crème de la cream

The 24 Best Face Moisturizers We’ve Ever Tried

We’ve tested every lotion under the sun to bring you the cream (get it?) of the crop. Here, you'll find a moisturizer for every skin type and concern.
The Best Facial Moisturizers of 2020
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Some people may cringe when they hear the word moist, but when it comes to moisturizers, we've got nothing but love. For many, it's the final step in a skin-care routine, and whether you're looking for a lighter option to wear during the day, or a souped-up version for an overnight glow-up, we've tested countless formulas in our day-to-day work as beauty editors. Whether you've got dry, oily, or combination skin, odds are the perfect face cream for you has passed through our offices.

"Moisturizers are an essential part of every skin-care routine," Shereene Idriss, a board-certified dermatologist at Union Square Laser Dermatology in New York City, tells Allure. "Just as our bodies require us to hydrate with water, so does our skin. In the short term, moisturizing perks your skin up, giving you a healthy fullness. In the long term, consistent moisturizing helps decrease the appearance and rate at which fine lines and wrinkles emerge."

Here, we've rounded up the 23 best face moisturizers (the crème de la cream, if you will), including Allure Best of Beauty Award winners and recommendations from dermatologists.

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.

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    1/24

    Olay Regenerist Whip SPF 40

    If you're a fan of multitasking skin-care products, Olay Regenerist Whip SPF 40 will be right up your alley. This 2020 Allure Best of Beauty winner has a lightweight, whipped-like cream formula that transforms into a liquid once applied to skin for faster absorption. In addition to providing UVA/UVB protection, it contains hyaluronic acid, brightening niacinamide, and amino peptides to help skin appear smoother and firmer.  

    $29 (Shop Now)

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    2/24

    Youth to People Superfood Air-Whip Moisture Cream

    Consider Youth to People's Superfood Air-Whip Moisture Cream as a healthy, nourishing smoothie for your face. Like the name suggests, this 2020 Allure Best of Beauty Award winner has an air-whipped gel-cream formula that absorbs instantly, so it's perfect underneath makeup. It's packed with spinach, kale (which is rich in vitamins C, E, and K), antioxidant-rich green tea, and hyaluronic acid for long-lasting moisture. We can figuratively drink to that.  

    $48 (Shop Now)

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    3/24

    Dr. Jart Cicapair Tiger Grass Calming Gel Cream

    Extremely lightweight in texture and feel, Dr. Jart's Cicapair Tiger Grass Calming Gel Cream contains glycerin, niacinamide, cica, and the brand's proprietary microbiome complex to not only moisturize skin and soothe irritation, but strengthen your skin's defensive abilities as well. Dr. Jart's Cicapair line is a favorite among skin-care enthusiasts, but the Calming Gel Cream takes the cake in terms of no-fuss, daytime moisturizers, which is why it won a 2020 Allure Best of Beauty Award.  

    $48 (Shop Now)

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    4/24

    Garnier SkinActive Water Rose 24H Moisture Cream

    Loaded with rose water and hyaluronic acid, Garnier's SkinActive Water Rose 24H Moisture Cream has a delightful, lightweight water cream formula that your skin immediately drinks up. This 2020 Allure Best of Beauty Award winner leaves your skin feeling soft, smooth, and smelling faintly of roses, making it the perfect daytime moisturizer.  

    $12 (Shop Now)  

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    5/24

    Then I Met You Calming Tide Gel Cream

    We've been eagerly waiting for Then I Met You to drop its first moisturizer. And now that it's here, we're already obsessed with its firming, calming, and brightening formula. "Even though it's packed with peptides, it's super lightweight," says Allure digital beauty editor Devon Abelman. An additional perk: "It has bergamot in it, so it smells like Fruity Pebbles."

    $42 (Shop Now)

    More from Allure
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    E.L.F. Holy Hydration! Face Cream Fragrance Free

    If you like E.L.F.'s Holy Hydration! Face Cream but your nose or skin prefers moisturizer without added scent, you will love the fragrance-free version. You still get all the plumping, brightening, and hydrating benefits of hyaluronic acid, peptides, and niacinamide — just without the fragrance frills.

    $12 (Shop Now)

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    7/24

    Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Moisturizer Night

    When it comes to drugstore skin care for mature skin, Neutrogena's Rapid Wrinkle Repair Moisturizer consistently tops best-of lists. Its potent nighttime formula features retinol and hyaluronic acid to instantly plump skin and minimize visible signs of aging.

    $27 (Shop Now)

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    8/24

    The Inkey List Peptide Moisturizer

    With its 1 percent peptide complex and a special smoothing royal jelly protein, The Inkey List Peptide Moisturizer's price seems like a typo. For just $15, this shea butter-rich cream does the heavy lifting of moisturizers 10 times the price, deeply moisturizing and smoothing skin while absorbing quickly for a non-heavy feel.

    $15 (Shop Now)

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    9/24

    Vichy Aqualia Thermal UV Defense Moisturizer Sunscreen

    Vichy recently improved upon its already-excellent UV moisturizer, making it an absolute must for daily hydration and sun defense. In addition to SPF 30, it provides noncomedogenic, lightweight moisture that skin just drinks in, never feeling like a sticky or greasy layer. And it's both smoothing and soothing, thanks to the brand's signature mineralizing water from French volcanoes.

    $31 (Shop Now)

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    10/24

    Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Night Cream

    You've got your SPF-spiked moisturizer for day, so now all you need is a retinol-infused moisturizer for nighttime. Murad's Retinol Youth Renewal Night Cream is an outstanding option because, in addition to retinol's smoothing and complexion-evening benefits, it also helps support skin's natural healing process alongside firming algae peptides and skin-strengthening botanicals.

    $82 (Shop Now)

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    11/24

    Safe Sunscreen & SPF Guide

    On this episode of The Science of Beauty, we have a frank talk with Shyla Raghav, vice president of climate at Conservation International, about how the state of our environment makes wearing sunscreen more crucial than ever before. Then, dermatologist Caroline Robinson shares everything you'd ever want to know about how to choose and use SPF, including the one place you're definitely not applying it — but should.

    Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

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    12/24

    SK-II R.N.A. Power Radical New Age Cream

    SK-II’s skin-renewing 2019 Best of Beauty Award winner relies on a micro-nutrient blend derived from yeast fermentation that supplies over 50 different vitamins and amino acids to mimic skin’s natural moisturizing abilities. With chlorella and shea butter to hydrate and condition, your skin will truly enter a new age with the SK-II R.N.A. Power Radical New Age Cream.

    $235 (Shop Now)

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    16/24

    Cetaphil Daily Hydrating Lotion

    Looking for a drugstore pick that holds up to its pricier counterparts? Cetaphil's Daily Hydrating Lotion contains hyaluronic acid, a dream ingredient for anyone with dry skin.

    $18 (Shop Now)

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    17/24

    Skinfix Barrier+ Lipid-Peptide Cream

    If your skin is thirsty for some serious hydration, look no further than this 2019 Allure Best of Beauty Awards winner. The super-rich Skinfix Lipid-Peptide Cream has it all: emollient shea butter, sodium hyaluronate, and a triple-packed blend of fatty oils that feed even the most dehydrated skin. And protein-packed peptides help strengthen skin barriers against environmental damage.

    $50 (Shop Now)

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    18/24

    La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Moisturizer UV

    A common complaint about sunscreens (and even moisturizers with added SPF) is that they can show up ashy on tan to deep skin tones. Not La Roche-Posay's Toleriane Double Repair Moisturizer UV Broad Spectrum SPF 30. The thermal water-infused face lotion won't cause makeup to slip and slide and quickly absorbs with a translucent finish.

    $20 (Shop Now)

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    22/24

    Estée Lauder DayWear Matte Oil-Control Anti-Oxidant Moisture Gel Creme

    The product name may be a mouthful, but falling in love with Estée Lauder's DayWear Matte Oil-Control Anti-Oxidant Moisture Gel Creme is a no-brainer. It has all the moisturizing effects of a rich cream and the mattifying effects of a primer — in other words, it's your skin's new best friend.

    $54 (Shop Now)

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    Aveeno Ultra-Calming Nourishing Night Cream

    Aveeno's Ultra-Calming Nourishing Night Cream is a great option for sensitive skin types, thanks to its fragrance-free, colloidal oatmeal-packed formula, and it can be found at most drugstores near you. Sounds like a win-win to us.

    $19 (Shop Now)

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    La Mer The Moisturizing Soft Lotion

    Looking for a luxurious way to hydrate your skin? Consider La Mer's lightweight Moisturizing Soft Lotion as the cool, younger sibling to the brand's hero cream, but it's every bit as hydrating.

    $285 (Shop Now)

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