The Best Face Moisturizers for Your Skin Type

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Which moisturizer is best for your skin type?

Whether your skin is oily, overly dry, sensitive, acne-prone, all of the above, or even none of the above, choosing the best facial moisturizer for your complexion can make a big difference in the look and feel of your skin.

A moisturizer’s main task is to hold water in the skin’s outermost layer. Many moisturizers contain some combination of humectants (such as glycerin, urea, and hyaluronic acid) to attract water; emollients (including lipids, ceramides, mineral oil, and lanolin) to soften skin, and occlusives (such as petroleum jelly and cocoa butter) to create a protective layer that locks the moisture in. Some formulas also have sunscreen or tinting agents. They can come as creams, lotions, gels, ointments, oils and/or serums, all available at drug stores, department stores, and doctors’ offices.

When paired with the correct skin type, moisturizers can prevent and treat dry skin, protect sensitive skin, and possibly even improve skin texture and tone. Here’s how to find the right product for you. (Just be sure to avoid the ingredients that could be making you break out.)

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Best moisturizer for normal skin

If you have normal skin, or skin that’s not too dry or oily, you’re in luck when it comes to finding a moisturizer. Almost any product can be used on your face, according to Joshua Zeichner, MD, director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. Your skin is so easy to care for, that you can likely get away with borrowing your body moisturizer out of the shower, he says. Find out that’s “strong enough for your body, but gentle enough for your face.”

Try: Vaseline Intensive Care Advanced Repair Unscented Lotion, $27, amazon.ca

Psst: See how dermatologists wake up with amazing skin.

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Best moisturizer for oily skin

Here’s a beauty secret for women with oily skin: There may not be a “best” moisturizer for you, since “people with oily skin don’t always need or want to use a moisturizer,” says Cheryl M. Burgess, MD, medical director at the Center for Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery in Washington, DC. (Check out the worst skin care advice dermatologists have ever heard.) “Oil traps moisture in your skin, while moisturizers replenish it.” If your typically oily complexion appears to be dry and flaky, the culprit may be your cleanser. “If you use a stripping cleanser, your oily skin may dry out and then you overcompensate with a moisturizer that is heavy, which leads to clogging of pores and acne,” she says. “It’s a vicious cycle.”

Stripping ingredients that tend to over-dry oily skin often include alcohol and witch hazel. If you do want a moisturizer and have oily skin, try this: “Open the jar and turn it over. Does the moisturizer stay in the container? If so, it is too heavy for oily skin,” she says. Dr. Zeichner advises steering clear of facial moisturizers that contain petrolatum, which can be heavy and weigh you down. Instead, look for moisturizers that contain lightweight dimethicone.

Try: EltaMD AM Therapy Facial Moisturizer, $48, amazon.ca

Best moisturizer for combination skin

In classic combination skin, some areas are dry (i.e. your cheeks) and others are oily (usually your forehead, nose and chin). In fact, these common culprits could be the cause of your oily skin. “It’s a challenge,” Dr. Zeichner says. “Using a heavy product will weigh down the oily areas, so err on the side of a light moisturizer,” he says. (Did you know that an essence can make your mositurizer and any other product more effective?)

Try: Tata Harper Rebuilding Moisturizer, $140, geebeauty.com

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Best moisturizer for dry skin

If you have dry skin, find a product that will solve your condition once and for all. “Look for super hydraters such as hyaluronic acid (HA), which acts like a sponge to draw hydration into the skin’s outer skin layer,” Dr. Zeichner says. HA is one of the hottest ingredients in skincare products today. “We stop producing HA at age 40, and it is considered a super humectant because it holds 100 times its weight in water,” adds Maritza I. Perez, MD, a dermatologist based in New Canaan, Connecticut. “People with dry skin don’t have a good barrier function,” she says. “The skin’s barrier is tasked with protecting the skin from stressors, which is why many people with dry skin are more likely to have itchy and inflamed skin, which are hallmarks of atopic dermatitis.” (Have eczema? This cream is for you.)

Try: SkinMedica HA5 Rejuvenating Hydrator, $163, amazon.ca

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Best moisturizer for sensitive skin

If you have sensitive skin, you should stick to products that contain ingredients such as oils, which are soothing and usually not irritating, Dr. Zeichner suggests. “Avoid any product with potential allergens, such as fragrances or dyes, as well as acids, which can irritate sensitive skin,” says Dr. Perez. (Check out the face oils your skin needs in cold weather.)

Try: Skin Fix Barrier + Triple Lipid-Peptide Cream, $67, sephora.com

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Best moisturizer for acne-prone skin

Adult acne can be stubborn, annoying, and can make you feel embarrassed if you have it. “If you are acne-prone, consider a moisturizer that contains salicylic acid, which can help remove excess oil from the skin and exfoliate away dead cells,” says Dr. Zeichner. (Also, you probably want to know how to treat whiteheads.)

Try: Aveeno Clear Complexion Moisturizer, $24, amazon.ca

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Best moisturizer for mature skin

Skin tends to grow dryer with age due to decreased oil production and some hormonal changes. To the rescue: Oil-based moisturizers that contain petrolatum plus anti-aging ingredients such as antioxidants and alpha-hydroxy acids.

Try: Exuviance Age Reverse HydarFirm, $70, amazon.ca

Next, check out the best exfoliator for your skin type.