Meet the Best Moisturizers for Winter, According to Dermatologists

Why Your Skin Needs an Extra Hug in the Winter

We’re here to remind you that you did nothing wrong—your skin is simply trying to adjust to the weather around it. “Exposure to cold weather, indoor hearing and low humidity can strip the skin of moisture as there is less moisture in the environment, so it can actually pull moisture away from the skin.” explains dermatologist Marisa Garshick, MD, FAA,. “Harsh temperatures can also disrupt the skin barrier leading to more moisture loss.” Your skin’s way of telling you this is by appearing dry, flaky, or maybe even slightly red. 

To handle your weather-induced skin issues, Dr. Garshick recommends zeroing in on your skin barrier. “Maintaining a healthy skin barrier is key as it helps to keep moisture in and external irritants out which can be especially important in the winter months,” she says. “If the skin barrier is compromised, it can lead to increased moisture loss, causing dryness of the skin, as well as increased sensitivity of the skin.”

So how do you do that? Level up the ingredients found in your moisturizer. We explain below: 

Key Ingredients to Look for in Winter Moisturizers

• Ceramides: Perhaps the most important ingredient to keep in your anti-dry skincare arsenal is ceramides. Both Dr. Garshick and dermatologist Lindsey Zubritsky, MD, FAAD, listed this ingredient immediately as a must-have in your moisturizer. Ceramides seal moisture into the skin and create a kind of barrier for hydration to stick to. 

• Hyaluronic Acid: Hyaluronic acid is a humectant, which means it soaks up moisture and keeps it in your skin to create a hydrated, bounce-like effect. Pro tip: slightly dampen skin before applying hyaluronic acid to get instant moisturization. 

• Glycerin: Like hyaluronic acid, glycerin helps draw moisture to the skin, says Dr. Garshick. 

• Shea Butter: Shea butter is a great ingredient to look out for because according to Dr. Garshick, “it provides emollient and nourishing benefits” to the skin’s surface. 

• Squalane: If you have oily skin, squalane is your best friend. It helps to hydrate the skin and help reduce redness and inflammation, while also being light weight and non-comedogenic. 

• Niacinamide: Niacinamide is a form of vitamin B3, which makes it a perfect antioxidant in skincare. It helps to brighten, while also having anti-inflammatory properties. 

The Best Moisturizers for Winter by Skin Type

Best Winter Moisturizers for Dry Skin

“In the winter, because your environment is drier and your skin loses water more quickly, it’s important to moisturize more frequently, typically morning and night, and always after cleansing or washing your hands,” says Dr. Garshick. This is especially true for those who already have dry skin. “ Reapplying helps reinforce the skin barrier throughout the day,” she adds.

• DR.JART+ Ceramidin™ Skin Barrier Moisturizing Cream

This rich, cushiony cream is basically a weighted blanket for your barrier. Powered by 5-ceramide complex and panthenol, it wraps dry, winter-stressed skin in deep, lasting moisture that actually stays put—even when the temps don’t.

• VALMONT Vital Regenera I Rich

Courtesy of VALMONT

Think of this as luxury rehab for depleted winter skin. Its Swiss cellular science and rich lipid complex flood skin with nourishment, helping smooth, replenish, and restore radiance when your barrier is running on empty.

• NAKED & THRIVING Restore Ultra-Rich Night Cream

Courtesy of NAKED & THRIVING

A velvety, omega-rich night cream that works overtime while you sleep. Organic oils, botanical antioxidants, and hyaluronic acid team up to drench dry skin in replenishing moisture, so you wake up soft, cushioned, and glowier than when you went to bed.

Best Winter Moisturizers for Oily Skin:

If you have oily skin, look for a lightweight gel cream that can replenish the skin barrier without weighing it down or clogging pores. Here are are our favorites:

• FIRST AID BEAUTY Hydrating Dewy Gel Cream

Courtesy of FIRST AID BEAUTY

This cooling, cloud-light gel cream brings serious hydration without the heaviness. With hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and the brand’s skin-soothing complex, it leaves oily skin dewy—not greasy—and reinforces your barrier at the same time.

• BYROE Kale Hydrating Gel Moisturizer

Packed with kale, spirulina, hyaluronic acid, and squalane, this weightless gel hydrates like a cream but feels like fresh air. It calms winter irritation, balances oil, and melts in instantly for that healthy, green-juice glow.

• MURAD Nutrient-Charged Water Gel

This bouncy, water-gel moisturizer uses a tri-peptide, vitamin, and mineral blend to pull moisture deep into the skin and keep it there. The result: a plump, juicy, totally non-greasy finish that oily skin will actually love in winter.

Best Winter Moisturizers for Sensitive Skin:

Sensitive skin does require a bit of extra TLC. The good news is that the ingredients listed above, like ceramides and anti-inflammatory ingredients like niacinamide and squalane are all sensitive-skin approved. Here are our sensitive skin picks:

• IT COSMETICS Confidence In a Gel Oil-Free Moisturizer

Courtesy of IT COSMETICS

A gentle, fragrance-free gel cream that hydrates without upsetting your skin’s mood. With ceramides, peptides, and hyaluronic acid, it strengthens a reactive barrier while keeping skin smooth, calm, and winter-proof.

• GOLD BOND Pure Moisture Daily Body & Face Lotion

Courtesy of GOLD BOND

This no-nonsense, dermatologist-tested formula delivers 48 hours of moisture thanks to a blend of hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and glycerin. It’s lightweight, fast-absorbing, and gentle enough to use all over—face included.

• KIEHL’S Ultra Facial Cream With Squalane

Courtesy of KIEHL'S

A cold-weather legend! Infused with squalane and glacial glycoprotein, this comforting cream helps skin stay soft, balanced, and hydrated even in brutal winter climates (think: mountain air, radiator dryness, polar vortex vibes).

Best Winter Moisturizers for Combination Skin

• DRUNK ELEPHANT Protini™ Polypeptide Firming Refillable Moisturizer

Courtesy of DRUNK ELEPHANT

This protein-packed gel cream is like a daily strength-training session for your skin barrier. Nine peptides, amino acids, and pygmy waterlily work together to hydrate dry patches, refine texture, and keep oilier spots balanced.

• NEUTROGENA Hydro Boost Night Pressed Serum with Hyaluronic Acid

Courtesy of NEUTROGENA

A dreamy, jelly-to-cream hybrid that drenches skin with hyaluronic acid and botanical conditioners while you sleep. It’s the perfect overnight reset for combination skin craving deep hydration without heaviness.

• DERMALACTIVES Purifying Triple Power Collagen Moisturizer

Infused with marine collagen, peptides, and antioxidant botanicals, this cream hydrates, firms, and smooths uneven areas while keeping shine in check. A great pick if your combo skin needs winter cushioning and a little tightening.

Best Winter Moisturizers for Mature Skin

When looking for a moisturizer for mature skin, try to spot additional anti-aging ingredients like retinol, hydrating oils, and hyaluronic acid, since dry-looking skin can actually make wrinkles appear more defined.

• VERIPHY SKINCARE Self Absorbed Moisturizer

This silky, plant-powered cream uses phytoglycogen, peptides, and hyaluronic acid to firm, brighten, and deeply hydrate. It's perfect for mature skin that wants bounce, radiance, and a moisturizer that truly sinks in—not just sits on top.

• LANCÔME Absolue Soft Cream Moisturizer

Courtesy of LANCÔME

This decadent, rose-infused cream melts into skin to deliver revitalizing Grand Rose Extracts and Pro-Xylane for hydration, firmness, and luminosity. It’s rich, plush, and leaves mature skin looking like it got eight hours of sleep (even if you didn’t).

• BEAUTYSTAT Peptide Wrinkle Relaxing Moisturizer

A clinically-tested formula powered by peptides, hyaluronic acid, amino acids, and antioxidant hydrators to smooth the look of wrinkles and reinforce your barrier. It’s the winter upgrade mature skin dreams about—lifting, firming, and hydrating in one.

A Few Hydration-Maxing Tips From Dr. Zubritsky

1. Apply moisturizer on damp skin, this will help trap water before it evaporates.

2. Use a humidifier to help add moisture to the air to help replenish the dry air inside that can draw out moisture from your skin.

3. Exfoliate, but do it gently. If skin is dull and flaky, it helps to gently exfoliate away dead skin cells so that your moisturizer can penetrate more effectively.

4. Layer your products in the correct order. “I recommend applying a cream or lotion first that contains humectants or ceramides, then topping it off with a more occlusive ingredient that contains something like petroleum jelly to seal it all in,” says Dr. Zubritsky.

5. Consider switching to a thicker moisturizer. Lightweight gels are better for warmer months when there is more moisture in the air. For winter skin, go with a richer, creamier texture for deep replenishment.

Final Thoughts

It’s totally normal to have to adjust your skincare during a new season, especially during winter when the air is harsher, colder, and moisture-stripping. Look for ingredients in your moisturizer like hyaluronic acid and squalane that help replenish lost moisture, plus ceramides and peptides to help add in new strength to the skin’s barrier. A healthy, hydrated skin barrier is all you need to survive the tough months ahead. And, like our derm experts shared, feel free to reapply moisturizers as needed during these frigid months. Find your next favorite winter moisturizer in the IPSY Shop.