As you know, winter is coming and that means our skin is going to face some challenges. The cold weather, the dry air, and the harsh winds can all take a toll on our skin, leaving it dry, flaky, cracked, and irritated. Not a pretty sight, right?
That’s why it’s so important to use a daily moisturizer, especially in winter. A moisturizer can help protect your skin from the elements, lock in the moisture, and keep it soft, smooth, and supple. Plus, it can also prevent premature aging, reduce inflammation, and improve your skin tone and texture.
But finding the right moisturizer, especially on a budget can be tricky, there are just so many options. You don’t want to use something too heavy or too light, too greasy or too drying. You want something just right.
That’s why I’m here to help you out. I’m going to share with you some of the best drugstore moisturizers for winter. Whether you have dry, oily, combination, or sensitive skin, I’ve got you covered. These moisturizers are readily available at your local drugstore or online (click the links to check them out).
So without further ado, let’s get started!
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Best drugstore moisturizers for all skin types
If you’re not sure what your skin type is, or if you have a mix of different skin types, you might want to use a moisturizer that’s suitable for all skin types. These moisturizers are usually gentle, hydrating, and versatile, and can work well with most skin needs and preferences. You really can’t go wrong here.
Here are some of the best affordable drugstore moisturizers for all skin types:
Weleda Skin Food Nourishing Night Cream
This nourishing night cream is made with organic and natural ingredients, such as sunflower seed oil, lanolin, beeswax, and calendula. It provides intensive hydration and repair for dry and stressed skin. It’s also free of synthetic preservatives, fragrances, and colorants, and has a rich and creamy texture that melts into the skin.
Cetaphil Hydrating Lotion With Hyaluronic Acid
This lotion is enriched with hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, and vitamin B5, which help hydrate and nourish the skin. It’s fragrance-free, hypoallergenic, non-comedogenic, and suitable for normal to dry skin. It has a silky and smooth texture that glides on the skin and leaves a soft finish.
Though from personal experience this isn’t the best moisturizer for super dry skin (not unless you use another moisturizer along with it). It’s super lightweight. BUT, it’ll work well for you if you have oily skin, it hydrates well. But you can skip this if your skin gets super dry in the winter! 😊
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel
This gel is infused with hyaluronic acid and delivers a boost of hydration to normal to oily skin. It’s oil-free, dye-free, and non-comedogenic, and has a refreshing and lightweight texture that feels like water on the skin. This is a gel but is still a great product to add to your winter skincare routine!
St. Ives Renewing Collagen & Elastin Moisturizer
This moisturizer is enriched with collagen and elastin, two proteins that help maintain the skin’s elasticity and firmness. It’s suitable for all skin types and helps reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It has a creamy and nourishing formula that leaves the skin soft and smooth.
Best drugstore moisturizers for dry skin
Dry skin can be frustrating and painful in the winter because it has a low level of oil and moisture, and is prone to flaking, itching, and tightness. Which can make your skin look dull, rough, and uneven, and accentuate fine lines and wrinkles.
That’s why you need to use a moisturizer that’s rich, creamy, and has emollients and occlusives. Emollients are ingredients that soften and smooth the skin, like shea butter, ceramides, or jojoba oil. Occlusives are ingredients that seal in moisture and prevent water loss, think petrolatum, beeswax, or lanolin.
Here are some of the best affordable drugstore moisturizers for dry skin:
CeraVe Moisturizing Cream
This classic cream is formulated with ceramides and hyaluronic acid, which help restore the skin’s natural barrier and retain moisture. It’s fragrance-free, non-comedogenic, and suitable for dry to very dry skin. It has a thick, creamy texture that absorbs well into the skin and provides long-lasting hydration.
This moisturizing cream and the Cetaphil moisturizing cream are my go-to winter moisturizers, they work well, they’re easy to find and they last all day. You can’t go wrong with either!
I use the CeraVe Moisturizing Cream daily, and I swear by it. It hydrates well and makes my skin feel comfortable. It also works well under makeup and doesn’t make my skin feel oily or sticky.
Era Organics Oasis Super Hydrating 16 in-1 Moisturizer
This moisturizer is made with organic and natural ingredients, aloe vera, jojoba oil, shea butter, and manuka honey. It claims to provide 16 benefits for dry skin, such as soothing, healing, repairing, nourishing, and anti-aging. It is vegan, cruelty-free, and free of parabens, sulfates, and artificial fragrances.
Eucerin Advanced Repair Cream
This cream is enriched with ceramides and natural moisturizing factors (NMFs), which are substances that occur naturally in the skin and help maintain its hydration. It’s fragrance-free, non-greasy, and fast-absorbing. It helps improve the appearance of dry skin in as little as one week.
Best drugstore moisturizers for oily skin
Oily skin has a high level of oil production, and is prone to shine, enlarged pores, and acne. Oily skin can also look greasy, dull, and uneven, and can clog your pores and cause breakouts.
That’s why you need to use a moisturizer that’s oil-free, preferably gel-based, and has mattifying or anti-inflammatory ingredients. Mattifying ingredients reduce the excess oil and shine on your skin, like salicylic acid, zinc oxide, or kaolin clay. Anti-inflammatory ingredients like niacinamide, green tea, or aloe vera soothe and calm your skin.
Here are some of the best affordable drugstore moisturizers for oily skin:
Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisture with SPF 15
This moisturizer is formulated with glycerin and provides lightweight hydration for oily skin. It’s oil-free, non-comedogenic, and has SPF 15 to protect your skin from sun damage. It also has a water-based texture that absorbs quickly into the skin and leaves a matte finish.
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Mat Daily Moisturizer for Oily Skin
This moisturizer is enriched with sebulyse and zinc pidolate, which help regulate oil production and refine the pores. It’s oil-free, non-comedogenic, and suitable for sensitive skin. It has a gel-cream texture that moisturizes the skin without adding any shine. It also works well under makeup and won’t make your skin cakey or oily.
CosRx Oil-Free Ultra-Moisturizing Lotion with Birch Sap
This moisturizer is made with 70% birch sap, which helps hydrate and nourish the skin. It’s oil-free, cruelty-free, and free of parabens, sulfates, and artificial fragrances. It also has a light and refreshing texture that feels soothing on the skin.
Best drugstore moisturizers for combination skin
Combination skin can be tricky because it has both dry and oily areas, usually with a T-zone (forehead, nose, and chin) that’s oily and cheeks that are dry. Combination just like oily and dry skin can look uneven, patchy, and shiny, and can have different types of problems such as dryness, acne, or sensitivity.
That’s why you need to use a lightweight moisturizer, hydrating, and has ingredients that balance the oil and moisture levels of your skin. These ingredients can help your skin stay smooth and clear.
Here are some of the best affordable drugstore moisturizers for combination skin:
Garnier SkinActive Moisture Rescue Refreshing Gel-Cream
This gel cream is infused with grape water extract and vitamin E, which help replenish the skin’s moisture and antioxidant levels. It’s oil-free, non-comedogenic, and suitable for normal to combination skin. It also has a cooling and refreshing texture that absorbs quickly into the skin and leaves a soft finish.
Simple Kind to Skin Replenishing Rich Moisturizer
This moisturizer is formulated with glycerin and bisabolol, which help hydrate and soothe the skin. It’s gentle, non-comedogenic, and suitable for sensitive skin. It has a rich and creamy texture that moisturizes the skin without leaving any greasy residue.
Best drugstore moisturizers for sensitive skin
Sensitive skin has a low tolerance to most ingredients and is prone to redness, irritation, burning, or itching. Sensitive skin can also look inflamed, dry, or flaky, and can have allergic reactions or breakouts.
That’s why a moisturizer that’s fragrance-free, hypoallergenic, and has soothing ingredients works well. Ingredients like oatmeal, chamomile, or allantoin can help your skin heal, repair, and protect itself.
Here are some of the best affordable drugstore moisturizers for sensitive skin:
Aveeno Ultra-Calm and Restore Daily Moisturizer SPF 30
This moisturizer is made with oat and feverfew, which help reduce the signs of irritation and redness. It’s fragrance-free, non-comedogenic, and has SPF 30 to protect your skin from sun damage. It has a lightweight and gentle texture that absorbs quickly into the skin and leaves a soft finish.
Cetaphil Redness Relieving Night Moisturizer
This moisturizer is formulated with licorice extract and allantoin, which help reduce the appearance of redness and soothe the skin. It’s fragrance-free, hypoallergenic, and suitable for dry to normal skin. It has a rich and nourishing texture that moisturizes the skin overnight.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a different moisturizer for winter?
Yes, if you use a lightweight moisturizer during the summer then you’ll find that you do need a different creamier moisturizer for winter. Winter can be harsh on your skin, as the cold air, low humidity, and indoor heating can all dry out your skin and damage its natural barrier. This can lead to flaking, itching, cracking, and irritation.
To prevent this, you need to use a moisturizer that’s suitable for your skin type and the weather conditions. For example, if you have dry skin, you may need a richer, creamier moisturizer with emollients and occlusives to lock in moisture and protect your skin from water loss. Oily skin needs a lighter, gel-based moisturizer with mattifying or anti-inflammatory ingredients to reduce excess oil and shine.
You may also need to switch your moisturizer depending on the time of day. Like a heavier moisturizer at night to repair your skin while you sleep, and a lighter moisturizer with SPF during the day to protect your skin from sun damage.
Is CeraVe moisturizer good for winter?
Yes absolutely, CeraVe’s moisturizers work well during the winter, especially the creams. CeraVe moisturizers are good for winter because they help hydrate and protect your skin from dryness and damage caused by cold weather and indoor heating. They’re also gentle, non-comedogenic, fragrance-free, and suitable for sensitive skin.
Here are some of the best CeraVe moisturizers for winter:
✔CeraVe Moisturizing Cream: This cream is ideal for dry to dehydrated skin, as it provides long-lasting hydration and protection. It has a thick, creamy texture that absorbs well into the skin without leaving any greasy residue.
✔CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion: This lotion is perfect for normal to oily skin, as it provides lightweight hydration and helps balance oil production. It has a water-based texture that absorbs quickly into the skin and leaves a matte finish.
✔CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream: This cream is suitable for all skin types, as it provides intensive hydration and repair for dry and tired skin. It has a rich and nourishing texture that moisturizes the skin overnight.
Why is my skin so dry even when I moisturize in winter?
There are several possible reasons why your skin may feel dry even when you moisturize in winter.
🌟 You’re not exfoliating enough. Exfoliating can help remove dead skin cells that can build up on the surface of your skin and make it look dull and flaky. Exfoliating can also improve the absorption of your moisturizer and make it more effective.
🌟 You’re overwashing your skin. Washing your skin too often or using harsh soaps or cleansers can strip your skin of its natural oils and moisture. This can weaken your skin’s barrier and make it more prone to dryness and irritation.
🌟 Your skin is dehydrated. Your skin’s hydration level depends on how much water you drink and what nutrients you consume. If you don’t drink enough water or eat a balanced diet that contains essential vitamins and minerals, your skin may become dehydrated or deficient in some nutrients that help keep it healthy and hydrated.
🌟 You’re using the wrong moisturizer. Not all moisturizers are created equal. Some may be too light or too heavy for your skin type or the weather conditions. Some may also contain ingredients that can irritate or dry out your skin, such as alcohol, sulfates, fragrances, or preservatives.
To prevent these problems, you need to exfoliate regularly but gently, wash your skin with lukewarm water and mild cleansers, and use a moisturizer that’s suitable for your skin type and the weather conditions.
What helps extremely dry skin in the winter?
If you have extremely dry skin in the winter, you may need to take extra steps to help restore moisture and comfort to your skin. Some of the things that can help are:
❄ Using a humidifier. A humidifier can add moisture back into the air, which can help rehydrate your skin and prevent water loss. You can use a humidifier in your bedroom or living room, or wherever you spend most of your time indoors.
❄ Moisturizing right after bathing. Applying a moisturizer while your skin is still damp can help seal in the moisture and prevent evaporation. You can use a thick, oil-based moisturizer, such as petroleum jelly, mineral oil, or lanolin, which can create a protective barrier on your skin and prevent water loss.
❄ Applying an occlusive balm or ointment to problem areas. If you have areas of your skin that are especially dry, cracked, or irritated, such as your lips, hands, feet, or elbows, you can apply an occlusive balm or ointment to them, such as Aquaphor, Vaseline, or Eucerin. These products can help heal and protect your skin from further damage.
❄ Avoiding irritants and allergens. Some things that can irritate or trigger an allergic reaction on your skin include wool, synthetic fabrics, detergents, perfumes, cosmetics, or certain foods. You can try to avoid these things or use hypoallergenic alternatives to reduce the risk of inflammation and dryness.
Which cream is good for dry skin in winter?
✔ First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream: This cream is designed for dry to very dry skin and claims to provide long-term relief from dryness and eczema. It contains colloidal oatmeal, shea butter, ceramides, and antioxidants to soothe and repair the skin barrier.
✔ Weleda Skin Food Nourishing Night Cream: This cream is made with organic and natural ingredients, such as sunflower seed oil, lanolin, beeswax, and calendula. It claims to provide intensive hydration and repair for dry and stressed skin.
✔ Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream: This cream is perfect for hydrating and nourishing the skin. It’s gentle, non-comedogenic, and suitable for all skin types.
Before you go…
So there you have it, these are some of the best affordable drugstore moisturizers to beat winter dryness for different skin types.
Winter can be harsh on our skin, but with the right moisturizer, we can keep our skin healthy, hydrated, and happy. No matter what your skin type is, there’s a moisturizer out there that suits your needs and preferences. And you don’t have to break the bank to get it. You can find some amazing moisturizers at your local drugstore that are effective, and gentle.
So go ahead and try out some of these moisturizers, or share your favorites in the comments section. I’d love to hear from you and what you think of these products.
