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There are a million skin care products out there to tend to your face. But no matter how many beauty devices, serums and face masks you have in your medicine cabinet, there’s one staple that always needs to deliver and that’s moisturizers. Regardless of your skin type — and yes, that includes oily skin — daily moisturizer is a must for happy, healthy skin. The best facial moisturizers do more than just deliver hydration. From turning back the clock to minimizing pores to strengthening the skin barrier, we’ve rounded up the best facial moisturizers out there.
1. Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream
Originally launched in 2018, Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream quickly earned a cult following for its unparalleled results. The formula just got an upgrade a few months ago. It still has the brand’s patented TFC8(r) technology that delivers cellular renewal, but is now vegan and boasts even better results with the clinicals to back them up. Skin is deeply hydrated and nourished, thanks to compounds that fight environmental damage and oxidative stress, as well as signs of aging, making it the best facial moisturizer.
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2. Ole Henriksen Cold Plunge Pore Remedy Moisturizer
Inspired by the cold plunge step in the Scandinavian sauna cycle, the oil-free Ole Henriksen Cold Plunge Pore Remedy Moisturizer delivers a light cooling sensation, making it perfect for hot summer days. Keep it in the fridge to magnify that effect. The lightweight moisturizer is made for oily and combination skin and hydrates and reduces the appearance of pores.
3. Exuviance Age Reverse + Rebuild-5 Cream
Targeting the major signs of aging, the Exuviance Age Reverse + Rebuild-5 Cream is formulated with five rejuvenating ingredients: Vitamin E to guard from external aggressors, aminofil to plump and firm, gluconolactone to rejuvenate, peony botanical to volumize and MicroDiPeptide to support the skin’s natural elastin, collagen and hyaluronic acid. It visibly firms and plumps skin in two weeks.
4. Crabtree & Evelyn Hydrating Glow Face Moisturizer
The sweet scent of rosewater will transport you to a rose garden as you massage the Crabtree & Evelyn Hydrating Glow Face Moisturizer into skin. Designed to work for all skin types, this glow-getter will deliver enough hydration to last all day, while it soothes and balances skin. Rosewater calms redness and moisturizes, niacinamide improves tone and texture and micro algae moisturizes both instantly and long term.
5. Honest Beauty Calm & Heal Melting Balm
Super-parched skin can be easily irritated, but true to its name, this heavy-duty moisturizer melts into skin. The Honest Beauty Calm & Heal Melting Balm is spiked with allantoin 0.5 percent, a skin protectant that can temporarily safeguard minor cuts, scrapes and burns, as well as mondo grass to improve the skin barrier and hydration while reducing inflammation and balancing the microbiome. One of the best facial moisturizers for extra-dry skin, its proprietary phyto-blend reinforces peptides and contains micro hyaluronic acid for moisture.
6. Embryolisse Lait-Crème Sensitive
Even the most sensitive skin types don’t have to worry about any irritation from this beloved French skin care brand. Embryolisse Lait-Crème Sensitive is free of fragrance, as it’s a common trigger for sensitive skin. The hypoallergenic formula plumps, smooths and softens skin while helping it regain its elasticity. There’s shea butter to nourish, aloe vera to soothe, beeswax to protect and soy proteins to hydrate.
7. Fresh Rose Deep Hydration Face Cream
Everyone loves a good makeover, especially when it’s for the fan favorite Fresh Rose Deep Hydration Face Cream. The new and improved formula now has damask rose extract to provide 74-hour deep hydration, which is three times longer than the previous 24-hour claim, and works to improve the skin’s natural barrier. Skin is left even more dewy and moisturized, thanks to a pair of hyaluronic acids.
8. Perricone MD Cold Plasma Plus+ The Intensive Hydrating Complex
Boasting 15 active ingredients, the Perricone MD Cold Plasma Plus+ The Intensive Hydrating Complex is a multitasking moisturizer that improves skin appearance and health by smoothing fine lines, evening tone and texture, and rejuvenating. Super rich, it has a balmy texture that sinks into skin with Perricone MD’s Liquid Crystal Delivery System for deeper and faster penetration. The formula includes peptides to repair damaged skin, vitamin C to brighten and a vegetable triglyceride complex with jojoba, soybean and olive oils to deeply hydrate while improving the skin’s barrier function.
9. Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream
A classic, the Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream delivers up to 24 hours of moisture, yet the fragrance-free cream is still super-lightweight. It’s spiked with squalane to boost the skin’s moisture barrier, glycerin to hydrate and soften skin and glacial glycoprotein to keep the skin’s moisture levels balanced.
10. Pause Collagen Boosting Moisturizer
Mature skin has different needs, especially when it comes to hydration, and Pause Collagen Boosting Moisturizer addresses all of them. Collagen production decreases as we age, so this cream gives it a boost, helping skin elasticity and density along the way. Its hero ingredient is the proprietary Pause Complex, which works to increase cell turnover to minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
