Avina PicksThe Best Face Moisturizers
Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer is our pick for most faces: a short list with ceramides and nothing to scent it. For dry skin, CeraVe Moisturizing Cream; for oily skin, La Roche-Posay's Double Repair Matte.
Our top picks
Best overallVanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer
Best face moisturizer for dry skinCeraVe Moisturizing Cream
Best face moisturizer for normal and combination skinLa Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer
Best face moisturizer for oily skinLa Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Matte Moisturizer
Best lightweight face moisturizerCeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion
Best gel moisturizerNeutrogena Hydro Boost Gel Cream, Fragrance Free
Best Korean moisturizerAestura Atobarrier365 Cream
Best budget face moisturizerCetaphil Moisturizing Cream
The short answer
- The best face moisturizer for most people is Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer: short, fragrance-free, with ceramides.
- For dry skin, CeraVe Moisturizing Cream; for oily skin, La Roche-Posay Double Repair Matte.
- On a budget, Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream; for a Korean barrier cream, Aestura Atobarrier365.
- Buy fragrance-free, not unscented, and apply it to damp skin twice a day.
- Every pick lists no fragrance and no scented extracts.
How we chose: we read the ingredient lists of the 2,793 face moisturizers in Avina’s catalog and the ones review sites and Reddit users recommend most, then compared the finalists line by line. We did not test them on skin. Our method
of face moisturizers in Avina’s catalog list added fragrance. Only 19% list a ceramide, and 3% petrolatum. None of our picks lists fragrance.
Every pick, side by side
| Pick | Barrier lipids | Oils and occlusives | Added fragrance | Drying alcohol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vanicream Daily Facial MoisturizerBest overall | ceramides (9th) | squalane (2nd) | None listed | None listed |
| CeraVe Moisturizing CreamBest face moisturizer for dry skin | ceramides (9th), cholesterol (17th) and phytosphingosine (22nd) | petrolatum (7th) and dimethicone (13th) | None listed | None listed |
| La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face MoisturizerBest face moisturizer for normal and combination skin | ceramides (10th) | squalane (3rd) and dimethicone (4th) | None listed | None listed |
| La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Matte MoisturizerBest face moisturizer for oily skin | ceramides (8th) | None listed | None listed | None listed |
| CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing LotionBest lightweight face moisturizer | ceramides (7th), cholesterol (16th) and phytosphingosine (21st) | dimethicone (11th) | None listed | None listed |
| Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel Cream, Fragrance FreeBest gel moisturizer | None listed | dimethicone (3rd) | None listed | None listed |
| Aestura Atobarrier365 CreamBest Korean moisturizer | cholesterol (19th), ceramides (25th) and phytosphingosine (38th) | squalane (6th) and dimethicone (10th) | None listed | None listed |
| Cetaphil Moisturizing CreamBest budget face moisturizer | None listed | petrolatum (3rd) and dimethicone (5th) | None listed | None listed |
The best face moisturizer for your skin type
- Dry skin: A cream, not a lotion, with petrolatum, glycerin or shea butter: CeraVe Moisturizing Cream or Cetaphil.
- Oily skin: A light gel-cream with oil absorbers: La Roche-Posay Double Repair Matte.
- Combination skin: A light cream, and a little more on dry patches: Toleriane Double Repair or Hydro Boost Gel Cream.
- Sensitive skin: The shortest fragrance-free list you can find: Vanicream.
- Acne-prone skin: A lotion without heavy oils: CeraVe PM.
Best overall: Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer
19 ingredients: squalane and glycerin at the top, hyaluronic acid, and five ceramides. No fragrance, no drying alcohol and no exfoliating acid.
- Barrier lipids
- No added fragrance
- No drying alcohol
Label facts for Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer
- Barrier lipids
- Ceramides 9th
- Humectants
- Glycerin 3rd and hyaluronic acid 8th
- Oils and occlusives
- Squalane 2nd
- Added fragrance
- None listed
- Drying alcohol
- None listed
- Supporting
- Ceramides, glycerin, squalane and hyaluronic acid
Read from the label on September 30, 2026. Labels list ingredients by amount down to 1%, then in any order, so a position is not a percentage. Formulas change; check your box.
Good for: Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer
- Normal, combination and sensitive skin
- Morning and night, under sunscreen or a retinoid
- Anyone who reacts to long, scented lists
Skip it if: Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer
- Very dry skin in winter: pair it with, or swap to, a richer cream
- You want added actives like niacinamide
Why we picked it: Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer
A good daily moisturizer does three jobs: it draws water into the skin, softens it, and keeps the water from evaporating, which reviews of moisturizers call humectants, emollients and occlusives (Purnamawati 2017). This short list leans on humectants and emollients: squalane 2nd of 19, glycerin 3rd of 19, hyaluronic acid 8th of 19, and ceramides from the 9th place.
Nothing on it is there to scent it, which is what the American Academy of Dermatology asks for: products labeled fragrance-free, since “unscented” ones can hide odors with other chemicals. It is also Wirecutter’s pick for normal and sensitive skin (September 2026), and in a Reddit moisturizer thread the top answer recommends Vanicream’s richer cream.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer
- Plain: no niacinamide or antioxidants.
- Not rich enough on its own for very dry skin in winter.
Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer ingredients (full list of 19, key ingredients marked)
water, squalane, glycerin, pentylene glycol, polyglyceryl-2 stearate, glyceryl stearate, stearyl alcohol, hyaluronic acid, ceramide EOP, ceramide NG, ceramide NP, ceramide AS, ceramide AP, carnosine, hydrogenated lecithin, phytosterols, caprylyl glycol, polyacrylate crosspolymer-11, 1,2-hexanediol
As listed in Avina’s catalog on September 30, 2026. The list printed on your box is the one that counts.
Best face moisturizer for dry skin: CeraVe Moisturizing Cream
A rich cream with glycerin second, petrolatum 7th of 24, three ceramides, cholesterol and hyaluronic acid. No fragrance and no drying alcohol.
- Barrier lipids
- No added fragrance
- No drying alcohol
Label facts for CeraVe Moisturizing Cream
- Barrier lipids
- Ceramides 9th, cholesterol 17th and phytosphingosine 22nd
- Humectants
- Glycerin 2nd and hyaluronic acid 16th
- Oils and occlusives
- Petrolatum 7th and dimethicone 13th
- Added fragrance
- None listed
- Drying alcohol
- None listed
- Supporting
- Ceramides, glycerin, cholesterol, hyaluronic acid and vitamin E
Read from the label on September 30, 2026. Labels list ingredients by amount down to 1%, then in any order, so a position is not a percentage. Formulas change; check your box.
Good for: CeraVe Moisturizing Cream
- Dry and very dry skin
- Face and body from one tub
- Winter, and nights after a retinoid
Skip it if: CeraVe Moisturizing Cream
- Oily skin
- You dislike a thick, occlusive feel
Why we picked it: CeraVe Moisturizing Cream
The AAD says creams and ointments work better than lotions for dry skin, and lists petrolatum, glycerin, dimethicone and hyaluronic acid among the ingredients to look for. This cream has all four. Petrolatum, among the most effective occlusives (Sethi 2016), keeps water in; glycerin and hyaluronic acid draw it in.
It also carries the barrier lipids: ceramides NP, AP and EOP from the 9th place, cholesterol and phytosphingosine. In a classic barrier-repair study, ceramides worked best together with cholesterol and fatty acids rather than alone.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: CeraVe Moisturizing Cream
- Heavy for daytime under makeup.
- Petrolatum can feel greasy on the face.
CeraVe Moisturizing Cream ingredients (full list of 24, key ingredients marked)
AQUA / WATER / EAU, GLYCERIN, CETEARYL ALCOHOL, CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE, CETYL ALCOHOL, CETEARETH-20, PETROLATUM, POTASSIUM PHOSPHATE, CERAMIDE NP, CERAMIDE AP, CERAMIDE EOP, CARBOMER, DIMETHICONE, BEHENTRIMONIUM METHOSULFATE, SODIUM LAUROYL LACTYLATE, SODIUM HYALURONATE, CHOLESTEROL, PHENOXYETHANOL, DISODIUM EDTA, DIPOTASSIUM PHOSPHATE, TOCOPHEROL, PHYTOSPHINGOSINE, XANTHAN GUM, ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN
As listed in Avina’s catalog on September 30, 2026. The list printed on your box is the one that counts.
Best face moisturizer for normal and combination skin: La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer
Glycerin, squalane and dimethicone at the top, niacinamide 6th of 18, a ceramide and three fatty acids. No fragrance and no drying alcohol, on a short list.
- Barrier lipids
- No added fragrance
- No drying alcohol
Label facts for La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer
- Barrier lipids
- Ceramide 10th
- Humectants
- Glycerin 2nd
- Oils and occlusives
- Squalane 3rd and dimethicone 4th
- Added fragrance
- None listed
- Drying alcohol
- None listed
- Supporting
- Ceramides, niacinamide, glycerin, squalane and fatty acids
Read from the label on September 30, 2026. Labels list ingredients by amount down to 1%, then in any order, so a position is not a percentage. Formulas change; check your box.
Good for: La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer
- Normal and combination skin
- A light cream for day
- Skin that wants niacinamide without a serum
Skip it if: La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer
- Very dry skin
- Niacinamide bothers you
Why we picked it: La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer
A short, fragrance-free list with ceramide NP and three fatty acids (stearic, myristic and palmitic), though no cholesterol, the third lipid the barrier research pairs them with. Niacinamide, 6th of 18, raised ceramide production in skin cells and lowered water loss in dry skin in lab and skin tests. Allure and Byrdie both rank it near the top (September 2026).
Flaws but not dealbreakers: La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer
- One ceramide and no cholesterol.
- No hyaluronic acid on this version of the list.
La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer ingredients (full list of 18, key ingredients marked)
Aqua / Water / Eau, Glycerin, Squalane, Dimethicone, Zea Mays Starch / Corn Starch, Niacinamide, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Myristyl Myristate, Stearic Acid, Ceramide Np, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Sodium Hydroxide, Myristic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Capryloyl Glycine, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum
As listed in Avina’s catalog on September 30, 2026. The list printed on your box is the one that counts.
Best face moisturizer for oily skin: La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Matte Moisturizer
A 16-ingredient gel-cream with silica and starch to soak up oil, niacinamide 5th of 16, a ceramide and hyaluronic acid. No fragrance and no drying alcohol.
- Barrier lipids
- No added fragrance
- No drying alcohol
Label facts for La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Matte Moisturizer
- Barrier lipids
- Ceramide 8th
- Humectants
- Glycerin 2nd and hyaluronic acid 11th
- Oils and occlusives
- None listed
- Added fragrance
- None listed
- Drying alcohol
- None listed
- Supporting
- Ceramides, niacinamide, glycerin and hyaluronic acid
Read from the label on September 30, 2026. Labels list ingredients by amount down to 1%, then in any order, so a position is not a percentage. Formulas change; check your box.
Good for: La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Matte Moisturizer
- Oily and acne-prone skin
- Shine control under makeup
- Hot, humid weather
Skip it if: La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Matte Moisturizer
- Dry skin
- You want a dewy finish
Why we picked it: La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Matte Moisturizer
Oily skin still needs a moisturizer, just not a greasy one. This list swaps heavy occlusives for silica, corn starch and perlite, which absorb oil, and keeps the helpers: glycerin, niacinamide and ceramide NP. Niacinamide at 2% lowered oil in a study in Japan and the US. It is Wirecutter’s pick for oily skin (September 2026).
Flaws but not dealbreakers: La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Matte Moisturizer
- Not enough on its own for dry patches.
- One ceramide and no cholesterol.
La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Matte Moisturizer ingredients (full list of 16, key ingredients marked)
Aqua / Water / Eau, Glycerin, Silica, Betaine, Niacinamide, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Zea Mays Starch / Corn Starch, Ceramide Np, Carbomer, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Perlite, Hydroxyacetophenone, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum
As listed in Avina’s catalog on September 30, 2026. The list printed on your box is the one that counts.
Best lightweight face moisturizer: CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion
A lotion with niacinamide 4th of 24, three ceramides, cholesterol and hyaluronic acid, fragrance-free and without petrolatum. A drugstore pick for acne-prone and combination skin.
- Barrier lipids
- No added fragrance
- No drying alcohol
Label facts for CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion
- Barrier lipids
- Ceramides 7th, cholesterol 16th and phytosphingosine 21st
- Humectants
- Glycerin 2nd and hyaluronic acid 15th
- Oils and occlusives
- Dimethicone 11th
- Added fragrance
- None listed
- Drying alcohol
- None listed
- Supporting
- Ceramides, niacinamide, glycerin, cholesterol and hyaluronic acid
Read from the label on September 30, 2026. Labels list ingredients by amount down to 1%, then in any order, so a position is not a percentage. Formulas change; check your box.
Good for: CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion
- Acne-prone and combination skin
- Nights, including after a retinoid
- Drugstore shopping
Skip it if: CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion
- Very dry skin
- Niacinamide bothers you
Why we picked it: CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion
CeraVe’s barrier kit in a lighter lotion, with no petrolatum and with niacinamide added: glycerin second, niacinamide 4th of 24, then ceramides NP, AP and EOP, cholesterol and phytosphingosine. No fragrance, no drying alcohol and no exfoliating acid. Despite the name, you can use it in the morning too, under sunscreen.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion
- Too light alone for dry skin.
- No SPF: add sunscreen in the morning.
CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion ingredients (full list of 24, key ingredients marked)
AQUA / WATER / EAU, GLYCERIN, CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE, NIACINAMIDE, CETEARYL ALCOHOL, POTASSIUM PHOSPHATE, CERAMIDE NP, CERAMIDE AP, CERAMIDE EOP, CARBOMER, DIMETHICONE, CETEARETH-20, BEHENTRIMONIUM METHOSULFATE, SODIUM LAUROYL LACTYLATE, SODIUM HYALURONATE, CHOLESTEROL, PHENOXYETHANOL, DISODIUM EDTA, DIPOTASSIUM PHOSPHATE, CAPRYLYL GLYCOL, PHYTOSPHINGOSINE, XANTHAN GUM, POLYGLYCERYL-3 DIISOSTEARATE, ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN
As listed in Avina’s catalog on September 30, 2026. The list printed on your box is the one that counts.
Best gel moisturizer: Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel Cream, Fragrance Free
Glycerin, dimethicone and sodium hyaluronate 6th of 34, with amino acids, sodium PCA and urea, humectants like the skin's own. No fragrance and no drying alcohol.
- No ceramides
- No added fragrance
- No drying alcohol
Label facts for Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel Cream, Fragrance Free
- Barrier lipids
- None listed
- Humectants
- Glycerin 2nd, hyaluronic acid 6th and urea 18th
- Oils and occlusives
- Dimethicone 3rd
- Added fragrance
- None listed
- Drying alcohol
- None listed
- Supporting
- Glycerin, allantoin and hyaluronic acid
Read from the label on September 30, 2026. Labels list ingredients by amount down to 1%, then in any order, so a position is not a percentage. Formulas change; check your box.
Good for: Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel Cream, Fragrance Free
- Combination and dehydrated skin
- A bouncy gel that sinks in fast
- Layering under sunscreen
Skip it if: Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel Cream, Fragrance Free
- You want barrier lipids like ceramides
- Very dry skin
Why we picked it: Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel Cream, Fragrance Free
The label is built for water: glycerin second, dimethicone to hold it, sodium hyaluronate 6th of 34, then a run of amino acids, sodium PCA and urea, the kinds of humectants skin makes itself. Buy this fragrance-free Gel Cream, not the Water Gel: the Water Gel lists fragrance.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel Cream, Fragrance Free
- No ceramides or cholesterol.
- Easy to buy the scented Water Gel by mistake.
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel Cream, Fragrance Free ingredients (full list of 34, key ingredients marked)
Water, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Serine, Glycine, Alanine, Threonine, Arginine, Proline, Lysine Hci, Glutamic Acid, Sodium Pca, Pca, Sodium Lactate, Urea, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid, Betaine, Allantoin, Fructose, Maltose, Trehalose, Glucose, Pentylene Glycol, Synthetic Beeswax, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dimethiconol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide
As listed in Avina’s catalog on September 30, 2026. The list printed on your box is the one that counts.
Best Korean moisturizer: Aestura Atobarrier365 Cream
A barrier cream with cholesterol, ceramide NP, fatty acids and a ceramide-like lipid, plus squalane and niacinamide. No fragrance and no drying alcohol.
- Barrier lipids
- No added fragrance
- No drying alcohol
Label facts for Aestura Atobarrier365 Cream
- Barrier lipids
- Cholesterol 19th, ceramide 25th and phytosphingosine 38th
- Humectants
- Glycerin 3rd
- Oils and occlusives
- Squalane 6th and dimethicone 10th
- Added fragrance
- None listed
- Drying alcohol
- None listed
- Supporting
- Ceramides, niacinamide, glycerin, squalane, allantoin and cholesterol
Read from the label on September 30, 2026. Labels list ingredients by amount down to 1%, then in any order, so a position is not a percentage. Formulas change; check your box.
Good for: Aestura Atobarrier365 Cream
- Dry and sensitive skin
- Barrier repair after retinoids or acids
- K-beauty fans
Skip it if: Aestura Atobarrier365 Cream
- You react to long lists: this one has 42
- Oily skin
Why we picked it: Aestura Atobarrier365 Cream
This Korean cream is the most complete barrier formula here: cholesterol 19th of 42, ceramide NP, phytosphingosine, stearic and palmitic acids, and hydroxypropyl bispalmitamide MEA, a lab-made lipid that works like a ceramide. That covers the three lipid families the barrier-repair research says work together. Allure and Byrdie both rank it at or near the top (September 2026).
Flaws but not dealbreakers: Aestura Atobarrier365 Cream
- A long list: 42 ingredients.
- Pricier than the drugstore picks.
Aestura Atobarrier365 Cream ingredients (full list of 42, key ingredients marked)
Water / Aqua / Eau, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Squalane, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Behenyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Hydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide Mea, Stearic Acid, Betaine, Mannitol, C14-22 Alcohols, Palmitic Acid, Hydroxypropyl Bislauramide Mea, Arachidyl Alcohol, Cholesterol, Polyacrylate-13, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Allantoin, Arachidyl Glucoside, Niacinamide, Ceramide Np, Glyceryl Caprylate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Dimethiconol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Acrylates/Ammonium Methacrylate Copolymer, Sorbitan Isostearate, Silica, Phytosphingosine, Sphingolipids, Arachidic Acid, Tocopherol, Oleic Acid
As listed in Avina’s catalog on September 30, 2026. The list printed on your box is the one that counts.
Best budget face moisturizer: Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream
Glycerin second and petrolatum 3rd of 23, with dimethicone, panthenol and niacinamide, for very little. No fragrance, no drying alcohol and no exfoliating acid.
- No ceramides
- No added fragrance
- No drying alcohol
Label facts for Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream
- Barrier lipids
- None listed
- Humectants
- Glycerin 2nd and panthenol 10th
- Oils and occlusives
- Petrolatum 3rd and dimethicone 5th
- Added fragrance
- None listed
- Drying alcohol
- None listed
- Supporting
- Niacinamide, glycerin, panthenol and vitamin E
Read from the label on September 30, 2026. Labels list ingredients by amount down to 1%, then in any order, so a position is not a percentage. Formulas change; check your box.
Good for: Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream
- Dry and very dry skin on a budget
- Face and body
- Cracked, windburned skin
Skip it if: Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream
- Oily skin
- Tree-nut allergy: it lists sweet almond oil
Why we picked it: Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream
The simplest rich cream: glycerin to draw water in, petrolatum and dimethicone to hold it, sunflower and sweet almond oils to soften, panthenol and niacinamide to soothe. It lacks ceramides, but for dry skin on a budget the AAD's checklist is covered: a fragrance-free cream with petrolatum, glycerin and dimethicone.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream
- No ceramides.
- Thick for the face in summer.
Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream ingredients (full list of 23, key ingredients marked)
Water, Glycerin, Petrolatum, Dicaprylyl Ether, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Peg-30 Stearate, Panthenol, Niacinamide, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Pantolactone, Dimethiconol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Carbomer, Propylene Glycol, Disodium Edta, Benzyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid
As listed in Avina’s catalog on September 30, 2026. The list printed on your box is the one that counts.
How a moisturizer works: humectants, emollients and occlusives
Every good moisturizer combines three kinds of ingredients, as reviews of the research describe them (Purnamawati 2017, Sethi 2016):
- Humectants draw water into the skin: glycerin, hyaluronic acid, urea, panthenol. Glycerin is among the best studied (Fluhr 2008).
- Emollients smooth and soften: squalane, plant oils, fatty alcohols.
- Occlusives slow water loss: petrolatum is the strongest, with dimethicone and mineral oil lighter.
Barrier lipids sit alongside them. Ceramides, cholesterol and fatty acids are what the skin’s own barrier is made of, and they repair it best together (Man 1996). Niacinamide helps the skin make more ceramides of its own (Tanno 2000); see our niacinamide picks.
How to use a face moisturizer
- Right after washing, while your skin is still damp, as the AAD advises.
- After serums, such as a hyaluronic acid serum, which needs a moisturizer on top.
- Before sunscreen in the morning.
- At least twice a day, and more often on dry patches, as the AAD suggests for dry skin.
What to check on a moisturizer label: five things
- Fragrance-free, not unscented. The AAD warns that “unscented” products can contain chemicals that hide odors. 37% of the face moisturizers in our catalog list fragrance.
- A humectant near the top. Glycerin or hyaluronic acid in the first few entries draws water in.
- Something to hold the water in. Petrolatum, dimethicone, mineral oil or shea butter for dry skin; lighter oils for oily skin.
- Barrier lipids for dry or sensitive skin. Ceramides, cholesterol and fatty acids work best together (Man 1996). Only 533 of 2793 face moisturizers in our catalog list a ceramide.
- No alcohol denat. near the top. In the first five ingredients it is there in a real amount, and it works against a moisturizer.
How we picked, and why you can trust it
We started from the face moisturizers in Avina’s catalog, added the ones Wirecutter, Allure, Byrdie and Reddit users recommend most, and read each label: humectants, emollients and occlusives, barrier lipids, fragrance and scented extracts, drying alcohol and exfoliating acids. We kept only formulas with no fragrance and no scented extracts, then chose one for each skin type, checking every claim against the AAD and the studies linked below.
- Every fact on a product card is read from its label and generated from it, not typed by hand.
- Every health claim links to its source, such as the AAD, the FDA, a Drug Facts label or a published study.
- No brand pays, sends free products or buys ads to be on a list, and commission never decides a pick.
- We did not test these on skin or run a panel, and we say so on every post.
Our full method explains what we check and why.
Also considered
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel
The Hydro Boost many lists recommend is often this Water Gel, which lists fragrance (17th of 20). Buy the fragrance-free Gel Cream above.
Tatcha The Water Cream
A cult favorite, but fragrance is listed 27th of 29.
Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré
A cult cream with mineral oil second, but fragrance is listed last of 18.
First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream
Colloidal oat, a ceramide and shea butter, but the list includes eucalyptus globulus leaf oil.
Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin Skin Barrier Moisturizing Cream
Ceramides, cholesterol and shea butter, but the list includes pelargonium graveolens flower oil, citrus aurantium bergamia fruit oil and citronellol.
Byoma Moisturizing Gel Cream
A ceramide, cholesterol and phytosphingosine together from the 7th place, but also lactic acid, an exfoliant we leave out of a daily moisturizer for sensitive skin.
Rhode Barrier Restore Cream
Shea butter, niacinamide and squalane, fragrance-free: a good cream, without the ceramides our picks list.
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream
Glycerin second and squalane, fragrance-free, with salicylic acid on the list.
Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream
Peptides and glycerin, fragrance-free, on a long list of 58 ingredients.
Questions people ask
What is the best face moisturizer?
Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer for most faces: 19 ingredients, with squalane, glycerin, hyaluronic acid and ceramides, and nothing to scent it. For dry skin, CeraVe Moisturizing Cream; for oily skin, La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Matte Moisturizer.
What is the #1 dermatologist-recommended face moisturizer?
There is no official number one: the American Academy of Dermatology does not rank brands. It advises a fragrance-free product, a cream or ointment for dry skin, and ingredients like petrolatum, glycerin, dimethicone and hyaluronic acid. Our picks were chosen by reading labels against that advice; no dermatologist reviewed them.
What is the best face moisturizer for dry skin?
CeraVe Moisturizing Cream: glycerin, petrolatum, ceramides and cholesterol, and no fragrance. The AAD says creams and ointments work better than lotions for dry skin. On a budget, Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream.
What is the best face moisturizer for oily skin?
La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Matte Moisturizer: silica and starch to absorb oil, niacinamide and a ceramide, and no fragrance. Oily skin still needs moisture; skipping it does not make skin less oily.
What is the best face moisturizer for sensitive skin?
Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer. A short, fragrance-free list gives your skin fewer things to react to, and the AAD recommends products labeled fragrance-free.
What is the best face moisturizer for acne-prone skin?
CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion: a light lotion with niacinamide and ceramides, and no petrolatum or fragrance. If you use acne treatments that dry the skin, a moisturizer makes them easier to keep using.
Should I use a face moisturizer with SPF?
It works if it is broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher and you apply enough. Our picks have no SPF, so add a separate sunscreen in the morning; the AAD recommends broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher every day.
When should I apply moisturizer?
Right after washing, while your skin is still slightly damp, as the AAD advises, and at least twice a day; for dry skin the AAD suggests several times a day. In the morning, moisturizer goes before sunscreen; at night, after any serum or retinoid.
Are expensive moisturizers better?
Not by what the label shows. The ingredients that do the work, like glycerin, petrolatum, dimethicone, ceramides and niacinamide, are in drugstore creams. Price often buys texture, packaging and fragrance rather than different working ingredients.
Is petrolatum bad for your face?
No. It is one of the ingredients the AAD lists for dry skin, and it is a very effective occlusive. Some people find it too heavy for the face, especially oily skin.
Sources
- American Academy of Dermatology: Dermatologists' top tips for relieving dry skin
- Purnamawati et al.: The role of moisturizers in addressing various kinds of dermatitis, a review, Clinical Medicine & Research (2017)
- Sethi et al.: Moisturizers: the slippery road, Indian Journal of Dermatology (2016)
- Man et al.: Optimization of physiological lipid mixtures for barrier repair, Journal of Investigative Dermatology (1996)
- Tanno et al. (Kanebo): Nicotinamide increases biosynthesis of ceramides and other stratum corneum lipids to improve the epidermal permeability barrier, British Journal of Dermatology (2000)
- Draelos et al.: The effect of 2% niacinamide on facial sebum production, Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy (2006)
- Fluhr et al.: Glycerol and the skin: holistic approach to its origin and functions, British Journal of Dermatology (2008)
- FDA: Fragrances in cosmetics
- 21 CFR 701.3: order of ingredients on cosmetic labels (the 1% rule)
- Reddit, r/SkincareAddiction: "Best moisturizer or lotion for face?" (2026)
Written by Avina Picks. Not clinically reviewed, and not a treatment plan: ask a dermatologist about a skin condition, a prescription, pregnancy or breastfeeding.
The best moisturizer is the one you use twice a day
Avina keeps your morning and evening routines with your real products and records the days you did them, so you can judge a new moisturizer on real use. It is the same catalog every label on this page was read from.
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