Dry, flaky, lackluster skin got you down? Hydrating your face properly is essential for a radiant, smooth complexion. From ultra-nourishing creams to refreshing water gels, we break down the 15 best face moisturizers for severely dry, moisture-deprived skin available in the U.S. Get ready to say goodbye to tightness, redness and flaking this winter!
When dry air, biting winds and indoor heat collide during frigid months, dry complexions desperately need a hydration savior. We’ve covered everything from drugstore classics with mega-doses of hyaluronic acid to premium creams powered by Japanese superfoods. Consider options packed with ceramides to repair your skin’s moisture barrier along with plant oils and butters that quench parched skin and seal in long-lasting hydration.
Keep reading for in-depth analysis of features and real expert opinions on performance. Discover new products and old favorites plus helpful tips for choosing the right moisturizer texture for your dryness level. From daily lotions to overnight repair creams, we’re recommending the best of the best for depleted, thirsty winter skin. Say bye-bye to dry and hello to supremely soft, smooth skin!
CeraVe Moisturizing Cream is a rich, creamy body and face moisturizer specially formulated to hydrate, restore, and replenish dry skin on the face and body. With three essential ceramides and hyaluronic acid, this moisturizing cream helps restore the protective skin barrier while locking in moisture.
If you have severely dry skin on your face, CeraVe’s best-selling moisturizing cream offers an intensely hydrating option. This extra-strength formula combats extreme dehydration thanks to skin-repairing ceramide technology and ultra-moisturizing hyaluronic acid. It leaves skin supple and smooth without greasy residue. As an added plus, it’s non-irritating for sensitive skin. For nourished, comforted dry skin, it’s a top contender.
Cetaphil Deep Hydration Healthy Glow Daily Face Cream instantly hydrates and brightens dry, sensitive skin for a healthy glow. The lightweight, fast-absorbing formula delivers 48-hour hydration, leaving skin feeling soft, smooth and healthy-looking.
Cetaphil’s oil-free daily face cream provides intense moisture that lasts while adding an enviable lit-from-within radiance. Hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, and B5 replenish dehydrated skin for a supple, smooth texture. The fast-absorbing cream is specially formulated for sensitive types prone to irritation and redness yet craving luminous, glowing skin. For an effortless healthy glow that starts within, it delivers impressively.
This rich, nourishing face cream from e.l.f. SKIN provides instant and lasting hydration. The unique plumping formula contains peptides and hyaluronic acid to hydrate skin, smooth the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and reveal a radiant, healthy-looking complexion.
If your dry skin craves an affordably priced, vegan-friendly hydration boost, e.l.f. SKIN’s moisture-packed face cream fits the bill. Hyaluronic acid and peptides join forces to leave skin looking plumper and dewier. The nourishing formula combats dryness and fine lines for a smooth, radiant complexion—all without the luxury price tag. For cost-conscious consumers seeking hydrated, supple skin, it delivers exceptional value.
This anti-aging night cream from CeraVe helps improve visible signs of aging while restoring your skin’s natural moisture barrier as you sleep. It is formulated with three essential ceramides to repair and strengthen the skin’s protective barrier and comes in a lightweight, fast-absorbing formula.
CeraVe’s renewing night cream works overnight to diminish signs of aging while addressing extreme dryness. With a powerhouse peptide complex, hyaluronic acid for hydration and niacinamide to calm inflammation, skin looks markedly smoother, firmer and more youthful with diligent use. If dry skin is advancing visible aging, this reparative cream tackles lackluster tone and texture head-on while combating dehydration.
This collagen-enriched face cream from SimplyVital nourishes skin with intense hydration to minimize the appearance of wrinkles and improve elasticity. Natural plant extracts and antioxidants join forces to moisturize, lift and recover dry, aging skin.
SimplyVital’s collagen face cream provides lightweight yet supremely effective hydration perfect for dry skin showing signs of aging. As plant extracts and antioxidants hydrate and nourish, the added collagen works to plump skin and minimize wrinkles for a firmer, more youthful appearance. Plus, a little goes a long way, allowing this American-made cream to multitask across your face, neck and chest.
This oil-free gel moisturizer from Neutrogena quenches dry skin with superior hydration using hyaluronic acid, a compound naturally found in skin that attracts and binds moisture. The unique water-gel formula absorbs quickly for a smooth, supple feel.
When your dry skin needs a hard-hitting humectant, Neutrogena’s water-gel face moisturizer saturates skin with intense hydration. Its pure hyaluronic acid composition works wonders to attract and seal in lasting moisture minus grease or pore-clogging ingredients. The breathable gel texture feels weightless while transforming lackluster skin. For a surge of refreshing hydration that disappears into skin, it’s a top drugstore choice.
This restorative face cream from bareMinerals provides rich hydration for dry skin with shea butter, seabuckthorn oil and antioxidant plant extracts. The nutrient-rich formula moisturizes deeply to retain hydration, soothe skin and restore a healthy glow.
Severe dryness meets its hydrating match with bareMinerals’ rich butter face cream. Fortified with skin-loving botanical oils and butters, this nutrient-packed moisturizer drenches distressed skin with soothing, restorative moisture minus clogged pores. Antioxidants fight environmental damage while the non-greasy formula keeps thirsty complexions optimally hydrated. If your moisture barrier needs some TLC, this gentle yet effective formula fits the bill.
Specially formulated for extra dry, sensitive skin, this Cetaphil body moisturizer provides intense, long-lasting hydration without feeling sticky or greasy. The rich, fragrance-free cream restores hydration and smoothness to very dry skin all over the body.
When severely dry skin leaves your body thirsting for hydration, Cetaphil offers heavy-duty relief with this enriched body moisturizer cream. Generously sized for full-body coverage, the smoothing formula fills thirsty skin with a mega-dose of hydration that goes the distance. Non-irritating and non-greasy, it spreads easily and absorbs completely to banish rough, lackluster skin sans stickiness. If you deal with extreme body dryness and sensitivity, it’s an ultra-nourishing solution.
Neutrogena’s Triple Age Repair Moisturizer tackles dry skin concerns while visibly reducing the appearance of wrinkles, dark spots and uneven tone. This anti-aging face cream contains SPF 25 sunscreen along with firming peptides, glycerin, shea butter and vitamin C.
Neutrogena’s multi-tasking moisturizer combines triple the anti-aging actives to treat dry, mature skin. Blending sun protection, moisture-binding humectants and rich emollients, the cream tackles wrinkles, dark spots and loss of firmness associated with chronically dry skin. Meanwhile, peptides and antioxidants restore a smoother, brighter, more youthful complexion. If aging skin craves everyday protection and repair, this overachieving formula is a top drugstore solution.
This luxuriously rich face cream instantly replenishes dry skin with nourishing Japanese botanicals. TATCHA’s unique formula continually releases hydration throughout the day for satiny soft, glowing skin.
When lackluster dry skin needs a moisture and radiance reboot, TATCHA’s Dewy Skin Cream brings nourishing botanicals to the rescue. The unique cream formula unleashes hydration in two phases, drenching skin instantly then continually. Dry, dull skin drinks in replenishing Japanese nutrients leaving a dewy, lit-from-within finish any makeup would love. For a surge of restorative hydration and healthy-looking glow, it’s a luxurious yet effective treat.
This anti-aging moisturizer from Misumi combines retinol, hyaluronic acid and collagen to intensely hydrate dry skin while addressing visible signs of aging like wrinkles and dark spots. The unique day-to-night cream formula smooths, brightens and firms for more youthful-looking skin.
Misumi’s rejuvenating cream tackles lackluster dry skin with wrinkle-fighting retinol plus hydrating hyaluronic acid and skin-plumping collagen. Together these powerhouse ingredients diminish signs of aging, even skin tone, and restore plumpness for more supple, smooth skin. The moisturizing formula works equally well day and night to combat dryness for refreshed, firm and younger-looking skin.
CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion provides oil-free hydration and broad-spectrum SPF 30 sun protection. This daily face moisturizer with zinc oxide and titanium dioxide sunscreens is ideal for dry, sensitive skin needing extra moisture plus sun defense.
CeraVe combined superior hydration with essential sun safety to create this protective AM facial lotion ideal for dry, sensitive skin. The oil-free moisturizer hydrates thirsty skin with ceramides and plumping hyaluronic acid while guarding against sun damage. If your dryness craves daily UV protection plus a moisture boost, it offers an ideal two-step solution to start the day. Plus the non-irritating formula suits even sensitive types prone to inflammation and dryness year-round.
First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream provides intense, long-lasting hydration for the face, body and hands. This rich moisturizer is clinically shown to strengthen the skin barrier while relieving dryness, irritation, eczema-prone skin, redness and itching.
First Aid Beauty crafted this emergency hydration relief cream specifically for severely dry, easily irritated skin. Ultra-nourishing shea butter and colloidal oatmeal join protective ceramides to hydrate skin, calm inflammation and reinforce moisture barriers disrupted by conditions like eczema. Safe for even sensitive types, the cream absorbs quickly to relieve tightness, flaking and discomfort on both face and body. If your dry skin constantly craves relief, it’s an SOS hydrator that goes beyond basic moisture to restore skin’s health.
Olay’s brightening face moisturizer hydrates dry skin while visibly improving uneven skin tone and texture with antioxidant vitamin C and exfoliating amino peptides. This lightweight, fast-absorbing cream hydrates for 24 hours while making skin look brighter and more vibrant.
Olay combined two of the most potent anti-aging ingredients—vitamin C and peptides—to create this daily moisturizer that hydrates dry skin for 24 hours while restoring a smoother, more even and radiant complexion. As the vitamins and peptides get to work exfoliating and fighting discoloration, skin looks refreshed, toned and luminous. For lightweight hydration plus a youth-restoring glow, it outperforms pricier department store brands.
This ultra-gentle facial cream from Korean skincare brand ETUDE House provides soothing relief for extremely sensitive, irritated dry skin. The panthenol and shea-butter enriched formula restores essential hydration and reinforces the skin’s moisture barrier.
When your dry, sensitive skin requires an extra-mild moisturizer, ETUDE House has created the perfect nourishing cream. This soothing facial moisturizer comforts easily irritated skin with gentle botanicals and repairs your protective barrier with moisture-binding panthenol and shea butter. Absorbing quickly and lightly to restore essential hydration minus irritation, it allows even highly sensitive complexions to reclaim soft, comfortable skin. For a sensitive skin-savvy solution, it delivers.
Product | Key Ingredients | Skin Types |
---|---|---|
CeraVe Moisturizing Cream | Ceramides, hyaluronic acid | Very dry |
Cetaphil Healthy Glow Cream | Hyaluronic acid, vitamins | Sensitive, dry |
e.l.f. Holy Hydration Cream | Hyaluronic acid, peptides | Dry, normal |
CeraVe Night Cream | Niacinamide, peptides | Very dry, mature |
Simply Vital Collagen Cream | Collagen, antioxidants | Dry, mature |
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel | Hyaluronic acid | Dry, oily |
bareMinerals Butter Cream | Shea butter, seabuckthorn | Very dry |
Cetaphil Body Lotion | Emollients | Extremely dry body |
Neutrogena Age Repair Cream | Peptides, shea butter | Dry, aging |
Tatcha Dewy Skin Cream | Japanese botanicals | Dry to very dry |
Misumi Retinol Cream | Retinol, hyaluronic acid | Dry, aging |
CeraVe AM Facial Lotion | Ceramides, hyaluronic acid | Dry, sensitive |
First Aid Beauty Cream | Colloidal oatmeal | Severely dry |
Olay Vitamin C Cream | Vitamin C, peptides | Dry, aging |
ETUDE House Barrier Cream | Panthenol, shea butter | Sensitive, dry |
When selecting an optimal face moisturizer for dry skin, focus on ultra-hydrating ingredients and rich textures. Key ingredients like hyaluronic acid, plant oils, shea butter and ceramides excel at attracting moisture to skin and sealing it in. Prioritize alcohol-free, fragrance-free and oil-free formulas if your dry skin tends to react or clog pores. Look for moisturizers tested on sensitive skin that absorb well without greasy residue. As an added bonus, choose creams with antioxidants to combat environmental damage and anti-aging actives like retinol or vitamin C to target wrinkles and dullness while hydrating.
Lotions: Typically the lightest moisturizer texture, lotions contain high amounts of water and absorb quickly to deliver hydration to the top surface layers of skin. For mild dry skin needing a moisture refresh, lotions suit daily use.
Creams: Thicker than lotions with more lipid content, creams penetrate deeply to nourish dry skin. They contain humectant ingredients that pull moisture into skin and emollients that seal it in. Creams suit dry to very dry skin needing richer hydration.
Ointments: Extremely thick and occlusive, ointment moisturizers provide the highest level of hydration by forming a protective barrier on skin’s surface to seal in moisture. The richest form best for severely dry, flaking skin.
Gels: Light, easily absorbing gels deliver an intense dose of hydration. Gels with hyaluronic acid rapidly hydrate skin. The refreshing texture won’t clog pores, making them ideal for dry, acne-prone skin.
For severely parched skin needing intense hydration, some top options include CeraVe Moisturizing Cream with skin barrier-repairing ceramides, First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream with colloidal oatmeal and shea butter to soothe extra dryness, Cetaphil’s Deep Hydration Body Cream that lasts a full 24 hours, and BareMinerals Butter Drench Cream fortified with ultra-rich emollients like shea butter and seabuckthorn oil. These extra-nourishing moisturizers provide superior hydration results for the very driest skin needing long-lasting relief.
Your face will feel hydrated, smooth and soft all day without getting extra oily or dry. Well-moisturized skin looks brighter, less dull and feels comfortably nourished without pulling, peeling or flaking.
Apply moisturizer immediately after cleansing while skin is still damp. Patting moisturizer onto damp skin seals hydration into the skin’s surface. Combining moisture left from washing with the occlusive layer of a moisturizer keeps complexions optimally hydrated.
Yes. All skin needs hydration and using a moisturizer formulated for oily, acne-prone skin can still improve texture, brighten dullness and reduce oil production over time. Look for oil-free gel moisturizers with ingredients like hyaluronic acid to hydrate without clogging pores.
Yes, as part of a complete routine. Use moisturizer after cleansing and toning both morning and evening. Opt for a moisturizer containing SPF in the AM to protect from sunlight and one with extra nutrients before bed. Consistently moisturizing day and night keeps complexions hydrated around the clock.
The best moisturizing ingredients include ceramides, plant oils, shea butter, hyaluronic acid, glycerin, glycerol, dimethicone, urea, panthenol and nourishing vitamins like vitamin E. These hydrating ingredients excel at reinforcing the skin’s moisture barrier, drawing moisture to skin, sealing it in, and protecting against moisture loss.
With so many exceptional moisturizers available specifically formulated for dry complexions, you can readily relieve tightness, irritation flakes and dullness. Consistently caring for your skin with nurturing ingredients delivers real results. Ceramides repair the skin barrier; hyaluronic acid attracts a surge of moisture; and emollient plant oils and butters provide lasting hydration exactly when and where your skin needs it most.
Discover renewed soft, smooth skin this season with our top anti-dryness moisturizer picks for the face. Breathe new life into lackluster winter skin and take your complexion from depleted to dewy!
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