There is nothing more intimidating than going into a skincare store and looking at the countless options for moisturizers. Dropping by to quickly pick up a moisturizer can be a difficult task if you don’t know which skin type you have or what kind of ingredients you should be using. Sometimes finding the right product for your skin is more of a trial and error, so I’ve come up with a list of products for each skin type. I promise you, after trying some of these moisturizers your skin will love you for giving it the right products it needs to obtain its natural, youthful glow.
You can find all of these products at your local Sephora or Lush stores. The best thing about these stores is you can ask for a free sample before buying. Try out the product and see if it goes well with your skin type—happy sampling!
Sensitive
Sensitive skin suffers from irritation when applying certain skincare products and can break out in pimples or rashes when applying something new to the skin. This skin type should be aware of the ingredients you are putting on your skin. Try a brand that is known to use more natural ingredients to avoid irritation.
First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream Intense Hydration – First Aid Beauty is a brand that uses natural ingredients like colloidal oatmeal, shea butter, and eucalyptus oil to help soothe dry, itchy skin; it’s sensitive enough for people to use that have conditions like atopic dermatitis, eczema, and keratosis pilaris. Ultra Repair Cream is a great moisturizer that can actually be used from head to toe to soothe dry, itchy, sensitive skin.
Ole Henriksen Nurture Me – Ole Henriksen is a brand that uses natural ingredients and clinical ingredients to give your skin the best at-home clinical results. Nurture Me Moisturizer is packed with vitamins A, C, and K, which help support and repair the skin barrier. It also contains chamomile extract, wheat germ oil, and evening primrose oil to help nourish, protect, and soften the skin.
Lush Celestial Moisturizer – Lush is a brand that uses all-natural ingredients. Their Celestial Moisturizer is infused with cocoa butter, almond milk, almond oil, and vanilla water to deeply moisturize without irritating skin. It also keeps the skin feeling soft and gives the appearance of brighter skin. Celestial can be used day and night for optimal hydration.
Combination to Oily
Combination to oily skin suffers from being dry or normal in some areas and oily in others. Oil usually accumulates within the T-Zone: the forehead, nose, and chin. Try products that will help refine the texture of your skin while balancing out oil.
Ole Henriksen Sheer Transformation – Ole Henriksen’s Sheer Transformation is packed with a potent blend of licorice, sandalwood, vitamin C, AHAs, and vitamin E. This specific blend helps gently exfoliate the skin to refine texture, brighten, and balance the skin to purify pores.
Shiseido Ibuki Refining Moisturizer Enriched – The whole Ibuki line from Shiseido is formulated to combat combination to oily skin types. This specific moisturizer has ingredients like peony root extract that helps minimize breakouts and pores, witch hazel extract for an antioxidant, and glycylglycine, which helps refine pores and rough skin.
Boscia Revitalizing Black Hydration Gel – Boscia, which stands for Botanical Science and Advanced technology, is the world’s first skincare brand that produces their products without the use of hard preservatives. This moisturizer is infused with ingredients like artichoke leaf extract to tighten pores, charcoal to absorb excess oil and detoxify the skin, and glycolic acid to help exfoliate and clarify skin.
Combination to Dry
Combination to dry skin suffers from being oily or normal in some areas and drier in others. Dryness usually happens in the cheeks and creates a tight, uncomfortable feeling. Try products that will help balance out dry areas while giving an overall healthy glow.
Philosophy Take A Deep Breath Oil-Free Energizing Oxygen Gel Cream Moisturizer – This moisturizer is packed with antioxidants to fight free radicals that cause damage to the skin like the sun, smog, pollution, and bacteria. It also produces an energizing oxygen with caffeine to detoxify the skin and support cell respiration—meaning dry skin areas will find relief. It also contains hyaluronic acid, which helps bind moisture to the skin for optimal moisture.
Fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Face Cream with Super 7 Complex – Fresh is known for using natural ingredients that actually help improve the skin. Their Super 7 Complex is packed full of super-charged fruit and plant extracts as well as vitamins C and E to help prevent the signs of aging—all while providing optimal moisture. It also contains maca root extract, which helps boost radiance and promote cell turnover.
Origins GinZing Energy-Boosting Moisturizer – Origins uses natural plant based ingredients to create high-performance skincare. The whole GinZing line from Origins was created to help boost vitality and prolong life with the use of ginseng as the main ingredient. It not only helps stimulate physical and mental activity, but it also is said to strengthen the soul, brighten the eyes, and open the heart. This moisturizer is infused with coffee beans to help stimulate radiance and jumpstart hydration.
Extremely Dry
Dry skin suffers from loss of elasticity, flaky skin, red patches, and a dull, rough complexion that creates visible fine lines and wrinkles. Dryness is usually all over and can create a tight, uncomfortable feeling. Try products that will instantly soothe and comfort the skin while promoting optimal moisture.
Philosophy Renewed Hope in a Jar – Philosophy uses clinical ingredients to boost skin’s appearance. This moisturizer has a triple blend of alpha-hydroxy acids, three forms of hyaluronate, and an Asian fruit extract to help promote a radiance to the skin, while providing a gentle exfoliation to the skin’s surface and all day hydration.
CLINIQUE Moisture Surge Intense for Very Dry to Dry Combination Skin – This oil-free moisturizer features clinical ingredients to help instantly hydrate and plump the skin for 24 hours. With daily use, this moisturizer will help repair skin’s moisture barrier by keeping moisture in and environmental irritants like free radicals out. With a cream-gel consistency, this moisturizer will create a soft, supple texture on the skin.
Murad Hyrdo-Dynamic Ultimate Moisture – This dermatologist developed product is packed with avocado, sunflower, and olive fruit oils to help skin obtain its maximum hydration. It also contains retinyl palmitate and shea butter, which refines the texture of skin and restores it to its natural softness. This moisturizer is infused with Murad’s collagen support complex that also helps plump dehydrated skin for optimal moisture levels (up to eight hours!).
Extremely Oily
Oily skin suffers from an overproduction of oil, enlarged pores, blackheads, pimples, and a dull, thick complexion. Oiliness is usually all over and can create a slick or greasy feeling to the skin. Try using products that will absorb excess oil, combat blemishes and large pores, and will also provide optimal hydration. Some people think that putting a moisturizer on oily skin will only make your skin oilier, but this is incorrect. By applying moisturizer, skin will not have to overcompensate and produce more oil for moisture loss and will actually appear less oily.
Lush Vanishing Cream – This all-natural moisturizer is very light weight, helps balance oil production, and also gives all day hydration (it also smells amazing!). It is infused with lavender honey water and rose water to balance out the skin’s pH, witch hazel to help tighten pores and reduce oil production, and grape seed oil and fair trade shea butter to help soften the skin.
First Aid Beauty Skin Rescue Oil-Free Mattifying Gel Moisturizer – This dermatologist recommended product is free of artificial fragrances, allergy tested and is safe for sensitive skin types. It’s an oil-controlling hydrator that contains Zinc PCA to refresh skin and decrease sebum production. It also has antioxidants to improve skin’s hydration and to lock in moisture. This gel-like moisturizer instantly mattifies skin and helps reduce visible pores.
Origins Zero Oil Oil-Free Moisturizer Lotion – Origins uses natural plant based ingredients like mint and saw palmetto to control excess oil and purify pores. Also, with the added ingredient of salicylic acid, it sheds dead skin cells that block pores and causes pimples. This moisturizer is lightweight, oil-free, and will create a smooth, matte finish with all day hydration.
Normal
Normal skin doesn’t suffer from sensitivity and has no or very few imperfections—and usually has a naturally radiant complexion. Try products that will promote radiance and all day hydration.
Sephora Collection Instant Moisturizer – This moisturizer gives optimal hydration with a non-greasy texture. HydroSenn+ is Sephora brand’s own ingredient that helps form a protective barrier on the skins surface and helps bind moisture to the skin. It also contains light reflective pigments to create a radiant, smooth complexion.
Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentre – Embryolisse is a legendary French skincare line that creating this multitasking moisturizer. It hydrates, primes the skin, and even removes all traces of makeup. It is a favorite of makeup artists because of its three-in-one abilities. It contains shea butter and emollient oils to rejuvenate and repair skin for a radiant complexion.
Lush Gorgeous Moisturizer – This moisturizer is infused with natural ingredients like orange blossom honey, organic extra virgin olive oil, cold pressed organic evening primrose, avocado, grape seed, wheat germ, and coconut oil to promote the softest of skin. It also has orange blossom honey and fresh organic lemon juice to help slightly matte the skin and promote radiance.
Acne Prone Skin
Acne prone skin suffers from over production of oil that blocks skin’s barrier and produces pimples and blackheads. Acne prone skin can stem from a hormonal imbalance, hereditary genes, or even bacteria lagging on the skin. Try products that lightly exfoliate the skin, control oil, and prevent pimples and blackheads.
Murad Skin Perfecting Lotion (Blemish Prone/Oily Skin) – This dermatologist recommended moisture contains retinol to promote cell turnover, queen of meadow extract to balance oil production, and honey extract to tone and tighten the skin. It is produced without sulfates, synthetic fragrances, or dyes so it is great for sensitive acne prone skin. Your skin will feel matte and smooth with this moisturizer.
Philosophy Clear Days Ahead Oil-Free Salicylic Aced Acne Treatment & Moisturizer – This is an oil-free, one-step acne treatment, and moisturizer that contains clinical ingredients to help diminish breakouts while still giving optimal moisture. It contains a 1% salicylic acid that will help exfoliate the inside of pores, detoxifying and refining the texture of skin. This moisturizer will give you a soft, matte finish.
Boscia Clear Complexion Moisturizer – Boscia uses natural ingredients to promote healthy looking skin. This moisturizer contains willow bark, a natural form of salicylic acid that lightly exfoliates and refines the look of pores. It also has bamboo extract, which is used to help control excess oil. It’s very lightweight and will keep your skin look clear while providing proper moisture.
Aging Skin
Aging skin suffers from loss of elasticity, fine lines, an over production of wrinkles, and sometimes the look of larger pores. Try products that will prevent or reverse the signs of aging and help boost collagen while refining the skin’s texture.
Algenist Genius Cream – Algenist’s breakthrough ingredient is called microalgae. It supports skin cell repair and decreases the rate of DNA damage for a more nourished, supple, and replenished complexion. This moisturizer also has alguronic acid (their patented ingredient) that supports cell regeneration and boosts elastin synthesis for smother, firmer skin. It also contains a plant-derived collagen, which helps reinforce skins structure and plumpness.
Fresh Black Tea Age -Delay Cream – Fresh uses black tea ferment in their Black Tea skincare line. This is an advanced antioxidant that helps protect the skin from free radical damage while softening, smoothing, and enhancing natural radiance in the skin. It also contains polysaccharides, which helps reduce fine lines and blackberry leaf extract that helps maintain a firm, supple complexion.
Philosophy Anti-Wrinkle Miracle Worker – This clinical moisturizer gives a rejuvenating feel with ingredients like linseed, sunflower, and olive oils to help replenish skin’s natural moisture barrier. It also has resveratrol and vitamin C that helps boost skins natural collagen production and brightens the skin for a more supple, radiant complexion.
