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Most people experience dry skin at some point, and it can be a pretty complicated thing to solve. But the best moisturizers for dry skin are an important part of keeping dry complexions moist, and hopefully reinforcing the moisture barrier so it can stay hydrated longer.
Dry skin often brings sensitivity, redness, and flaking with it. That’s where a good moisturizer (and a little bit of knowledge) comes in. Although any moisturizer is better than no moisturizer at all, enriched formulas packed with ingredients like hyaluronic acid, ceramides, antioxidants, and emollients can be the difference between long-term results and short-term relief. These ingredients — many of which are found in the six heavy-duty hydrating moisturizers listed below — help repair your skin’s ability to hold moisture, smooth out flaking and rough patches, and even calm redness.
And don't forget, in order to keep your skin feeling the way it does after you moisturize — which should be fresh, vibrant, and restored — you should do your best to avoid the things that may be causing your dry skin in the first place. For example, limit your use of exfoliants to once or twice a week, wear sunscreen everyday, avoid soapy cleansers and alcohol-laden toners, or even add a humidifier to your desk or bedside table.
1
An Oil-Free Gel-Cream That Lasts For 24 Hours
Clinique’s Moisture Surge Intense Skin Hydrator, $33, Amazon
With Clinique’s Moisture Surge Intense Skin Hydrator, your skin will feel instantly smoother and your makeup will apply more evenly. Also, because it's easily absorbed and lasts all day, environmental irritants will be kept out and moisture will be sealed in.
2
A Soothing, Hypoallergenic Cream With Ceramides And Thermal Water
Avene Eau Thermale Avène Rich Compensating Cream, $35, Amazon
A French cult-favorite for sensitive skin, Avene’s Eau Thermale Avène Rich Compensating Cream is a super gentle formula made with their patented hydrating thermal water and ceramides — a lipid that restores moisture and strengthens the skin’s natural barrier to reduce damage and dryness.
3
A Shea Butter-Infused Repairing Cream with Colloidal Oatmeal
First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream Intense Hydration, $26, Amazon
The whipped texture of First Aid Beauty’s Ultra Repair Cream Intense Hydration makes it less greasy, sure, but it’s just as heavy-duty when it comes to replenishing moisture. It instantly relieves redness and flaking with colloidal oatmeal and shea butter and protects skin with the help of licorice root and white tea extracts — both of which are powerful antioxidants.
4
A Fast-Absorbing Glycerin Cream That Locks In Moisture
Yu-Be Moisturizing Skin Cream, $25, Amazon
Invented in Japan, Yu-Be Moisturizing Skin Cream is a revolutionary product that uses a high glycerin content to attract and seal in moisture while it heals and smoothes seriously dry skin with the help of vitamin E, vitamin B2, and camphor ,so it’s instantly soft-to-touch and flake-free.
5
A Reconstructive Multi-Purpose Balm Made For Speedy Healing
La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 Multi-Purpose Balm, $15, Amazon
If you’re skin is sensitive, red, and dry La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 Multi-Purpose Balm is an inexpensive quick fix that can soothe even the most irritated skin. Cicaplast, after all, is a combination of ingredients created by La Roche-Posay to aid the reconstruction of skin after minor dermatological procedures. And it even has a non-sticky, matte finish.
6
A Powerful, Eco-Friendly Cream Formulated With Rosehip Oil And Kombucha
MyChelle Deep Repair Cream, $20, Amazon
Like all the brand's products, MyChelle’s Deep Repair Cream is ethically-sourced, natural, and sustainable. It also contains powerful vegan ingredients that deeply nourish and repair dry skin like fermented black tea, which improves the skin's smoothness and texture, and rosehip oil, which has nourishing fatty acids that hydrate dry, itchy complexions.
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