As someone prone to dry skin, I must say that there are a lot of ups and downs when dealing with it. On top of my dry, sometimes sensitive skin, I have the pleasure of dealing with eczema. What can I say? It keeps things exciting. If you have any of the above skin issues, I'm sure you can relate.
Right now, I'm going through an "up" phase because the eczema on my hands and body is not flaring up, my face isn't dry and peeling, and my skin feels way softer. We're having a good moment. That said, I'm not trying to brag too much, because today I'm going to tell you about my absolute favorite moisturizer to use when my skin is ultra parched. And guess what? It can be found at the drugstore.
Board-certified dermatologist Hadley King, MD, has a similar outlook. "A moisturizer does not have to be expensive or fancy to be well formulated—I agree that there are some excellent drugstore moisturizers!" she tellsBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing .
I highly recommend trying my drugstore favorite the next time you experience dryness. And if you're looking for other moisturizing options, I've included some highly rated ones below (plus a few recommended by King herself) that have similar price points.
The Best Drugstore Moisturizers for Dry Skin, at a Glance
- Best Overall: Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel-Cream
- Best Rich Formula: CeraVe Moisturizing Cream
- Best for Combination Skin: Cetaphil Daily Oil-Free Hydrating Lotion
- Best for Eczema: Aveeno Eczema Therapy Daily Moisturizing Cream
- Best for Sensitive Skin: La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer
The Best Drugstore Moisturizers for Dry Skin in 2025
1. Best Overall: Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel-Cream
Let me introduce you to my holy-grail moisturizer: Neutrogena's Hydro Boost Gel-Cream. This drugstore find never fails me when it comes to saving my dry skin. It's a lightweight and cooling gel formula that feels so soothing on peeling, red, or irritated skin. If your skin has ever been so dry it actually hurts, you know that something cooling feels just heavenly. It also absorbs super quickly, so it works fast to get rid of that dry skin, and it doesn't leave a greasy or sticky feeling.
Whenever I put this on, my skin feels way better. And after a few days of application, the dryness is gone. Sometimes when my skin is extra dry, I'll apply it at least two times a day, and since it's a lightweight formula, it doesn't feel like I'm caking on the product. It's like magic for me since my skin looks and feels plumper, smoother, and healthier after using it.
Pro: Cooling, soothing, and hydrating
Con: None
Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid
Size: 1.7 oz
Customer review: "If you have dry skin and love to be pampered—this is the inexpensive answer! Love this mask for a little "spa" treatment."
2. Best Rich Formula: CeraVe Moisturizing Cream
This cream can be used on both the face and body. King agrees: "This is a great moisturizer choice," she says. The rich formula contains hyaluronic acid and three essential ceramides to provide up to 24 hours of hydration. "It's noncomedogenic so it won't clog pores and contribute to acne, and its skin barrier- nourishing ingredients help to protect the skin from the potentially irritating effects of anti-acne medications," King adds.
Pros: Fragrance-free and noncomedogenic
Cons: Jars are typically less hygienic than bottles (unless it comes with a beauty spatula)
Size: 19 ounces
Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid and ceramides
Customer review: "CeraVe lotion is amazing! Provides long-lasting hydration without feeling greasy. Perfect for dry skin, especially in harsh weather. Non-irritating and fragrance-free. Great for everyday use. My skin feels soft, smooth, and moisturized all day. Highly recommend!"
3. Best for Combination Skin: Cetaphil Daily Oil-Free Hydrating Lotion
This hydrating lotion works well on combination and sensitive skin types. The fast-absorbing and lightweight formula hydrates and locks in moisture for up to 24 hours.
Pros: Won't clog pores, so it's also great for acne-prone skin
Cons: Has a lighter texture, if you're looking for something richer.
Size: 3 ounces
Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid
Customer review: "Love this moisturizer. I've been using it for a year now and have bought several bottles. It's lightweight, odorless, and works great."
4. Best for Eczema: Aveeno Eczema Therapy Daily Moisturizing Cream
I've always had eczema on my hand, but I started experiencing flare-ups on my body, so I was desperate to find a solution. Enter Aveeno's Eczema Therapy lotion. It was able to soothe my dry and irritated skin, and after about two weeks of use, my eczema flare-up was completely cleared.
Pros: Soothes sensitive skin upon application
Cons: Better suited for body than face
Key ingredients: Colloidal oatmeal and ceramides
Size: 12 ounces
Customer review: "Bought this for a family member struggling with skin issues, and it’s worked wonders! The texture is rich but non-greasy, and it absorbs quickly. After just a few days of use, the dryness and irritation visibly reduced. It’s gentle, fragrance-free, and feels soothing on the skin. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a dermatologist-recommended solution that truly delivers."
5. Best for Sensitive Skin: La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer
In addition to targeting dryness, this face moisturizer protects against free-radical damage. Ingredients include ceramides, prebiotic thermal water, glycerin, and niacinamide.
Pros: Great for acne-prone and dry skin, contains the brand's signature Thermal Spring Water for extra skin healing
Cons: Pricey for a small size
Size: 3.4 ounces
Key ingredients: Thermal spring water and niacinamide
Customer review: "Works great for my super sensitive skin. It hydrates without clogging pores or feeling greasy."
6. Best Quick-Absorbing: Nivea Intense Healing Body Lotion
If you're dealing with dry and tight skin all over your body, try this super-nourishing lotion. It's enriched with Nivea's serum and provitamin B5 and formulated to keep your skin moisturized for up to 72 hours.
It also contains glycerin and glyceryl stearate, which King praises as skin-soothing ingredients. "Glycerin is a humectant and emollient that draws in moisture to hydrate and locks in that moisture," she says. "Glyceryl stearate is a conditioning agent that works as an emollient to soften the skin."
Pros: Soothes rough skin after one application, and makes for a superb foot cream, too
Cons: Some reviewers report a strong fragrance
Size: 16.9 ounces
Key ingredients: Glycerin, provitamin B5
Customer review: "I love this cream. Its goes on very smoothly and does not feel greesy. Also, it leaves your skin feeling and smelling very fresh."
7. Best Splurge: Avène Hydrance Rich Hydrating Cream
This cream works to prevent water evaporation so your skin won't dry out. It also smooths dehydration lines while providing 24 hours of hydration. Ingredients include shea butter and safflower oil.
Who What Wear senior beauty editor Jamie Schneider is particularly passionate about its skin-soothing power. "If you enjoy a denser cream, you seriously cannot go wrong with this face moisturizer," she says. "And don't sleep on its healing properties. I even applied it on a recent scar I had, and it helped the mark fade like a memory."
Pros: Great for dry skin, irritation, and even scars
Cons: Expensive for a small size
Size: 1.3 ounces
Key ingredients: Shea butter, thermal spring water
Customer review: "I’ve been struggling all sensitive skin all my life, and it only got worse with age, I’m almost 50, and this is the only moisturizer that works for my skin. It’s deeply nourishing and keeps my skin free of rashes."
8. Best for Sensitive Skin: Vanicream Moisturizing Cream
Vanicream's Moisturizing Cream is another go-to for me. I love that it's free of dyes, fragrances, lanolin, parabens, and formaldehyde—meaning it's easy on sensitive skin.
Pros: Fragrance-free and noncomedogenic, recommended time and again by derms
Cons: Texture can be a bit sticky
Size: 16 ounces
Key ingredients: Propylene glycol
Customer review: "I went through an entire tub and bought more after. I love this for my whole body. It is pretty thick, so a little goes a long, way especially for the face."
9. Best for Itch Relief: Lubriderm Advanced Therapy Lotion
Great for extra-dry skin, Lubriderm's lotion is infused with nourishing vitamin E, provitamin B5, and lipids. It works to repair the skin's moisture barrier.
Pros: Hypoallergenic and fragrance-free
Cons: Might feel too thick for some
Size: 32 ounces
Key ingredients: Vitamin E
Customer review: "Helps prevent dry skin. I put some on after I shower. I had itchy skin before I started using Lubriderm that was starting to drive me crazy. Now, almost no itching now."
What should I look for in a drugstore moisturizer?
Above all, you'll want to make sure the formula has a healthy balance of humectants, emollients, and occlusives.
"Humectants, like hyaluronic acid and glycerin, are mostly low molecular weight substances that bind water into the stratum corneum," says King. "They need to be used along with the other components in order to retain the water content." They're wonderful hydrators, but they need some extra help to keep from evaporating out of your skin.
That's where emollients come in! These are skin conditioners that fill in micro-cracks in the skin barrier, and help the most with skin texture and appearance. "Examples include cholesterol, squalene, fatty acids, fatty alcohols, and ceramides," says King.
Finally, "Occlusives are oils and waxes which form an inert layer on the skin and physically block transepidermal water loss," King notes. Translation: They keep all that precious hydration locked inside. "Examples include petrolatum, beeswax, mineral oil, silicones, lanolin, and zinc oxide," she explains.
What moisturizer is best for your skin type?
"For dry skin or dry environments, look for a moisturizer that contains heavier emollients and more occlusives to lock in moisture," says King. "For oilier skin or humid environments, lighter emollients and fewer occlusives may be preferable." Mature skin also tends to run dry, but King suggests seeking additional skin-plumping ingredients, such as peptides.
"Vitamin C and other antioxidants can be added to help protect against damage from free radicals; niacinamide can be added to help improve tone and texture, and soothing ingredients like bisabolol, allantoin, and aloe can be added to calm the skin," she shares.
What to avoid in a drugstore moisturizer?
"Avoid formulations that don't have occlusive properties, particularly if your skin is dry or if you are in a dry environment," says King. "You really need the combination of humectants, emollients, and occlusives for optimal results." (Remember: Occlusives are important for keeping moisture from seeping out of your skin).
"If you have oily or acne-prone skin, avoid comedogenic ingredients and other heavy occlusives," she adds. "For sensitive skin, avoid potentially irritating added ingredients like exfoliating acids and retinol."
How We Chose
As with all of our buying guides atBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing , we compile our edits based on original testing and expert recommendations. To find the best drugstore moisturizers for dry skin, we leaned heavily on expert insight and our knowledge as beauty experts. We also considered several factors, including key ingredients and size. We're aware of how important these factors are for a wide range of needs and preferences, so we made sure to list out all the helpful details. Of course, customer reviews were also kept in mind when creating this list.
Why TrustBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing
Since 2006,Best Knockoff Luxury Clothing has been a digital fashion, beauty, and lifestyle publication and community where people can discover Wholesale Replica Bag brands, trends, and must-have products to help define and evolve their personal style. Think ofBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing as your most trusted style and shopping resource.
This article was originally published at an earlier date and has since been updated.
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