best Overnight Cream: CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream
Why It's Worth It: Ever wished having plumper, smoother skin was as easy as sleeping? Well, now it (kind of) is, thanks to CeraVe's Skin Renewing Night Cream. This dense concoction of firming peptides, hydrating hyaluronic acid, and conditioning ceramides intensively moisturizes overnight to leave your skin feeling soft and dewy by the time your alarm goes off. It's also combined with niacinamide to give your complexion a gentle dark spot-diminishing treatment as you slumber.
- Editor Tip: This rich cream is especially dense, so a little goes a long way, even if you have very dry skin.
- Key Ingredients: Ceramides, peptides, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide
- Texture: Rich cream
- Best For: Anyone who wants a surge of moisture replenishment overnight
Best Moisturizer With SPF: Naturium Dew Glow Moisturizer SPF 50
Why It's Worth It: Dr. Landriscina vouches for Naturium Dew Glow Moisturizer SPF 50, which he says is "an amazing moisturizer with a high SPF and antioxidant blend that's a one-and-done in the AM," adding that it's ideal for someone with dry skin or "anyone who loves to glow." Allure commerce editor Sarah Han agrees. "Not only does this sink into the skin without a trace, the dewiness is unreal," she says. We have a brightening duo of niacinamide and ethyl ascorbic acid to thank for a more radiant, even complexion.
- Editor Tip: Since it uses chemical sunscreen filters, it doesn't leave any cast or chalkiness on skin.
- Key Ingredients: Argan oil, vitamin C, squalane
- Texture: Lightweight cream
- Best For: Everyone
Best for Sensitive Skin: Tatcha Indigo Overnight Repair
Why It's Worth It: Dr. Landriscina recommends Tatcha Indigo Overnight Repair for people with sensitive skin since it's formulated with colloidal oatmeal, a wonderful skin protectant. "It also has a seal of acceptance from the National Eczema Association," Dr. Landriscina adds. Indigo has many anti-inflammatory and antibacterial benefits, so it's ideal for soothing sensitive skin, strengthening the barrier, and calming irritation.
- Editor Tip: Technically, the formula is a serum-in-moisturizer, meaning it offers the active ingredients of a serum in a cushiony formula.
- Key Ingredients: Japanese indigo, ceramides, Mondo grass root
- Texture: Rich cream
- Best For: People with reactive skin or dryness
Best for Acne-Prone Skin: Skinfix Barrier+ Restoring Gel Cream
Why It's Worth It: "For people with oily, acne-prone skin looking for a lightweight moisturizer, Skinfix Barrier+ Restoring Gel Cream is excellent," says David Kim, MD, an NYC-based board-certified dermatologist at Idriss Dermatology and founder of Lightsaver. "One to two pumps is all you need and it gets absorbed instantly." The star ingredients here are moisture-binding saccharide isomerate, oil-absorbing niacinamide, and a heptapeptide blend that supports barrier function. It's free of silicone and non-comedogenic, meaning it won't clog pores.
- Editor Tip: For drier skin, we recommend Skinfix's Lipid-Peptide Cream, an emollient moisturizer (and 2019 Best of Beauty Award winner) that's packed with shea butter, sodium hyaluronate, and fatty oils to restore hydration levels.
- Key Ingredients: Zinc PCA, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid
- Texture: Lightweight gel-cream
- Best For: People prone to breakouts or congested skin
Best Luxurious Cream: SK-II Skinpower Advanced Cream
Why It's Worth It: SK-II Skinpower Advanced Cream is the definition of a splurge-worthy skin-care product, especially since its predecessor (Skinpower Cream) took the honor of a 2022 Best of Beauty Award. SK-II's famed (and proprietary) Pitera complex comes from a yeast fermentation process that almost mimics that of sake, and is packed with over 50 vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and acids to intensely moisturize and condition skin. A bouquet of floral extracts including calla lily extract, dokudami extract, and peony extract supercharges the plumpness of your skin — in addition to fan-favorite ingredients like glycerin, niacinamide, and shea butter.
- Editor Tip: Give your skin a quick massage by working the cream into your forehead, cheeks, chin, and neck.
- Key Ingredients: Pitera, niacinamide, vitamin E
- Texture: Rich cream
- Best For: People willing to invest in supple, radiant skin
Best for Uneven Skin Tone: Summer Fridays Cloud Dew Oil-Free Gel Cream
Why It's Worth It: This weightless formula checks a lot of boxes. "The blend of ceramides and humectants in this moisturizer packs a punch," Dr. Landriscina explains. "This is a great choice for dry, dehydrated, or sensitized skin." However, the inclusion of pineapple enzyme gently exfoliates skin — without you even realizing it because it feels so lightweight and smooths instances of uneven texture.
- Editor Tip: The gel formulation makes it a great swap for summertime, whatever your skin type.
- Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, glycerin, amino acids
- Texture: Lightweight gel-cream
- Best For: People with dry or dull skin
Best Refillable: Glow Recipe Plum Plump Hyaluronic Cream
Why It's Worth It: Glow Recipe is one of the internet's buzziest brands with the brightest formulas, and the skin-perfecting goodness of its Refillable Plum Plump Hyaluronic Cream is further proof. The whipped gel-cream gets its lavender color from three different types of plums (kakadu, illawara, and burdekin) and its intense moisture-replenishing powers from five weights of hyaluronic acid, meaning they penetrate the skin at different levels. Slather it on your face and neck twice daily for a radiant glow and healthy bounce.
- Editor Tip: The brand also upped the ante on its sustainability pledge, offering replacement pods that pop into the glass jar when you need to restock.
- Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, Kakadu plum, ice willowherb
- Texture: Lightweight gel-cream
- Best For: People looking for immediate smoothing
Best Budget Pick: The Inkey List Peptide Moisturizer
Why It's Worth It: With its 1% peptide complex and special smoothing royal jelly protein, The Inkey List Peptide Moisturizer's price seems like a typo. For just $16, this shea butter-rich cream does the heavy lifting of moisturizers 10 times the price, deeply moisturizing and firming skin while absorbing quickly for a non-heavy feel. It's best for people with dry skin, as well as those concerned with the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Not to mention, a budget-friendly product is always a good catch.
- Editor Tip: Add a few drops of serum to the moisturizer for a more targeted treatment.
- Key Ingredients: Peptides, shea butter, vitamin E
- Texture: Lightweight cream
- Best For: People looking to nourish skin on a budget
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do you need a face moisturizer?
"Moisturizers are an essential part of every skin-care routine," says Shereene Idriss, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City. "Just as our bodies require us to hydrate with water, so does our skin." While our skin appears dewier almost instantly, the real benefits show up in the long term. The consistent use of moisturizers slows down the rate and intensity at which fine lines and wrinkles appear, she says.
This daily philosophy applies to all skin types and not just dry skin. "Overwashing without the appropriate use of a moisturizer will trigger an overproduction of oil on your skin," Divya Shokeen, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Torrance, California, previously explained. In short, if you don't rehydrate your skin, it will become dried-out and irritated — which then opens your skin up to a cache of troubles.
"People confuse oil with hydration, so they don't properly hydrate the skin," New York City-based board-certified dermatologist Doris Day, MD, noted. "We now have really great ingredients, like hyaluronic acid, which balances oil and water in the skin." Increased hydration supports a stronger barrier, Dr. Day said, which also helps curb oil production.
What step is moisturizing in a skin-care routine?
Consider your moisturizer as the cellophane that seals in the rest of your skin-care routine. In our beginner-friendly skin-care guide, dermatologists recommended three simple steps: cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen (during the day, of course).
A basic rule of thumb is, after cleansing, use products with the lightest texture first and work your way down to denser formulas like moisturizers. Using your moisturizer after serums and treatments like toners and essences is crucial for getting the most out of your products, according to cosmetic chemist Ni'Kita Wilson. "They seal in serums on your skin, which can make them more effective," Wilson previously told Allure. After moisturizing, you can layer oil to make your skin look even dewier. And again, never forget to apply your last (and arguably most important) layer, sunscreen if you're headed out for the day.
How our staff tests and reviews products
When Allure tests a product, our editors look at it from every angle to best serve you. We review ingredients, scrutinize brand claims, and, when necessary, examine peer-reviewed scientific and medical studies. In addition to testing each and every product that's included in each and every review, we rely on experts who shape their fields, including dermatology, cosmetic chemistry, and medicine, to help us vet the ingredients and formulas.
For our list of the best face moisturizers, we considered each product's performance across five primary categories: product ingredients and efficacy, packaging, fragrance, texture, and product wear. Every product was determined to have excelled in each category by our editorial team, which is composed of in-house writers and editors as well as contributors—along with special consideration from board-certified dermatologists who test and recommend moisturizers almost every day. To learn more information on our reporting and testing processes, read our complete reviews process and methodology page.
Meet our staff and testers
A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors — in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon — is essential to reaching that goal.
After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the "best" for people over 50 if the only testers we've solicited opinions from folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it’s never been tested on curls? We're proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.
Meet the Experts
- Angelo Landriscina, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Brooklyn, New York
- David Kim, MD, a New York City-based board-certified dermatologist
- Shereene Idriss, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City
- Divya Shokeen, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Torrance, California
- Doris Day, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City
- Ni'Kita Wilson, a cosmetic chemist based in New York City
Read more about our favorite skin-care products:
- 14 Night Creams to Soothe Seriously Dry, Irritated Skin
- 18 Best Face Exfoliators for Glowing Skin
- 17 Best SkinCeuticals Products Your Skin Will Thank You For
- 15 Best Lip Oils for a Hydrating Punch of Shine and Color
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