The 15 Best Moisturizers for Winter
By the time fall rolls around, many of us are looking forward to the ushering in of brisker, sweater-perfect weather. But that's not all we have to rejoice about. More often than not, our skin-care routines need a few adjustments — namely, swapping out our summer moisturizers for options that are a little richer in hydration to combat the drier air (especially from our radiators and heating systems).
If you're currently committed to a moisturizer, be warned: Our picks for best fall moisturizers will most definitely tempt you into trying something new. Don't feel guilty, though. With these instant classics, it's understandable to want in on formulas that promise all-day hydration, a calm complexion, and noticeable glows of both the dewy and matte variety. Along with some tried-and-true favorites, we've included some new formulations from brands like Olay, Clinique, and Fenty Skin — with potent ingredients like hyaluronic acid, retinol, centella asiatica (also known as cica), and niacinamide — that are pretty hard to resist.
No matter what you're looking for, there's a face cream formula out there for every kind of budget and skin type. Read on to prepare for the wonderful ways you can make sure your face is fully moisturized and protected against dryness for the colder months ahead.
All products featured on Allure are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Courtesy of brand1/15Garnier SkinActive Water Rose 24H Moisture Cream
Just because it's fall doesn't mean you have to switch to a thicker moisturizer. Take Garnier's SkinActive Water Rose 24H Moisture Cream, a 2020 Allure Best of Beauty Award winner, for example. If you're prone to oiliness, this water-cream is an excellent way to get the refreshing, hydrating benefits of rosewater, glycerin, and hyaluronic acid all day long without heaviness or greasiness. It’s one of the best budget-friendly options for healing winter skin.
$12 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand2/15Fenty Skin Instant Reset Overnight Recovery Gel-Cream
Following a much-hyped launch, Fenty Skin debuted a stand-alone Instant Reset Overnight Recovery Gel-Cream for all of your moisturizing needs. It's bursting with hyaluronic acid, antioxidant-rich Kalahari melon oil, and brightening niacinamide, topped off with a subtly fruity scent that'll transport to straight to Barbados (if only mentally). It glides onto skin smoothly and absorbs immediately. Just like the SPF-infused moisturizer from the Fenty Skin line, this gel-cream has eco-conscious packaging that allows you to purchase refills of the inner container (housing the actual gel-cream) instead of buying entirely new products.
$40 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand3/15Honest Beauty The Daily Calm Lightweight Moisturizer
Honest Beauty's The Daily Calm Lightweight Moisturizer is a great remedy for dry, stressed skin. It contains glycerin, a micro form of hyaluronic acid, and sensitive-skin-friendly allantoin to minimize signs of redness and irritation while providing long-lasting moisture. Despite all of its heavy-duty benefits, the texture is incredibly lightweight and sinks into the skin without any heaviness or residue.
$30 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand4/15Olay Regenerist Retinol24 Max Night Hydrating Moisturizer
Olay's upgraded Regenerist Retinol24 night collection recently debuted with 20 percent more of the brand's Retinol24 Hydrating Complex — a powerful blend of peptides, vitamin B3 (also known as niacinamide), retinyl propionate, and retinol. In other words, the Regenerist Retinol24 Max Night Hydrating Moisturizer doesn't cause skin any discomfort or redness while still delivering an effective dose of retinoids to boost collagen production and even out skin over time.
A common myth is that retinoids make you more prone to sunburns but that's not true at all — however, as always, you should still wear sunscreen in the morning.
$44 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand5/15Saturday Skin Pretty Pop Probiotic Power Whipped Cream
Don't just be dazzled by the holographic exterior of Saturday Skin's Pretty Pop Probiotic Power Whipped Cream, because the contents are just as amazing. A weightless, moisturizing formula consisting of encapsulated probiotics, niacinamide, and hibiscus extract gives skin an instant glow and healthy radiance. It's both luxurious and effective — no wonder the editors over at Allure Korea gave it a Best of Beauty Award.
$57 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand6/15Clinique Moisture Surge Intense 72H Lipid-Replenishing Hydrator
As the leaves change and the temperatures start to drop, invest in a moisturizer that'll keep skin hydrated for a very long time — 72 hours, to be exact. Clinique's Moisture Surge Intense 72H Lipid-Replenishing Hydrator is packed with hyaluronic acid and cica (also known as centella asiatica) to intensely hydrate and soothe dry skin. The best part? Activated aloe water and caffeine create auto-replenishing lipids that help your skin's ability to hydrate itself and keep the moisture locked in.
$40 (Shop Now)
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Courtesy of brand7/15Banila Co Miss Flower & Mr. Honey Cream
Consider Banila Co's new Miss Flower & Mr. Honey Cream as a nourishing snack for your skin. The star ingredient, of course, is honey, which has antibacterial properties that can fight off acne-causing bacteria, cosmetic chemist Randy Schueller previously told Allure. With the addition of anti-inflammatory propolis, as well as royal jelly, beeswax, and honey butter, this sweet-smelling, silky-rich formula immediately plumps skin and seals in moisture all day and night long.
$42 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand8/15Peach Slices Snail Rescue All-in-One Oil Free Moisturizer
Looking to tackle dryness, treat blemishes, and reduce the appearance of dark spots all at once? Peach Slices' Snail Rescue All-in-One Oil Free Moisturizer is loaded up with 95 percent snail mucin, which is a K-beauty staple ingredient for promoting a clearer complexion. How? It contains hyaluronic acid, peptides, and antioxidants to pump hydration into the skin and calm signs of inflammation.
$17 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand9/15Clé de Peau Beauté Volumizing Supreme Cream
If you're searching for a luxurious option, Clé de Peau Beauté Volumizing Supreme Cream feels like silk gliding across your face. Watercress extract supports collagen production for an instant plumping, fine-line-smoothing effect. Plus, it'll keep skin hydrated for up to 24 hours, so consider tired-looking skin a thing of the past.
$375 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand10/15Good (Skin) Days On The Bright Side Moisturizer
Formulated based on feedback from the Soko Glam community, Good (Skin) Days' On The Bright Side Moisturizer does more than simply provide skin with a fast-absorbing, lightweight layer of hydration. It's bolstered by sake, probiotics (such as Bifida ferment lysate), ceramides, and madecassoside (a derivative of cica), so you get strengthened barrier function and a balanced microbiome — which helps fend off irritation and conditions like eczema.
$24 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand11/15Cocokind Texture Smoothing Cream
Your skin will drink up Cocokind's Texture Smoothing Cream like a healthy smoothie. No, really — it's powered by celery seed extract, which refines overall skin texture and minimizes the appearance of enlarged pores, fine lines, and dry patches. When worn alone, it gives skin a subtle blurring effect, but it also works great as a makeup base.
$20 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand12/15Neutrogena Bright Boost Overnight Recovery Gel Cream
Neutrogena's Bright Boost Overnight Recovery Gel Cream leaves your skin in good hands while you snooze away. Glycerin and shea butter deeply hydrate, and a special ingredient called Neoglucosamine (a building block of hyaluronic acid) boosts cell turnover, fights dullness, and reduces the appearance of dark spots.
$27 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand13/15Dermalogica Barrier Repair
The velvety, clear Dermalogica Barrier Repair is the perfect match for sensitive skin. A hardworking blend of oat kernel oil, ginger root extract, and vitamins C and E supports your skin's lipid barrier, defends against environmental stress, and calms signs of redness.
$47 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand14/15Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream
If your goal is to feel like you're being hugged by your moisturizer, then Augustinus Bader's The Rich Cream is absolutely for you. It's infused with a number of hydrating ingredients, including squalane, argan oil, avocado oil, shea butter, and evening primrose oil to replenish your skin's moisture supply and leave you looking as dewy as ever. The star component, however, is a proprietary blend of natural amino acids, vitamins, and synthesized molecules naturally found in skin that activates the regeneration of your body's stem cells. The end results are more supple-looking skin and less evidence of environmental stress (from sun exposure, pollution, etc.).
$265 (Shop Now)
15/15Dr. Jart Cicapair Tiger Grass Calming Gel Cream
Dr. Jart keeps expanding upon its editor-approved Cicapair line, and there's no objection here. The latest addition is the Tiger Grass Calming Gel Cream, an ultralight hydrating gel that, sticking with the Cicapair theme, soothes and strengthens sensitive skin. It's so good at what it does, in fact, that we gave it a Best of Beauty Award.
$48 (Shop Now)
