I've struggled with dark spots for as long as I can remember. Basically, if you're Black or Brown and acne prone, you probably feel my pain. It wasn't until I added the right ingredients to my skincare routine that I started to notice a significant and lasting improvement. I learned that there's one key product that can make or break your routine—your moisturizer. If it doesn't have the right ingredients for melanated skin, well, let's just say you could be hurting rather than helping your skin goals. Luckily though, I have estheticians on speed dial who are willing to give some sound advice on the matter.
Below, I'm breaking down what to look for in a moisturizer if you have Black or Brown skin and the best ones to buy with the help of esthetician and Klur founder Lesley Thornton. See her top moisturizer pick for Black and Brown skin below along with a few of my own favorites.
Best Moisturizers for Melanated Skin, at a Glance
- Best Overall: La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Moisturizer
- Best Splurge: Klur Sculpture + A Overnight Enrichment Cream
- Best for Large Pores: Fenty Skin Hydra Vizor Invisible Face Moisturizer
- Best for Dark Spots: The Inkey List Omega Water Cream Moisturizer
- Best for Textured Skin: Summer Fridays Cloud Dew Gel Cream Moisturizer
Best Moisturizers for Melanated Skin in 2025
Best Overall: La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Moisturizer
"This moisturizer contains ceramides and hyaluronic acid, which help to hydrate and strengthen the skin barrier. It is suitable for sensitive skin and very affordable, and it has multiple formulations. A day version with SPF and a standard without SPF is often recommended by skin-health professionals." — Thornton
Pros: Relatively inexpensive, contains skin barrier-supporting ingredients like hyaluronic acid and ceramides, suitable for sensitive skin.
Cons: Contains silicones.
Key ingredients: Ceramide-3, niacinamide, glycerin, La Roche-Posay Prebiotic Thermal Water
Skin type: All, sensitive
Size: 3.4 oz
Customer Review: "This is my favorite moisturizer with SPF. I discovered this brand in a pharmacy store in Paris a few years ago and use their other products too. Hope to get to their spa one day!"
Best Splurge: Klur Sculpture + A Overnight Enrichment Cream
This moisturizer from Thornton's skincare brand Klur is great for those who may struggle with acne and dark spots. It's an overnight retinol cream that's gentle (yet powerful) while lifting pigment and speeding up skin cell turnover. In addition to retinol, it also contains 19 anti-inflammatory plant ingredients and peptides to firm the skin and calm redness.
Pros: Contains retinol to help speed up skin cell turnover, has 19 anti-inflammatory plant ingredients, and contains peptides to tighten aging skin.
Cons: Expensive.
Key ingredients: Aloe vera juice, safflower seed oil, vegetable glycerin, soy lecithin, vitamin b5, shea butter, jojoba seed oil
Skin type: All
Size: 2 oz
Customer Review: "Obsessed with Klur's Sculpture + A. … I use this a few nights a week, and it is truly magic in a jar. I have two young toddlers that exhaust me 24/7 and have added at least 10 years to my face in the last year. Whenever I use this product, I wake up the next morning looking a little more youthful around the eyes, and my skin looks healthier with a nice subtle glow. Grateful this product exists as it has become a new staple in my routine!"
Best for Large Pores: Fenty Skin Hydra Vizor Invisible Face Moisturizer
Fenty's SPF 30 moisturizer locks in hydration; helps fade dark spots; and smooths out enlarged pores with ingredients like niacinamide, Kalahari melon, hyaluronic acid, and aloe. It also boosts the softness and firmness of skin. A win for sustainable beauty lovers—this is also a planet-friendly buy since the container is refillable.
Pros: Contains SPF 30 to protect, niacinamide to help fade dark spots and provide excess-oil control, and hyaluronic acid to deeply hydrate the skin.
Cons: Contains chemical sunscreen filters.
Key ingredients: Kalahari melon, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, aloe
Skin type: All, but especially oily
Size: 1.7 oz
Customer Review: "Started using Total Cleans'r, Fat Water Toner Serum, and Hydra Vizor with SPF in Dec 2022 almost consistently morning and night and my skin glows. I get plenty of sun so lucky to have found this face combo!"
Best for Dark Spots: The Inkey List Omega Water Cream Moisturizer
This lightweight water-based gel moisturizer from the Inkey List stops moisture loss in the skin with ceramosides and a betaine complex while simultaneously reducing excess oil production and fading dark spots with 5% niacinamide.
Pros: Budget-friendly, contains 5% niacinamide to provide oil control and fade dark spots, includes ceramosides and a betaine complex to reduce moisture loss and hydrate the skin.
Cons: May not be hydrating enough for extra-dry skin.
Key ingredients: Ceramide complex 0.2%, omega 3, 6, and 9, niacinamide 5%, betaine 3%
Skin type: Dry or oily
Size: 1.7 oz
Customer Review: "This is very light and watery, a gel-like texture that feels cool and comfortable. Great for quick and simple moisturizing, but even better if you like to layer heavier creams on top of lightweight moisturizers!"
Best for Textured Skin: Summer Fridays Cloud Dew Gel Cream Moisturizer
Featuring a hyaluronic acid complex, amino acids, and pineapple enzymes, this formula from Summer Fridays aims to provide antioxidant protection to the skin, deeply hydrate, and gently smooth out skin texture and dark spots.
Pros: The hyaluronic acid complex in the formula hydrates the skin, pineapple enzymes smooth out skin texture and fade dark spots, and amino acids provide antioxidant protection.
Cons: May not be suitable for hypersensitive or extra-dry skin.
Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid complex, amino acids, pineapple enzyme
Skin type: Dry
Size: 1.7 oz
Customer Review: "I was so excited to [try] this and it did not disappoint. It gives my skin such a glowy look. I have fairly sensitive skin and it worked great for me. A little goes a long way and there's a good amount of product in the jar. Will definitely buy again."
Best for Combination Skin: Farmacy Daily Greens Oil-Free Gel Moisturizer
If you're acne prone, this moisturizer is an absolute lifesaver. It provides just the right amount of hydration your skin needs with hyaluronic acid and polyglutamic acid, and moringa and papaya help remove impurities from the skin and calm redness. I used this moisturizer for years when my skin was really oily and absolutely loved it.
Pros: Fragrance-free, balances oil production in the skin, provides long-lasting hydration with hyaluronic acid and polyglutamic acid, and includes moringa and papaya to remove impurities from the skin.
Cons: May not be hydrating enough for extra-dry skin.
Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, polyglutamic acid, galacturonic acid, niacinamide,
moringa, papaya
Skin type: Oily and combo skin
Size: 1.7 oz
Customer Review: "I stumbled upon it on accident and have been so surprised by how much my skin enjoys it. My skin has been chronically dry and sensitive and I'm amazed this doesn't break me out. It feels greasy going on but in a light, refreshing way. It is so moisturizing. New staple!"
Best for Dry Skin: Shani Darden Skin Care Hydration Peptide Cream
Dry skin will greatly benefit from this moisture-rich cream from Shani Darden. It's also great if you use any brightening acids in your skincare routine to lighten dark spots or even out your skin tone. Peptides support healthy collagen production in the skin, hydrosella provides up to 72 hours of hydration, and squalane replenishes the skin's moisture barrier. I love this moisturizer because it's also great for acne-prone skin. It's the best moisturizer I've used for dehydration and it's completely noncomedogenic. It's never once broken me out so for that reason, I'll cherish it forever.
Pros: Peptides firm skin and support healthy collagen production, squalane repairs the moisture barrier, and Hydrosella provides up to 72 hours of hydration.
Cons: Expensive.
Key ingredients: Peptides, hydrosella, squalane
Skin type: Dry
Size: 2.5 oz
Customer Review: "Very hydrating and soothing to my skin. Rich enough but not greasy. I noticed a difference even after the second day. I have sensitive normal to dry skin, 58 years old, and I'm not expecting a miracle out of any product. Although this peptide cream made a difference. My skin looks more glowing and rejuvenated."
Best for Brighter Skin: InnBeauty Project 10+ 10 Moisturizer
With a 10% vitamin C complex and 10% peptide complex, this moisturizer is a master skin firmer and brightens like no other. Ceramides and squalane also support hydration levels and reinforce the skin barrier.
Pros: Contains 10% vitamin C, a 10% peptide complex, and ceramides and squalane to support hydration levels and reinforce the skin barrier.
Cons: Pills slightly under makeup.
Key ingredients: 10% Vitamin C complex, 10% peptide complex, ceramide NP, squalane
Skin type: Dry
Size: 1.7 oz
Customer Review: "Really impressed! Super hydrating, I wake up with soft skin, and it's a very light consistency, which I love. My face is noticeably more hydrated. Great $$ too."
Best for Mature Skin: Dr. Zenovia Skincare Peptide + Ceramide Repairing Moisturizer
This barrier-enhancing cream is great for dry or mature skin since it contains a peptide complex, vitamin E, green tea, bakuchiol, and ceramides. Bakuchiol is a great retinol alternative and is a bit gentler on the skin, so it's also great for those who are sensitive and could use an extra dose of hydration.
Pros: Contains barrier-supporting ingredients like ceramides and peptides, contains a complex to restore health to a hormonally imbalanced complexion, and features bakuchiol, a retinol alternative.
Cons: Expensive.
Key ingredients: Bakuchiol, green tea extract, tetrapeptide-21, hyaluronic acid, aloe vera
Skin type: Dry, flaky skin
Size: 1.7 oz
Customer Review: "After using Dr. Zenovia Skincare Peptide + Ceramide Repairing Moisturizer over the past few weeks, I can say I have noticed a positive difference in the quality of my skin. My skin feels firmer and looks brighter. The aroma and the texture of the product is light but very pleasant. I experienced no negatives from this product. As I'm approaching 30, I really appreciate products like this that help me keep my skin looking youthful."
Best Retinol-Infused: Philosphy Multi-Rejuvenating Cream SPF 30
Philosophy's rejuvenating moisturizer contains encapsulated retinol as its star ingredient. It helps firm the skin, reduces fine lines and dark spots, and helps with skin cell turnover. It does contain SPF 30 sun protection, but since this contains retinol, I would use an additional sunscreen with this.
Pros: Contains SPF 30 sun protection, contains encapsulated retinol to help with fine lines and dark spots, and supports healthy collagen production.
Cons: Expensive.
Key ingredients: Retinol
Skin type: Mature, textured skin
Size: 2 oz
Customer Review: "I love this product! My skin feels great! I’ve been using this for years and it’s fantastic!"
What to Look for in a Moisturizer for Melanated Skin
"Black and Brown skin can be more prone to certain skin concerns, such as hyperpigmentation or uneven skin tone," says Thornton. "Look for ingredients like niacinamide, vitamin C, licorice extract, hyaluronic acid, glycerin, ceramides, and non-aggressive acids that can exfoliate the skin without stripping or irritating."
"Moisturizers should contain ingredients that provide and retain hydration in the skin with emollients and occlusives to help create a barrier on the skin's surface, preventing moisture loss," she says. "Look for noncomedogenic formulas to avoid clogged pores and breakouts—these formulations are less likely to cause acne or worsen existing skin issues." She adds that sun protection against harmful UV rays is also esential for maintaining healthy skin. That said, she suggests looking for moisturizers that contain broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher to shield your skin from both UVA and UVB rays.
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 moisturizers for melanated skin, we leaned heavily on expert insight and our knowledge as beauty experts. We also considered several factors, including skin type, 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 Trust Us
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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