The best face moisturizers for every skin type

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The best face moisturizers for every skin type

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best facial moisturizers for every skin type

  • Every skin type typically requires a different moisturizer with a unique formula to hydrate while providing other benefits.
  • Natural Moisturizing Factors from The Ordinary is the best facial moisturizer for most people, able to hydrate sensitive to dry skin with its hyaluronic acid composition.

Face moisturizer is an essential skin-care product, but the various brands are far from "one size fits all." Just as every body is different, so is every skin type.

When selecting a moisturizer, it’s important to use the right one for your skin, especially if you moisturize your face two to three times a day. Using a moisturizer that isn’t quite right could lead to unwanted problems.

Typically, those with oily or combination (oily and dry) skin will find that an oil-based moisturizer isn’t appropriate, as the excess of oils can leave an imbalance that feels greasy. People with such skin types usually find a water-based product the most beneficial. On the other hand, those with particularly dry skin won’t find a water-based moisturizer to be their best choice. And people with sensitive skin should be mindful of a moisturizer’s ingredients list, opting for products with a short list of intensely hydrating ingredients that don’t include alcohol.

If finding your right match in a moisturizer is starting to sound like a science experiment, don’t worry. We’ve done the legwork for you, searching the internet until we could find the best facial moisturizers for each skin type. It’s important to note that not every cream will work for everyone, and your results may vary. If you have highly sensitive skin, consult a dermatologist, who might also have helpful recommendations on which cream to pick for your skin.

Here are the best face moisturizers you can buy:

Read on in the slides below to check out our top picks.

The best face moisturizer overall

Deciem

Why you’ll love it: With an ultra-hydrating formula made from hyaluronic acid and a price tag under $6, The Ordinary’s Natural Moisturizing Factors is the best value for your dollar.

One of the most versatile and affordable moisturizers on the market, The Ordinary’s Natural Moisturizing Factors is good for all skin types. And it costs under $6. It’s made with essential amino acids, and dermal lipids that soothe dry skin, without any potentially harmful parabens, sulfates, and phthalates. Plus, it’s vegan and cruelty-free.

As it is made without oil, alcohol, silicone, nuts, gluten, and fragrance, this moisturizer is also a good choice for most people with sensitive skin, however, those with extremely sensitive skin might want to consult their doctors before trying.

If you ask the skin-care experts, there is one ingredient in particular that makes this moisturizer rival not only products in the under-$10 category, but also those with much higher prices tags: hyaluronic acid, the key to hydrated smooth skin. The natural moisturizing ingredient is actually produced by our own skin cells to maintain moisture levels, but environmental stressors can cause our hyaluronic acid levels to fluctuate.

Combined with the above-mentioned ingredients, hyaluronic acid in the Natural Moisturizing Factors provide immediate hydration with a lasting effect. Refinery29 describes the resulting formula as an “ultrarich cream that rivals in thickness to those found in fancy jars that cost a hundred times more.”

This inexpensive moisturizer has earned itself an average rating of 4.1 stars out of 5, based on over 200 customer reviews on Sephora’s website, plus a spot on Allure’s Best Drugstore Moisturizers Under $20 list. Most reviewers with a wide range of skin types, from sensitive to dry skin, praise the Natural Moisturizing Factors for its ability to hydrate skin quickly, even during cold weather.

The overall verdict on this moisturizer is that it’s an excellent choice for a day-to-day moisturizer, but it might not be the right choice for long-term total hydration, especially for those with drier or combination skin.

Pros: Inexpensive, good for all skin types, easy to use

Cons: Results might not continue over extended period of use

Buy the Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors at Sephora for $5.80

The best face moisturizer for dry skin

Belif

Why you’ll love it: Belif’s Aqua Bomb facial moisturizer is made with a lightweight, gel-based formula that is clinically proven to provide intense hydration without clogging pores.

The Belif True Cream Aqua Bomb is a particularly excellent choice for those with dry skin. It provides intense hydration, but as it is ultra-lightweight, free of oils, and comes in a gel consistency, it can do so without clogging pores or disturbing the skin’s oil balance.

In addition to its hydrating benefits, its unique oil-free gel formula is easy to use and feels good on the skin when first applied. Its gentle consistency can be applied both at morning and night, and it’s also light enough for midday use when needed. It instantly cools and refreshes skin when applied. Belif’s moisturizer is formulated to burst when it contacts the skin, to release a flood of hydration that leaves a healthy and smooth appearance.

The True Cream Aqua Bomb has earned itself a permanent spot in the routine of Allure’s beauty reporter Devon Abelman, who has restocked the moisturizer so many times she lost count. She found in her use of the Belif product that its formula of plantin, ceramides, and shea butter allow her skin to absorb it quickly to sustain hydration levels — the same finding that the brand’s clinical tests proved.

According to Belif’s studies, this moisturizer provides a 70% increase in skin’s hydration levels. The True Cream Aqua Bomb’s formula also includes a blend of natural herbs and minerals, like the antioxidant-rich lady’s mantle, neutralizing malachite, and plantain to seal in moisture. These ingredients provide a total treatment to neutralize skin-damaging free radicals, improve skin elasticity, and minimize the appearances of pores.

Pros: Lightweight, intense hydration without a heavy feel

Cons: It’s made with alcohol, so not suitable for people with sensitivity

Buy the Belif True Cream Aqua Bomb at Sephora for $38

The best face moisturizer for oily skin

Origins

Why you’ll love it: Origin’s Original Skin Matte Moisturizer is a water-based moisturizer has been called a “lifesaver” to those with oily skin, and 91% of users recommend the product for its ability to moisturize without leaving skin shiny.

While the Origins Original Skin Matte Moisturizer is nourishing to all skin types, its water-based formula makes it the best choice for those with oily skin. Its mattifying consistency hydrates skin while boosting a healthy appearance, reducing dryness, as well as uneven skin tone, the look of pores, dullness, and uneven texture.

This moisturizer is made with what Origins describes as a "lush water cream formula," which is excellent for boosting hydration without leaving an excess of oil on the skin. It is made with essential oils, including lemon peel oil, orange peel oil, and lavender oil that are known to give hydration without affecting the skin’s existing oil levels.

The Origins Original Skin Matte Moisturizer is also formulated with pink rock-rose and willowherb that help to boost radiance, refine texture, tone, and visibly minimize pores. Willowherb comes from a magenta flower found in Canada and is able to withstand extreme environments. For most people, the result is a soft, smooth feel with a healthy glow and fresh finish.

Around 91% of people who have used this moisturizer would recommend it to others, according to a poll on Sephora. The product has a 4.5-star average rating, with reviewers calling it a "lifesaver for oily skin," and noting how they don’t need to worry about shiny skin when using the Matte Moisturizer.

The Origins Original Skin Matte Moisturizer’s glowing reviews don’t end with its e-commerce pages. Several publications have included it in their roundups of either the best products for oily skin or those its editors swear by. According to StyleCaster, the moisturizer is well-equipped to “boost glow, minimize your pores, and even your skin tone.”

Pros: Excellent for oily skin, inexpensive, natural ingredients

Cons: Not suitable for sensitive or extremely dry skin

Buy the Original Skin Matte Moisturizer with Willowherb at Sephora for $35

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Source: Business Insider – feedback@businessinsider.com (Robyn Turk)

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