15 Best Moisturizers to Hydrate Very Dry Skin

The overarching winner in our most recent Beauty Lab tests, this silky-smooth cream hydrated even parched skin best, increasing skin hydration by a chart-topping 46.5% over six hours, according to our Corneometer data.

Our consumer testers also rated it tops for satisfaction and praised its texture, calling it "fine and silky," and loved how it left skin feeling "hydrated but not heavy or sticky." Although it is pricey per ounce, testers loved that "skin feels dewy without leaving a residue," making it perfect for application even under SPF or makeup.

Key ingredients: Squalane, glycerin, glacial glycoprotein | Skin type: Normal, dry, combination, oily

This budget-friendly face hydrator was a knockout across categories in our tests. It scored best (a perfect 100% across the board!) for absorbing quickly, making skin feel hydrated, moisturized and smooth. It's no surprise it had the top score for consumer satisfaction, with testers claiming it had the best texture. "It went on easy with no greasy or thick feeling to it," said one, who added it "absorbed quickly with no unpleasant residue."

The one downside: its packaging can be tricky to open without product squeezing out. It also increased skin hydration by 23% over a period of six hours, which is substantial yet not as moisturizing as others in the Lab, but testers still said, "it hydrated my skin all day long," and for the price, we think it's a no-brainer.

Key ingredients: Glycerin, oat | Skin type: Dry, sensitive

A skin-brightening powerhouse, Olay's retinol-packed moisturizer scored tops in our recent tests: we're talking best for reducing the appearance of wrinkles, best for making skin look brighter and feel more moisturized and best formula texture. Plus, it moisturized skin by 20% over six hours according to our Lab tests.

Testers saw visible results from this formula laced with anti-aging gold standard retinol, saying, "seemed to work as well as my prescription retinoid," and, "when I woke up each morning, my skin was firmer and smoother. If I relax my face after smiling, I can see that fine lines are less noticeable.” We can confirm: Our Lab tests showed it firmed skin by 27% over four weeks

Key ingredients: Glycerin, retinol, retinyl propionate, niacinamide | Skin type: Normal, oily, dry, sensitive

If you love using a scented moisturizer but don't want to compromise on hydration, this is the pick for you: 95% of testers agreed that this product had the best scent, and it scored best for leaving skin feeling plump, soothed and calmed. "I have VERY sensitive skin and this felt wonderful," said one tester. "It’s really tough to find something like this that doesn’t irritate my skin!"

This pick increased skin hydration by 28% over six hours, according to our Corneometer data, and testers agreed, saying, "while my skin is usually a bit peely and flaky, I didn't experience that at all while using the product." It was rated highest for best texture, although some noted that it takes a little bit of time to absorb and may feel a bit tacky before it fully absorbs.

Key ingredients: Glycerin, shea butter, green tea antioxidant complex | Skin type: Normal, combination, dry, sensitive

Testers rated this pleasantly-scented moisturizer the most gentle in recent tests and loved its "rich, moisturizing formula." Ninety-five percent of testers agreed that it didn’t cause redness or irritation, and if your skin texture needs a little TLC, our Lab tests found this one to be best for improving skin texture and it firmed skin by an impressive 29% over four weeks.

Some testers thought it took too long to absorb, but most loved the "super smooth, luxurious" texture. “My skin is soft, and clear after using it for a month," said one. "A little really goes a long way too.”

Key ingredients: Glycerin, squalane, peptides | Skin type: Dry, aging

Rich, effective hydration can sometimes come at an unpleasant price: namely a sticky, tacky or greasy finish on the skin. This top-scoring La Roche-Posay moisturizer solves that issue with 95% of testers agreeing that it absorbed quickly for a smooth, non-sticky finish. "I liked the non-greasy feel on my skin," said one tester. "After applying, my skin felt very smooth and soft and that feeling remained all day."

Testers also praised its texture, saying, "it wasn’t too watery or too thick," although we found it pilled on skin in our Lab study. Still, it increased skin hydration by 28% in our tests and sensitive skin-havers will appreciate that this pick is free of fragrance.

Key ingredients: Ceramide-3, niacinamide, glycerin | Skin type: All

For visible anti-aging results and firm-looking skin, look no further than this pick from Exuviance. It improved the look of wrinkles by 10% over four weeks' use and ranked tops for making skin feel most lifted and firmer (a whopping 31%, per our Lab tests!). “This cream made my skin feel softer ... more supple and evened out the texture of my skin," said one tester. "I liked how my skin looked over time definitely smoother, [more] even and less fine lines.”

Several more testers marveled that their fine lines and wrinkles looked significantly reduced. "A miracle," said one. It's formulated with exfoliating AHA and PHAs, so it may not be best-suited for sensitive skin.

Key ingredients: Shea butter, AHA, PHAs | Skin type: Dry, aging

A fragrance-free pick, this moisturizer increased skin hydration by 41% in our Lab tests and left skin feeling smooth and moisturized. Testers were split on its texture, with some saying, "this product made my skin feel like silk," while several noted they found it too thick.

One tester swore, "after one week of using, my skin felt smoother and younger looking," and while some loved the way it looked beneath makeup, we noticed during Lab testing that this product leaves a white cast on skin, especially medium to darker skin tones, so it may be best-suited for very fair users.

Key ingredients: Collagen peptides, vitamin B3+ | Skin type: All

A favorite amongst reviewers and editors (hi!), Tatcha's antioxidant-infused formula makes skin feel silky smooth and instantly hydrated, thanks to the brands hallmark rice bran base. I love how it makes my skin (which is dry, sensitive and eczema-prone) look and feel dewy not just upon application, but all day long without ever skewing greasy.

Its light scent is relaxing, not overpowering, and the texture is rich and luxurious without being too thick. The formula is meant to target dryness and dullness and the brand claims that in its testing, 100% of panelists agreed their skin felt supple, replenished and renewed after using it.

Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, squalane, antioxidants | Skin type: Normal, dry

This face moisturizer is really proven to hydrate. We took 10,300 Lab measurements to find that this budget-friendly face cream effectively moisturizes 400% better than a cream nearly 18 times its price. It kept skin quenched for 24 hours and boosted hydration by 50% on average, thanks to powerhouse hydrators like niacinamide and hyaluronic acid.

Eighty percent of the time, testers preferred it to expensive creams, calling it "rich" without feeling heavy or greasy, although its floral, fruity scent may not be best for those who are sensitive to fragranced products.

Key ingredients: Niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, amino-peptide complex | Skin type: Dry, aging

A GH Beauty Award-winner, Dermalogica's soothing cream is a must-have for anyone looking to ease inflamed, irritated skin. It's made with the brand's proprietary nourishing and skin-barrier enforcing ceramide-building complex, soothing cica and hydrating lactobacillus ferment. "It is one of the most soothing creams I have come across," said one tester, who used it to ease burning and tightness after a laser treatment.

"It has a thicker, silkier texture that glides effortlessly over irritated skin but is not too heavy. The cream takes about one to two minutes to absorb but does not leave any tacky residue once it settles. Instead, it feels cushiony and plumping, leaving my skin soft, supple and well-nourished."

Key ingredients: Ceramides, cica, lactobacillus ferment | Skin type: Dry, sensitive

An affordable drugstore pick from cult-favorite brand CeraVe, this performed excellently in recent Lab tests, tying for first place as the most moisturizing face moisturizer (it increased skin hydration by 48.1%!).

The fragrance-free moisturizer performed at the top of the pack for absorbing quickly and leaving skin feeling hydrated. Testers loved using it everywhere from face to body, and said, "it went on smoothly, was not greasy, absorbed well, and made my face feel very soft."

Another raved, "it absorbed quickly and left my skin feeling hydrated for hours," though it may not leave skin feeling plump as well as other moisturizers.

Key ingredients: Ceramides, hyaluronic acid | Skin type: Normal, dry, oily

This calming facial lotion is perfect for anyone suffering from chronic skin conditions. Developed and tested by dermatologists, the fragrance-free formula is formulated with licorice extract and allantoin to help repair the skin’s barrier while calming and soothing redness. Though we haven't tested its claims or performance in-Lab, Dr. Engelman even recommends it to patients with chronic skin conditions like rosacea.

Key ingredients: Vitamin E, licorice extract, allantoin, caffeine | Skin type: Dry, redness-prone, sensitive

A GH Beauty Award-winner, this refreshing Neutrogena gel is water-light but seriously quenches dry skin thanks to glycerin and hyaluronic acid. The oil-free formulation immediately moisturizes, with results lasting 12 hours, evaluations confirmed.

Consumers love it, too: It has over 84,000 reviews on Amazon, with one reviewer raving, "I went from very dry, flaky, angry skin to soft and supple in about one week. I noticed a change instantly," though it may not be rich enough for extremely dry or compromised skin.

Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, glycerin | Skin type: Normal, oily, dry

Retinol is the gold standard when it comes to anti-aging face creams, and this retinol-packed face cream made skin look 32% smoother and more radiant after just one week of use, our data evaluation confirmed. Fine lines faded after four weeks and even deeper wrinkles and dark spots lessened after eight weeks' use. It deeply hydrates all the while, with ultra-hydrating performance that left skin looking instantly refreshed and hydrated for 24 hours after application.

Key ingredients: Retinol, hylauronic acid | Skin type: Dry, aging