The 13 Dermatologist-Approved Moisturizers That Your Dry Skin Will Love

Shopping for the best moisturizer for dry skin can make you feel like Goldilocks browsing through the porridge aisle: There are plenty of options, but very few feel just right. You might think people with dry skin types would have an easy time finding a quality face moisturizer that works for them, considering how important moisturizer is to preventing crucial water loss, and thus keeping their skin happy and healthy. In reality, moisturizing is an important step in everyone’s skin-care routine, and selecting a suitable product for dry skin can be just as challenging as finding a decent moisturizer for acne-prone skin or sensitive skin.

Chief among these challenges is finding the right moisturizer that’s nourishing, hydrating, and soothing—but not greasy. Even the flakiest, thirstiest skin shouldn’t feel like an oil slick after applying a moisturizer. Beyond that, just how dry your skin is, exactly, will also play an important role in which moisturizer ends up feeling good. For example, while people with extremely dry skin may benefit from using a thick cream, those with combination skin (where some parts of the face are dry but other parts are oily or prone to breakouts) would probably prefer something that’s a little more lightweight but still very hydrating. 

Even though shopping for effective skin-care products can be difficult, rest assured it isn’t impossible—especially when you can follow expert advice. Here, we’ve highlighted a range of products that dermatologists and SELF Healthy Beauty Award testers consider to be the best moisturizer for dry skin, including drugstore favorites from Cetaphil and CeraVe as well as higher-end options from Drunk Elephant and SkinCeuticals.

All products featured on SELF are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.