The Best Face Moisturizers For Your Skin Type and Budget, According to Experts

Kicking off this list is a recommendation from Sperling. Not only does it work with all skin types, but it's affordable and contains SPF, so there's one less product to add to your routine. Given these impressive attributes, I knew it was our best overall face moisturizer pick.

"This moisturizer is great for all skin types, especially sensitive skin and/or acne-prone skin. It moisturizes the skin throughout the day and is formulated with SPF 30," notes Sperling.

It's infused with hyaluronic acid for welcome hydration, plus it contains multiple sunscreen actives for broadspectrum coverage. With an impressive 4.5-star average from nearly 78,000 Amazon reviews, it's safe to say this is by far the most popular face moisturizer on this list.

Our readers can't get enough of Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré. After including it on our Amazon Prime Day beauty story, Best Products readers stocked up and boosted it into the top 5 most sold products we featured during the shopping event.

The iconic French face moisturizer has also earned snaps from thousands of Amazon reviewers, and with good reason. Not only does it do an excellent job of hydrating the skin, but it also doubles as a makeup primer.

One Amazon reviewer gave this a 5-star review and described it as a life-changing skincare product. To quote their review, "I’ve tried many moisturizers, but I’ve never been able to cling onto one until now… my skin has never looked better. I’ve cut my skincare routine down to three products because of this moisturizer. I wear it alone and under makeup. I will be repurchasing over and over again!"

I recently named this La Roche-Posay product one of the best drugstore face moisturizers because of the ingredients. This oil-free and non-comedogenic face moisturizer contains ceramides, niacinamide, glycerin, French thermal water, and prebiotics, for optimal hydration without congested pores.

The budget-friendly pick earned snaps from Sperling. "This is a hydrating moisturizer that is fragrance-free, making it a good option for sensitive skin," notes the New Jersey-based doctor.

La Roche-Posay also makes an SPF 30 version for daytime use.

Whenever my skin feels parched from dreadful NYC winters, Magic Cream will deliver a welcome surge of hydration. But it doesn't have to be used only in the winter. FWIW, I have oily AF skin that quickly becomes congested, and I haven't experienced any blackheads or pimples when using this face moisturizer during the recent warmer months.

Those with mature or dry skin will adore this night cream infused with hyaluronic acid, a slew of extracts and oils, such as aloe vera and shea butter, and vitamin C for brightening.

And get this: Magic Cream is refillable! So not only does it help lightly ease the burden of minimizing beauty waste, but it's easier on your wallet. A 1.7 oz jar of magic cream is $100, but a refill is only $90, so if you go through one container monthly then you'll save $110 yearly.

Lucky you! Normal skin is like the Goldilocks of complexions —it's neither oily nor dry, tight, and flakey. Someone with normal skin typically has tiny pores and smooth texture, and they rarely experience acne or skin sensitivity. So what's the ideal face moisturizer for you?

"This is one of my favorites for daily use. It is hypoallergenic and non-comedogenic, and it’s made with a soy complex that keeps your skin radiant all day," says Sperling.

Soy also helps hydrate the skin and fade the look of pesky dark spots. And don't just take our word for it as online reviewers have experienced visible results.

"It's very light, absorbs well with no greasy or heaviness, but gives just the right amount of moisture for me. It also layers well with other products and makeup too," says an Ulta reviewer who has used this face moisturizer for years.

Yup, those with oily skin need to wear a face moisturizer. Skipping one cause the skin to think it's dehydrated and produces excess oil to make up for lack of moisture. Sperling recommends that those with oily or acne-prone skin invest in this face moisturizer. "Formulated with hyaluronic acid to hydrate the skin without clogging pores. It’s lightweight, yet nourishing," she says.

Other standout ingredients include willow bark extract, a natural source of salicylic acid, niacinamide to minimize redness, and vitamin C ester to help reduce free radical damage that causes signs of aging.

For added comfort, pretty much every derm I've interviewed loves EltaMD sunscreen, so knowing Sperling is also a fan of their face moisturizer is a win.

Add some bounce back to your skin with this expert-loved face moisturizer, ideal for combination skin. Sperling loves that Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream is lightweight, but incredibly moisturizing.

This triple-threat face moisturizer is packed with peptides, growth factors, amino acids, and pygmy waterlily to help improve the skin's tone, texture, and firmness. Plus, it plumps up fine lines and wrinkles and minimizes the appearance of sun damage.

"This product is really nice on my skin. It’s cooling and it’s not too heavy. It blends very nicely and it leaves my skin feeling smooth and refreshed. There’s also a lot of product and it lasts long too," says one satisfied Sephora reviewer.

Those with dry or mature skin should opt for thicker face moisturizers for optimal hydration. The perfect solution for older people is this classic option from Kiehl's. Sperling recommends it to her mature clients, noting it boosts hydration and protects the skin barrier.

Ultra Facial Moisturizing Cream is fragrance-free, boasts a "Clean at Sephora" seal of approval, and contains nourishing squalane. There's also a blend of glycerin to help retain moisture and soften skin and glacial glycoprotein to additional hydration.

"A great standby that I always come back to. If you love moisturizer like I do (dry skin New Englander), this is a tried-and-true formula that is thick, but not greasy," says one 5-star Sephora review.

Dry skin can be a real bummer, but the TULA Skincare 24-7 Moisture Hydrating Day & Night Cream is a derm-approved pick. "Very hydrating, yet lightweight and not greasy. It contains peptides and squalenes for moisture," notes Sperling.

For added comfort, it is clinically proven to provide hydration and transform dull, tired skin into a more supple, plump, and glowy complexion. A blend of squalane and peptides provides the foundation for healthier-looking skin, while the non-comedogenic formulation won't congest the pores, leading to blackheads and acne.

This face moisturizer is made with 92% natural ingredients, such as aloe vera, plant glycerin, vitamin E, beech bud peptides, and hazelnut oil.

It's also fantastic for fighting sagging skin. Notably, Phyto 52 contains 9% rosemary essential oil to drain and detoxify the skin, leading to a firmer appearance.

"A miracle product. First of all, the smell alone is sooo soothing and helps me relax. I apply just before bedtime and wake up with amazing results. My skin feels smooth and fine lines are diminished. Excellent product," gushes one Yonka reviewer.

Post-acne dark spots are the worst. In addition to utilizing red light therapy devices, you can visibly fade discoloration with the Byroe Basil Dark Spot Correcting Cream.

As its name implies, the hero ingredient is basil, which helps soothe inflation and enhance moisture. The face cream also contains Byroe's signature Pro-Fade Complex, a pore minimizer that visibly brightens the skin.

Designed for all skin types, online reviewers adore this face moisturizer. "What stands out to me the most about this cream is that it is so soothing and luxurious. I experience consistent redness on my cheeks, and this product helped to significantly reduce it," says a 5-star review.

Dealing with redness, but don't want to splurge on the pricier ByRoe and EltaMD products? I got you!

Payot created an entire collection of anti-redness skincare, and this face moisturizer is a hydrating cream that helps calm stressed skin. The brand also utilizes prebiotics to soothe and nourish irritated skin.

Plus, it's comforting that this face moisturizer contains easy-to-pronounce active ingredients, such as licorice, sesame, corn, and thyme and lavender essential oils.

"I tried it and loved it from the start. The texture and over time it improved the appearance of my rosacea," says a 5-star review. They add, "It has evened out my skin tone and has helped fill in some lines. My skin looks so great in the morning and ready to start the day."

I recently named Le Domaine as one of the best celebrity beauty brands. Founded by Brad Pitt and adored by stars like Lupita Nyong'o, the line's signature ingredient is GSM10, a proprietary blend of grape antioxidants that is incredible for anti-aging.

The Cream, which also contains ProGR3, helps firm, smooth, and plump tired skin and imparts a beautiful radiance. With regular use of this face moisturizer, the skin will also become more supple and look less tired.

Those with oily skin and younger folks can skip this face moisturizer since it's a heavier formula that is better for those with mature or dry skin.