It’s a cold, cold world out there right now, with temperatures in the Midwest dipping past Antarctic levels and polar vortexes fast becoming the new norm. In times like these, protecting skin against dryness, tightness, and irritation turns into a full-time job — along with layering, canceling plans, and calling your landlord about how ungodly freezing it is in your bathroom.
This is all to say that now is not the time for pretty little moisturizers that look and smell nice in the jar. To face the unpredictable toggle between stinging winds and skin-stripping dry indoor heat, one must bring in the big guns: a formula that packs enough hydration to stand up to the elements, without leaving a greasy sheen. Plus, because the future is now (or at least, it should be), we want a little more than protection from dryness — we want that glow.
Our quest to find such a moisturizer has led us into the arms of countless formulas, but only a select few make the grade. Ahead, the hydrators our editors reach for again and again to bring flaky skin back from the brink, ranging from a pricey option that made nearly every editor’s list of must-haves to a featherlight drugstore favorite that keeps acne in check.
At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.
"I know in my heart that the best skin-care routines are about delayed satisfaction — you’re not going to see real, tangible, lasting results from anything overnight. But even still, when my dull winter skin looks like overcooked salmon, this cream makes it instantly brighter, glowier, and softer. I don’t even use it every day because I need it to last for skin emergencies." — Cat Quinn, Beauty Director
Renée Rouleau Glow Enhancing Creme, $69.5, available at Renée Rouleau
“I hate to say that Charlotte Tilbury’s Magic Cream lives up to the hype — because it’s $100, and what’s magic about a moisturizer? But I really love this stuff. I use it every day, no matter the season, as the step between skin-care and makeup, after my Tatcha Violet-C Brightening Serum sinks in, and before using any tinted moisturizer, concealer, or anything else with color coverage. In the winter, I definitely slather it on a bit thicker, because I feel like my dry skin needs a little more. It melts down to dewy finish with a little rubbing, and keeps my skin hydrated all day. Now, I won’t say it’s magic… but it’s damn good.” — Megan Decker, Beauty Editorial Assistant
Charlotte Tilbury Charlotte’s Magic Cream, $100, available at Sephora
"I have tried moisturizers prescribed by dermatologists, formulated by estheticians, endorsed by celebrities, and recommended by the best pros in the biz — but it’s this one, created by a groundbreaking stem-cell scientist, that has ultimately become my ride or die. The Cream is the perfect weight for my combination skin; I apply it at night over an exfoliating serum and under a generous layer of a hydrating oil and wake up looking fresh-faced, glowy, and… better. I generally try and use something else for daytime so I don’t go through the (very expensive) bottle too quickly, but this winter I’ve found myself dipping into it in the morning more and more…" — Rachel Krause, Senior Beauty Writer
Augustinus Bader The Cream, $265, available at Violet Grey
"I’m currently at war with my acne, and my attack plan these past few bitter cold weeks has involved dialing my skin-care routine way, way back. Like, so far back that I’m using products I last used when I was in college and had weirdly nice skin. This moisturizer is one that I remember casually putting on and not really thinking it was doing much, but now, as a beauty writer, I’ve come to appreciate how it absorbs into the skin and leaves it perfectly prepped for makeup without any greasy residue whatsoever." — Rachel Lubitz, Senior Beauty Writer
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel-Cream, $19.99, available at Ulta Beauty
"I already have a six-step skin-care routine to get through in the morning, so I like to use a two-in-one sunscreen and moisturizer. This new formula is thick, which makes it the perfect final layer in winter. By the time I walk through the snow, battle the wind, and brave the overheated subway car, every trace of greasiness is gone." — Jessica Cruel, Deputy Beauty Director
Supergoop! Superscreen Daily Moisturizer, $38, available at Sephora
"My winter skin is flakier than actual snow, so a daytime cream that hydrates is the most important part of my routine. I love this one because it makes my skin feel like butter without looking greasy and contains SPF 25 — because, yes, sun protection is necessary year-round. The best part? It doesn’t leave behind an ashy cast, so my skin never looks winter white." — Aimee Simeon, Beauty Writer
Vichy Aqualia Thermal SPF 25 24HR Hydrating Fortifying Lotion, $31, available at DermStore
"I’ve tried a lot of facial moisturizers and this is the only one I’ve found that keeps my skin happy. I first started using the no-fuss cream because it was offered free of charge in my gym’s locker room. Soon enough, I was covering my face and décolletage in it every day right out of the shower. Eventually, I left that gym for another (cheaper!) option, but kept splurging on this $30 jar. Four years later, it’s still all I prefer to use morning and night. It does what it says (moisturizes for hours), without breaking me out. And, really, that’s all I’m looking for." — Samantha Sasso, Beauty Writer
Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream, $16, available at Sephora
"Believe me, no part of my being wanted anything to do with a jar marked ‘creme placenta’ and filled with a moisturizer that smells of day-old latte. But for what the air-whipped formula does to my combination skin — rendering it movie-star soft and looking like it’s fed a diet of superfoods and alkaline water (it is not) — this stuff could be labeled ‘clotted blood’ and reek of roadkill and I’d still reach for it every morning. It’s that good." — Erika Stalder, Contributing Beauty Writer
Biologique Recherche Creme Placenta, $120, available at Rescue Spa
"When my dermatologist told me I had to start using non-comedogenic moisturizers so that I don’t clog my pores, I went looking for one and stumbled upon this gem at the drugstore. It visibly reduces my redness — which is a serious issue for me over the winter — and keeps my face hydrated even when New York City decides to drop to Arctic weather. I actually tried swapping out this moisturizer once over the wintertime and quickly had to go back after my face began to flake. Never again." — Thatiana Diaz, Beauty Writer
La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer SPF 30, $19.98, available at Target
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Source: Refinery29