First Aid BeautyI swear the very moment the calendar jumps from October 31 to November 1, my skin is suddenly dry, cracked, and begging for mercy. And honestly? I'm over it.
This year I called in backup and tapped board-certified dermatologists Dr. Hadley King and Dr. Elyse Love to help me find a moisturizer that actually delivers intense and long-lasting hydration—in hopes of leaving this winter tradition in the past. It's safe to say they understood the assignment.
According to Dr. Love, there's a simple formula to finding the perfect one: "When looking for a winter moisturizer, it’s important to look for high-quality moisturizers that have a combination of ingredients to attract water (examples include lactic acid, hyaluronic acid, and glycerin) and ingredients to look in moisture (such as petrolatum, ceramides, or shea butter)," she tells E!. "In general, those with dry skin should skip lotions and stick with thicker creams."
"Eczema skin is more likely to react to fragrances so I do recommend fragrance free moisturizers and detergents for this group," she adds.
Keep scrolling to shop eight dermatologist-approved moisturizers and skincare solutions that will cure your dull, chronically dry winter skin.
La Roche-Posay Lipikar AP+ Triple Repair Moisturizing Cream
Dr. Elyse Love swears by La Roche-Posay's dual action face and body lotion. "[It] contains a collection of the best hydrating and soothing ingredients including ceramide-3, shea butter, glycerin, and niacinamide," she tells E!, and adds that it's great for dry skin or even eczema.
First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream
Anothe fave on Dr. Love's list? First Aid Beauty's Ultra Repair Cream. She says it's "intensely moisturizing but lightweight" and "contains colloidal oatmeal, which helps sooth itchy and irritated eczema skin." Bonus points: you can use it on your face and body.
Face Reality ClearDerma Moisturizer
Fellow board-certified dermatologist, Dr. Hadley King's pick—Face Reality's ClearDerma Moisturizer—rehydrates the skin without clogging pores. A rarity! Plus, it contains niacinamide, allantoin, and bisabolol, which she says soothe the skin, help wtih oil regulation, and improve tone and texture.
Lanolips 101 Ointment
Dr. King raves about the Lanolips 101 Ointment and says it's not just for your lips: "Dense but not
sticky or greasy, this balm is the perfect solution to dry and chapped skin, lips, cuticles,
elbows, etc. [It] hydrates, supports the skin barrier, and locks in moisture."
Mother Science Molecular Genesis Barrier Repair Moisturizer
Albeit on the pricier end, Mother Science's Molecular Genesis Barrier Repair Cream is well worth the price tag. Promise! According to Dr. King, the glycerin and hyaluronic acid hydrate the skin, while the ceramides, triglycerides, and squalane support the skin barrier. Occlusives like shea butter lock in moisture too.
CeraVe Healing Ointment
"This ointment is thinner than more traditional ointments, which makes it easier to apply as a daily moisturizer," Dr. Love says. It's especially helpful for anyone with eczema-prone skin thanks to its hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and petrolatum that lock in moisture. For really dehydrated skin, apply it all over and then top with a cream moisturizer—perhaps the brand's similarly beloved body lotion.
Coll20 Gel Cream Moisturizer
Dr. King calls this gel cream moisturizer "perfect" for dry skin. You can thank a number of ingredients for that. "It contains humectants and emollients like squalane, as well as niacinamide, which
improves tone and texture, and willowherb, which has senolytic properties to help
promote skin longevity," she explains.
Bioelements Collagen Rehab Mask
While not technically a moisturizer, Dr. King raves about the Bioelements Collagen Rehab, which intensely hydrates the skin after just one use. It delivers instant dewiness and glow, and fills line for a more youthful look.