- Key ingredients: Pitera complex, niacinamide, vitamin E, glycerin, shea butter, calla lily extract, dokudami extract, peony extract
- Texture: rich cream
- Best for: anyone who wants supple, radiant skin
- Fragrance-free: no
Best Budget: The Inkey List Peptide Moisturizer
Why it’s worth it: With its 1% peptide complex and royal jelly protein, The Inkey List Peptide Moisturizer’s price seems like a typo. For just $16, this shea butter-rich cream does the heavy lifting of moisturizers 10 times the price, deeply moisturizing and firming skin while absorbing quickly for a non-heavy feel. It’s best for people with dry skin, as well as those concerned with the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles..
Editor’s tip: Add a few drops of serum to the moisturizer for a more customized, multitasking treatment.
- Key ingredients: peptides, shea butter, vitamin E
- Texture: lotion-like cream
- Best for: people looking to nourish skin on a budget
- Fragrance-free: yes
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do you need a face moisturizer?
“Moisturizers are an essential part of every skin-care routine,” says Shereene Idriss, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City. “Just as our bodies require us to hydrate with water, so does our skin.” While our skin appears dewier almost instantly, the real benefits show up in the long term. The consistent use of moisturizers slows down the rate and intensity at which fine lines and wrinkles appear, she says.
This daily philosophy applies to all skin types and not just dry skin. “Overwashing without the appropriate use of a moisturizer will trigger an overproduction of oil on your skin,” Divya Shokeen, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Torrance, California, previously explained. In short, if you don’t rehydrate your skin, it will become dried-out and irritated — which then opens your skin up to a cache of troubles.
“People confuse oil with hydration, so they don’t properly hydrate the skin,” New York City-based board-certified dermatologist Doris Day, MD, noted. “We now have really great ingredients, like hyaluronic acid, which balances oil and water in the skin.” Increased hydration supports a stronger barrier, Dr. Day said, which also helps curb oil production.
What step is moisturizing in a skin-care routine?
Consider your moisturizer as the cellophane that seals in the rest of your skin-care routine. In our beginner-friendly skin-care guide, dermatologists recommended three simple steps: cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen (during the day, of course).
