Moisturizer is the foundation of a solid skincare routine. Without it, your daily regimen is less than adequate. Keeping your skin well-hydrated and properly moisturized is the key to keeping it looking youthful, wrinkle-free and healthy long term.
We’ve gathered up the best facial moisturizer options for dry skin, sensitive skin, combination skin, oily/acne prone skin, and aging skin; all of our picks are clean, vegan and cruelty free!
Keep reading for our recommendations!
IN A NUTSHELL
Main Takeaways: It’s important for all skin types to moisturize, including oily skin. The key is to find a moisturizer that works well for your skin.
Good to Know: Restoring moisture to your skin means restoring oil to your skin, while hydrating means restoring water to your skin. Dry skin is lacking oil and dehydrated skin is lacking water.
Recommended Products: H2 Oh Yeah Hydrating Moisturizer, Crème de la Cream Brightening Moisturizer, and Youth Fairy Retinol Moisturizer.
Best Clean Beauty Moisturizer
When you’re choosing the best facial moisturizer, it’s best to opt for clean, botanic ingredients that nourish and replenish the skin. Look for ingredients such as:
- Glycerin — A plant-based ingredient that provides hydration by drawing water from the environment and pulling it into your skin.
- Vitamin C — This mighty anti-aging antioxidant is a key natural moisturizer.
- Vitamin E — Another potent antioxidant, vitamin E helps skin retain moisture and improves texture.
- Aloe Vera — This gentle, plant-based moisturizer soothes and protects; it is great for all skin types.
Fleur & Bee: Crème de la Cream Brightening Moisturizer
The best natural facial moisturizer is Fleur & Bee’s Creme de la Cream. This light, nutrient-dense moisturizer leaves skin feeling soft, supple, and plump.
Best Face Moisturizer for Dry Skin
If you’re dealing with dry skin, it means you need an extra boost of moisture. Whatever moisturizer you choose should be designed to help your skin retain the proper amount of oil to avoid that tight, flaky feeling. Dry skin is also lacking water, making it dehydrated. When choosing your face cream, look for the following ingredients:
- Vitamin E — An antioxidant that helps to moisturize, nourish and soothe the skin.
- Shea Butter — Derived from nuts, shea butter offers vitamin-rich moisture and works to diminish the appearance of imperfections.
- Aloe Vera — The famous skin-soothing plant is high in water content and can help to add moisture and beat dryness.
- Glycerin — This plant-based moisturizer pulls water into the skin and helps keep it in place.
- Vitamin C — The ultimate skin care ingredient, vitamin C moisturizes, improves texture, and helps skin stay hydrated and plump.
Fleur & Bee: H2 Oh Yeah Hydrating Moisturizer
Call us biased, but we are also rather fond of our H2 Oh Yeah hydrating moisturizer. This delectable face cream includes a healthy dose of hyaluronic acid to deeply hydrate and sea buckthorn oil (naturally rich in vitamin C!) to restore moisture and provide antioxidant protection. Your thirsty skin will drink it up!
Nourish Organics: Ultra Hydrating Face Cream
Another excellent option is Nourish Organics Ultra Hydrating Face Cream. Designed specifically to add extra moisture while minimizing the look of fine lines and wrinkles, it also features Moroccan argan oil and superfoods acai and pomegranate.
Best Face Moisturizer for Sensitive Skin
When your skin is extra sensitive, it needs a little extra TLC and some research to ensure you’re using the right products. Opt for a facial moisturizer that has soothing, non-irritating ingredients. These include:
- Avocado Oil — Derived from the popular fruit, avocado oil offers rich, skin-soothing moisture.
- Jojoba Oil — Known for mimicking the skin’s own sebum, or oil, jojoba creates a soft, moisture-rich surface.
- Glycerin — This plant-based moisturizer is easy on all skin types, particularly sensitive.
- Aloe Vera — Famous for its after sun properties, aloe helps skin retain moisture while soothing any irritations.
- Vitamin C — Be sure to opt for the most stable and least likely to irritate form of this powerful antioxidant: Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate.
Pai Skincare: Avocado and Jojoba Hydrating Day Cream
The best facial moisturizer for sensitive skin is Pai Skincare Avocado and Jojoba Hydrating Day Cream, a breezy face cream that offers soothing hydration and nourishment.
Fleur & Bee: Crème de la Cream Brightening Moisturizer
Another great choice is Fleur & Bee’s Creme de la Cream, a lightweight moisturizer which uses vitamin C, organic aloe vera, glycerin, vitamin E and other botanicals to soothe and protect.
Best Face Moisturizer for Combination Skin
If you’ve got combination skin, you have two skin types to consider: dry and oily. It’s important to pick a face cream that addresses both issues and will balance your skin. When choosing the best facial moisturizer for combination skin, look for the following ingredients:
- Green Tea — Antioxidant strong, green tea helps to balance natural oils and provide nutrient support.
- Kale — This superfood provides an array of vitamins and minerals for combo skin.
- Hyaluronic Acid — This lightweight moisturizing ingredient offers youth-enhancing properties.
- Squalane — By mimicking the skin’s own oil, squalane balances natural oils without causing issues.
- Yerba Mate — This antioxidant rich plant helps add moisture and temporarily firm.
Youth to the People: Superfood Air-Whip Moisture Cream
The best facial moisturizer for combination skin is Youth to the People’s Superfood Air-Whip Moisture Cream. It uses antioxidant-rich ingredients to balance skin’s natural oils and provide a soft, smooth surface.
Best Moisturizer for Oily, Acne Prone Skin
If you’ve got acne prone skin, it’s crucial to look for moisturizers that can balance skin’s natural oils and restore your skin’s protective barrier. Look for the following ingredients:
- Tea Tree Oil — Known for its ability to balance skin’s natural oils and work as a natural toner.
- Willow Bark Extract — A natural form of salicylic acid, willow bark soothes and deep cleanses.
- Juniper — Helps to balance skin’s natural oils and minimize the look of any imperfections.
- Rosemary — This protective herb can help to cleanse skin and provide a barrier against the elements.
- Thyme — Thyme has been shown to cleanse pores and help decongest.
Osea: Blemish Balm
The best face moisturizer for acne prone skin is Osea Blemish Balm — This natural balm uses tea tree oil, rosemary and thyme to fight blemishes and balance skin’s natural oils.
Best Moisturizer for Aging Skin
As your skin begins to age, it produces less collagen and needs extra support in order to stay hydrated and supple. Be sure to choose a facial moisturizer that meets these unique needs. Look for ingredients including:
- Retinol — This powerhouse anti-aging ingredient is known for its ability to increase collagen production and encourage cell turnover, resulting in smoother skin and the reduction of the appearance of lines, wrinkles and dark spots.
- Evening Primrose Oil— Used for centuries for its anti-aging benefits, evening primrose oil helps to firm the skin and smooth texture.
- Plant Stem Cells — The antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties of plant stem cells work to prevent wrinkles and protect against sun damage.
- Jojoba Oil — This all-purpose oil helps to balance the skin, moisturize and minimize the look of fine lines and wrinkles.
- Hyaluronic Acid — This naturally occurring ingredient in skin helps to plump and hydrate.
Fleur & Bee: Youth Fairy Retinol Moisturizer
The best face cream for aging skin is Youth Fairy retinol moisturizer. Combining all the above ingredients with several other nourishing actives, this rich moisturizer is ideal for those who are new to using retinol. It contains a small, yet very effective dose of retinol to get to work on lines, wrinkles and uneven skin tone. Shea butter soothes and is gentle on the skin, while peptides plump the skin for a firmer, more youthful look.
Choosing the Best Facial Moisturizer
The key to choosing the best facial moisturizer is customization. Your skin is unique, and you need to find a formula that’s right for you. Be picky! Know your skin type and seek out the best and brightest moisturizer just for you.
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