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The Best Face Moisturizer for Dry Skin in 2024

Having dry skin is uncomfortable and can be irritating at times, although if you’re here reading this, you probably know this all too well! What you may not realise is that it also has a ripple effect on the makeup you wear. Your makeup can’t look flawless if your skin is flaky and cracking underneath.

Treating your dry skin properly will eliminate your problems and one of the best ways to do so is with your moisturizer. The moisturizer market is huge and that makes finding the right one for you quite the challenge. You can narrow down the choice by knowing what result you are trying to achieve.

You can get facial moisturizers for dry skin that hydrate the skin, help with anti-ageing, reduce pores or brighten the skin. These are just a few, but, knowing what you are looking for will make that search easier.

I’ve put together the best face moisturizers for dry skin in 2024. There’s something for every age and every budget. With the right moisturizer, you can say goodbye to dry skin.

Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases on Amazon and other affiliate programs. This means on some purchases, I make a commission. It doesn’t mean you spend more, it simply allows me to keep this blog going!

Best Dermatologist-Tested: La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer

La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer

La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer is ideal for dry, sensitive and ageing skin. It’s a simple, yet effective moisturiser that does the job it’s supposed to do.

Called the double repair moisturizer because it repairs the skin in 2 main ways. It replenishes moisture in the skin and repairs the skin’s natural barrier- both are the 2 main causes of skin ageing prematurely.

A broken skin barrier is one of the main causes of irritated skin. This moisturiser fixes that in just 1 hour! Yep, that means in 1 hour you will notice a difference in your skin.

Lightweight and comfortable to wear, the Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer gives your skin 48 hours of hydration.

Formulated with Ceramide-3, Niacinamide, Glycerin and La Roche-Posay Prebiotic Thermal Water, they all help give your skin the food it needs to function at its best. You can use this moisturiser in the morning and evening.

La Roche-Posay makes the same moisturiser with SPF 30 which is an easy way to get your daily sunscreen on. The SPF version should only be used in the morning because you don’t need SPF when you’re sleeping. Check out more of the best moisturizers for aging skin here.

Pros

  • Dermatologists tested safe for sensitive skin
  • Allergy tested
  • Non-comedogenic / Oil-free
  • Fragrance-free

Cons

  • On the pricey side

Best Natural: Liz Earle Skin Repair Moisturiser

Liz Earle Skin Repair Moisturiser

Liz Earle Skin Repair Moisturiser is a natural-sourced moisturiser that is enriched with avocado and borage oils to protect against dryness. It also has vitamin E which is a great antioxidant. Liz Earle Skin Repair Moisturiser is the perfect moisturiser for dry skin because of its wonderful, hydrating ingredients.

It does wonders with dry and flakey skin and after using it for a while you won’t believe that you once had dry skin. It locks moisture into the skin for up to 72 hours!

The moisturiser isn’t scent-free, but, it has a natural smell, not a perfume. Easy to use, the moisturizers rich formula glides onto the skin without the stickiness that some moisturizers leave.

One of its best selling points is that it doesn’t clog pores and it doesn’t cause breakouts. It leaves the skin feeling really soft and smooth, perfect for anyone with dry skin!

Pros

  • Lightweight
  • Natural ingredients
  • Very moisturizing
  • Absorbs quickly

Cons

  • A tube is more hygienic

Best Water-Based: Krave Beauty Oat So Simple Water Cream

Oat So Simple Water Cream

Looking for a moisturizer that will tackle dehydrated skin, has only a few ingredients and is super gentle? The Oat So Simple Water Cream is the answer to that!

Lightweight to wear, yet extremely effective, the Oat So Simple Water Cream leaves the skin feeling soft and hydrated without it feeling greasy. Made from oat extract which is known to be extremely moisturizing, gentle and soothing, it brings instant relief to irritated and overworked skin.

The only downside to this moisturizer is that it doesn’t contain any SPF. It’s always useful and convenient when you get SPF and moisturizer in one product.

However, for me, that’s not a deal-breaker. This moisturizer works such wonders on my skin, that it’s worth the extra hassle of using an SPF separately. Many foundations come with SPF, so you can always combine it like that!

This moisturizer has given me soft, hydrated skin that doesn’t feel greasy. It absorbs quickly into the skin and is comfortable to wear. This Krave Moisturizer is one of my favorites, read my full review.

Pros

  • Hydrating
  • Extremely Gentle
  • Non-sticky formula
  • Soothing

Cons

  • No SPF

Best Drugstore: Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Moisturiser

The Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Moisturizer is probably the best-selling budget moisturiser on the market.

It contains a unique formula called Hyaluronic Gel Matrix. Hyaluronic acid is an ingredient often found in products for dry skin. This is because it helps to retain moisture in your skin.

The Hyaluronic Gel Matrix locks in moisture throughout the day and continuously releases it keeping your skin soft and fresh the whole day. This is perfect for those with dry skin, you won’t need to worry about your skin getting patchy as the moisturizer takes care of that!

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Moisturiser has an oil-free formula- it is water-based. It can also be used as a primer under your makeup. Get ready for your skin to be instantly refreshed and hydrated with this moisturiser. Checkout more of the best drugstore moisturizers here.

Pros

  • Lightweight
  • Suitable for sensitive skin
  • Affordable
  • Water-based

Cons

  • A tube is more hygienic

Best for Irritated Skin: Clarins Hydra-Essentiel Rich Cream

Clarins Hydra-Essentiel Rich Cream

Formulated for dry skin, it has the perfect balance of moisturising your skin to the fullest without any stickiness or grease. It’s extremely lightweight too making it pleasant and comfortable to wear!

Made from an organic ingredient called medicinal kalanchoe extract, it increases the production of hyaluronic acid in the skin which helps to keep your skin soft and hydrated. It also has beautyberry which helps with inflammation, a key ingredient to help settle your skin.

What I love in particular is the texture, it is soft and smooth and totally delightful on the skin. While it’s not greasy, it is rather runny and can be hard to get a grip of.

Like many moisturisers, I wish they would make it in a tube instead of a tub, it’s a neater and more hygienic option.

Clarins Hydra-Essentiel Rich Cream is indeed essential! It solves any dry patches, tightness or irritation on the skin. It is the holy grail moisturiser for many and it’s easy to see why!

Pros

  • Suitable for those with very dry skin
  • Smooth texture
  • Will soften any skin

Cons

  • A tube is more hygienic

Best Multi-Tasking: Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré

Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré

I may not be able to tell you the right pronunciation of this moisturizer, but any French skills that I gained in school I left there! However, I can tell you that this moisturizer is simply brilliant!

Sold for all skin types, however, due to its rich texture, I think it belongs here. It does miracles for dry and hydrated skin. The Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre is a triple-in-one product. It is a moisturizer for day and night, a makeup remover and a primer. It also says you can use it as a baby-care product or as a repair mask. Basically, it does a lot.

Usually, I am quite sceptical of products that claim to multitask. I often find it means the product doesn’t do anything properly. However, I am always happy to be proven wrong as I am in this case. It does all it says and really well too.

Made from natural ingredients including fatty acids and vitamins, it’s got all the good that your skin needs. With a thick creamy texture, it takes a few minutes to dry. Because of its rich texture, a little goes a long way so it will last you a while.

You can’t really go wrong with this moisturiser, and to add to its awesomeness it’s really affordable too. It’s perfect for anyone who doesn’t like to have a lot of products, those short on space and those who travel. This little bottle has half your skincare routine in it!

Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré comes in two sizes, 75ml and 30ml. Read my full review of the Embryolisse Moisturizer.

Pros

  • Affordable
  • Excellent value for money
  • Doubles up as a primer and makeup remover
  • Natural ingredients
  • Suitable for sensitive skin

Cons

  • The initial smell is quite strong, although it does wear off

Best for Sensitive Skin: First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream

First Aid Beauty stands for FAB, and to be honest is pretty fab in every way and that is not only my opinion! With its affordable price, you would think it would be no good. Not the case.

Designed to hydrate and moisturise itchy and dry skin, it does exactly that. It’s been allergy-tested so you can use it on the most sensitive skin too. It’s lightweight in texture and it gets absorbed into the skin really fast.

One advantage of this moisturizer is that you can use it anywhere on your body. If you are someone who doesn’t like to have too many products, this moisturizer gives you all your moisturising needs in one!

Made from lovely, good-for-you ingredients, like shea butter eucalyptus, oatmeal and ceramides, you will get immediate comfort from any irritation and dryness and it will continue nourishing your skin throughout the day.

One of my favourite features is that the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream comes in a tub and a tube. That way you can choose the one you prefer. For me, it’s always a tube, tubes are more hygienic and easier to use!

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream is really like first aid for your dry skin. It will heal it in no time. It’s safe for sensitive skin and free from any harsh chemicals and parabens.

Pros

  • Lightweight
  • Good value for money
  • Suitable for sensitive skin

Cons

  • Faint smell, although it fades quickly

Best for Very Dry Skin: Drunk Elephant Lala Retro Whipped Cream

Drunk Elephant Lala Retro Whipped Cream

The Lala Retro Whipped Cream is unique in that it has a thick and heavy texture, however, when you wear it, it doesn’t feel heavy or greasy at all. It has the perfect balance of hydrating whilst at the same time being extremely comfortable.

If you’ve been using skincare products for a while, you’ll know that’s no easy feat to achieve! This cream is ideal for those will dry and irritated skin.

With a blend of 6 African oils, it locks in your moisture for hours at a time. It has green tea which is a key ingredient to keep your skin looking young. The formula is fragrance-free which is always a plus. Drunk Elephant Lala Retro Whipped Cream is free from any silicones and other harsh chemicals.

Pros

  • Suitable for sensitive skin
  • Cruelty-free
  • Not greasy
  • Fragrance-free

Cons

  • Pricey

Best for Eczema: Vanicream Moisturizing Cream

Vanicream Moisturizing Cream

Don’t be put off by the basicness of this moisturizer. That’s exactly what makes it so great! It’s ideal for skin that struggles to keep its moisture which is what happens to skin that’s dry.

Named the best cream for sensitive skin by many, it’s extremely gentle on the skin. The main job of this moisturiser is to restore hydration and moisture to the skin.

It’s also known for soothing irritated and itchy skin making it ideal for those with eczema, psoriasis, ichthyosis and any other dry skin conditions. If you get breakouts from every cream you use, you need to try this one!

Recommended for all ages, and it really works for all ages. Dry skin has trouble keeping moisture in, the second ingredient in the Vanicream Moisturizing Cream is petrolatum which is amazing at locking moisture into the skin preventing water loss.

This is exactly what dry and mature skin needs. You can simply use petroleum jelly, like Vaseline, but the advantage of the Vanicream Moisturizing Cream is that it has other beneficial ingredients too that help keep the skin soft and hydrated.

You can use this moisturiser both day and night. The texture is on the thick side but it’s not oily and absorbs nicely and easily into the skin.

Pros

  • Non-comedogenic (won’t clog pores)
  • No botanical extracts or essential oils
  • Gluten-free
  • Dermatologist tested
  • Fragrance-free
  • Dye-free
  • Paraben-free

Cons


Best Moisturizer Ingredients for Dry Skin

When buying a moisturizer for dry skin it is best to buy fragrance-free. Fragrance can cause irritation, and the more you use products with fragrance, the more likely you will become sensitive to it.

The best moisturizers for dry skin will have at least one of these ingredients:

  • Botanical extracts
  • Hyaluronic acid
  • Ceramides
  • Glycerin
  • Antioxidants
  • Aquaporins
  • Plant butter and oils

The best time to apply moisturizer

A common mistake with applying moisturiser is to apply it on dry skin. It is actually a lot better for your skin to apply moisturiser right after cleansing or washing your face whilst your skin is still damp.

Your moisturizer will be much more effective if it has some moisture to cling to. It enables the moisturizer to lock in the water that is left on your face.

Never apply your moisturizer to dirty skin, always cleanse first. After cleansing, always apply moisturiser, because cleansing strips the skin of some of its natural oils.

Use moisturiser in the morning when you wake up and in the evening before you go to bed. Moisturising should always be the last step in your skincare routine in order to get the maximum benefit.

A common misconception…

If you have oily skin you don’t need to moisturise…

True or false?

False, false, and false.

Not to sound patronising, but how many of you are guilty of thinking those exact thoughts at some point? I know I used to be guilty of thinking that. I didn’t moisturise for years because of it. Turns out it wasn’t a good idea!

If you have oily skin, you still need to look after your skin and keep it soft and healthy. You just have to find the right moisturizer for you that won’t increase oil production. That will be an article for another time. Now it’s all about dry skin.

My Thoughts

Sometimes finding the right beauty products can feel like finding a needle in a haystack. Everyone reacts differently to each product. On that note, don’t forget when trying out a new moisturizer to always do a patch test first to make sure you don’t react to it.

I hope this guide on the best moisturizers has helped you find the one that works for you!

Hollie xx

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About Hollie

Hi, I’m Hollie, and I’m passionate about everything beauty. Over the last decade and a half, I’ve tested thousands of products to bring you the best of the best! I also love bringing you fun and creative beauty looks. Learn more.

Beauty profile – 35, dry, aging skin, focused on aging well with a healthy glow and natural makeup look ✨



Anastasia Beverly Hills bareMinerals Benefit Cosmetics Bobbi Brown CeraVe Chantecaille Charlotte Tilbury Clarins ColourPop Dermalogica Dior Dyson e.l.f. Cosmetics ELEMIS Estée Lauder Eucerin Fenty Beauty Fresh Giorgio Armani Hourglass IT Cosmetics L'Oreal Lancome Laura Mercier LORAC MAC Makeup Revolution Maybelline Molton Brown Morphe Nars Natasha Denona Neutrogena NYX Origins Peter Thomas Roth PÜR Cosmetics Revlon Sigma Beauty Smashbox Stila The Ordinary Too Faced Urban Decay YSL


10 Comments

  1. Dave Sweney says:

    The environment here in Dubai is really hard on the skin, especially exposed areas such as the hands, the face, neck, and even the legs and feet. Moisturizer is a must if you do not want to look like an alligator after a couple of years of living here. There are so many products out there, but most do not do the job effectively. 

    This is why it was so good to find your review on some of the best moisturizers that you have found and I spent some time looking through each of the options. All seem like they would do the job adequately, but there are two that stand out that I will likely try.

    The first is the Drunk Elephant Lala Retro Whipped Cream. With a name like that, if it wasn’t good it would already be out of business! I see that they have been around since 2014, which is not a long time but enough for me to try them one time. That it has no fragrance is also a good thing for me. The guys might think I have gone bonkers (I am a guy too)…

    The other one that I will order one of the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream. Aside from the good price you mention, this seems like some serious product that is going to make me look 20 again in short order. If it doesn’t as long as it repairs the skin I will still be happy. 

    Thanks for the heads up on these, you have saved me some time in selecting some new products to moisturize my skin, it really is something I need, as do many others here in Dubai!   

    1. I am sure you will love them! They are both great choices.

  2. Matt's Mom says:

    A long time ago I was into Lancome and I bought all my needs from that particular brand.  I am curious if this would also be a great choice for aging skin, or skin that is in the sun alot.  Is there another recommendation that might be better.  I am really not concerned with the price.  If it words well and makes my skin look good, then that is all that matters.  Would the Lancome Nutrix do the trick for me?

    1. Lancome Nutrix is a lovely moisturiser. The only way to know if it will work for your skin is to try it out. Perhaps ask for a sample so you don’t need to waste money.

  3. LeeAnn Messenger says:

    I have such strange skin. It is oily and dry at the same time. I guess that is what happens when you get older. I live in a climate that gets all four seasons and my skin really gets effected by it.

    I try hard not to apply foundation because some parts of my face are shiny and especially around my eyebrows and nose my make up cracks even when I use a moisturizer. 

    I am going to browse your site to find a product that is right for me. Do you have any suggestions for my skin types?

    1. At the moment my skin feels exactly the same as you describe. It’s oily and dry at the same time. You need to use a good moisturiser as well as a good primer. Make sure to exfoliate your skin regularly too. It could be you’ll have to use different products for different seasons. 

      At the moment I am using Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré and really loving it, it’s really moisturising but at the same time not oily, and my foundation stays on flawlessly throughout the day.

      I highly recommend checking it out!

      Good luck and let me know how you get on:)

  4. I’d like to give some tips to prospective users of Neutrogena Hydro Boost based on the experience my girlfriend got from using it. Recently, I sent this as a gift to her and she honestly gave me feedback from her usage. She told me that this product is a Humectant, it means it locks moisture so it won’t escape to the air, and it works well on wet skin. But it must be used in conjunction with other moisturizer to get the maximum benefit, so she’s requesting me to send her another one of different brand! She told me, after applying Neutrogena Hydro Boost, after it ran dry, she need to use a different serum or moisturizer in addition to Neutrogena. Sounds funny but it makes sense.

    1. It makes sense because everyone’s skin is different and perhaps she needs a different product! 

      Best of luck

  5. Andres Agudelo says:

    Hi Hollie,

    I’ve had a hard time with my skin for the last 2 months. I used to play soccer with sunlight and without sun cream protection. My skin is really dry, I have tried multiple creams and other cosmetics. However, after reading your post and your reviews I think I have found the answer to my dry skin. The best thing is that you don’t only talk about one of them, instead, you talk about multiple of them that can benefit your skin and make it great.

    I need to try one of those, it’s been really hard to show up in front of people with my skin right now and it is becoming stressing.

    Thank you very much for sharing this.

    1. Aww, that must be very unpleasant for you. Make sure you are moisturising in the morning and evening and after every shower. Follow the tips and your skin will be back to normal in no time!

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