The 12 Best Natural and Organic Face Moisturizers
Get dewy skin with ingredients you can trust.
Every product on this page was chosen by a Harper's BAZAAR editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.
If you’re reading this, you probably know all about ingredients in skincare products and what to look for when selecting formulas that are considered clean and natural. Or maybe you don’t and are here to learn where to start. Wherever you are in your journey, we’re here to help.
In general, you’ll typically find lots of botanical, plant-based ingredients in natural skincare products—ingredients like vitamin E, calendula, and plant oils like rose hip with a myriad of benefits. But you’ll also find plenty of science-backed ones like squalane, niacinamide, and vitamin C, too.
Shop the Best Natural and Organic Face Moisturizers
However, when it comes to natural skincare products it’s more about what it doesn’t contain, says Loretta Ciraldo, a Miami-based board certified dermatologist and founder of Dr. Loretta skincare. “Conscious skincare is another word for clean,” she explains. "For clean or conscious moisturizers, they should be vegan (free of any animal-derived ingredients), free-of parabens, sulfates, phthalates, artificial fragrance, and artificial color."
Ahead, 12 of our top natural moisturizer picks that contain everything you want in a natural skincare product—and nothing you don’t.
Pros
- Smooths the look of fine lines
- Deeply hydrating
Cons
This is the ultimate moisturizer for dry and stressed skin. Plant-based, sugarcane-derived squalane and repairing lipids like ceramides and fatty acids go to work on healing your moisture barrier, so all you're left with is a smooth, clear, and plump complexion.
What Reviewers Are Saying:
"I cannot be without this moisturizer, it’s been there for my dry and irritated tretinoin skin, and now for my dry and flaky Accutane skin! It’s so soothing and leaves my skin happy!" —sarahmc23267
Pros
- Designed for skin of color but can be used by all skin types and tones
- Helps even skin tone
Cons
Dark spots are no match for this cloud-like cream, thanks to the blend of ceramides, peptides, and snow mushroom extract, which all work to gently fade discoloration. Though it was designed for skin of color, all skin types can benefit from the skin-softening and brightening formula.
What Reviewers Are Saying:
"This moisturizer is truly hydrating and it has helped to even out my skin tone significantly. I will be buying it again and again!" —Adanne
Youth To The People Adaptogen Deep Moisture Cream with Ashwagandha + Reishi
Pros
- Soothing formula
- Fragrance-free
Cons
With ashwagandha and fermented reishi, this cream is like a superfood shake for your face. Perfect for sensitive skin, the lightweight formula hydrates and plumps with the addition of squalene but without any irritation.
What Reviewers Are Saying:
"Expensive, but worth it. When I put this on my dry/dehydrated skin I can feel it drinking this up. It feels so amazing and I feel like it helps calm down my skin too. It is a must when I am putting on my makeup. The jar also lasts a really long time since a little goes a long way." —Adinee
Pros
- Suitable for sensitive skin types
Cons
This probiotic cream from Beekman 1802 is formulated with a cruelty-free goat milk-based complex, epsom sats, and a blend of botanicals like chamomile and cucumber to soothe, nourish, and feed your skin exactly what it needs. We love to pair it with our favorite serum at night.
What Reviewers Are Saying:
"The bottle is excellent and there is no risk of spilling since you must press down for the moisturizer to come out. The smell is not pleasant, but not bad. It goes very smoothly and doesn't leave my skin greasy, but only feeling hydrated, and did not cause any type of irritation. It lasted for a reasonable amount of time." —Alejandra
Pros
- No white cast
Cons
If you prefer a moisturizer that doubles as a sunscreen, try this top-rated Nutrient Day Cream with SPF 30. The non-nano zinc oxide glides over skin without any chalky residue, while botanicals like, rose flower, nettles, bilberry, and sage soothe and balance skin.
What Reviewers Are Saying:
"Finally no white cast noted. It absorbed very quickly on my skin just waited for about 5-10 mins before applying a light makeup and did not noticed any pilling!" —Rezy
Pros
- Deeply hydrating
- Can be used head-to-toe
Cons
Makeup artists have long been obsessed with this ultra-rich face cream packed with vitamin E and essential fatty acids that makes all skin types soft, dewy, and healthy. The best part? It's available at many drugstores.
What Reviewers Are Saying:
"I am all about hydration... this product really is the most hydrating product I have ever used. I use it as a night cream, under makeup, on my hands, etc. I have been using it for about two weeks and it has not clogged my pores or make me breakout. Would highly recommend for people with dry skin." —Madison
Pros
- Lightweight texture
- Helps control oil
Cons
Formulated for acne-prone skin, this lightweight cream utilizes the healing powers of algae and tea tree oil to calm and soothe skin. It features three types of nutrient-rich seaweed plus essential oils of tea tree, juniper and thyme to balance and clarify skin while adding essential moisture.
What Reviewers Are Saying:
"This is a spa in a bottle. My skin feels amazing after using this. I use one small pump morning and night and it lasts a decent amount of time." —Trish
Pros
- Leaves skin looking glowy
- Can be used as overnight mask
Cons
The pleasant pink color of this face cream is thanks to tomato seed oil, a rich source of lycopene that helps manage dryness and smooth skin’s texture. Its rich, supple texture and nourishing properties come from cocoa butter and vitamin E, making it a great pick for dry to normal skin types. Use it day and night, or anytime skin could use some extra love.
What Reviewers Are Saying:
"I use it as an overnight mask and wake up with glowing, dewy skin every morning. It even works on the nights I’m up a few times to get my toddler back to sleep. It feels good on the skin, it’s super easy to use and the results are quickly evident. With zero plastic in the packaging and a very reasonable price I will be keeping this in my skin care regime for sure." —Lisa
| Key Ingredients | Tomato seed oil, cocoa butter, vitamin E |
|---|
Pros
- Helps soothe inflamed skin
Cons
We can't promise this will give you the elusive glow of golden hour, but with antioxidants, vitamin E and calming aloe vera, this cream does deliver a dose of hydration that makes your skin look fresher and healthier right away.
What Reviewers Are Saying:
"I was looking for a moisturizer suitable for how dry my skin is with the changing weather/cold. This moisturizer is amazinnggggggg. It sinks into my skin and makes it feel so soft and smooth. I love the clean ingredients and the affordable price." —Anna
Pros
- Lightweight yet hydrating texture
Cons
Tata Harper's products are as farm-to-table as beauty comes without sacrificing efficacy. This lightweight gel moisturizer relies on hyaluronic acid and squalene to plump fine lines and hydrate skin. Calendula, a soothing botanical, also calms any redness or irritation.
What Reviewers Are Saying:
"Tata Harper's Hyaluronic Gel Moisturizer is the perfect top off for all of my serums. If I'm wanting a little extra moisture on some days, I just add a drop of rosehip oil." —Annie
Pros
- Has a convenient pump dispenser
- Helps reduce the appearance of signs of aging
Cons
With anti-aging powerhouses like peptides, amino acids, and (natural) growth factors, this is the cream you need if fighting wrinkles is your number one priority.
What Reviewers Are Saying:
"My skin craves Protini! I use this moisturizer religiously. Love the packaging as well—the pump dispenses just the right amount. This is definitely my holy grail, I’m never without it. Genuinely never—I have multiple backups." —kat
Pros
- Antioxidant-rich formula
Cons
It's all in the name: This is a serious, occlusive moisturizer for those of us who want to look permanently lit by a ring light. You can thank Japanese purple rice, which helps impart a dewy, healthy glow, plus antioxidants and moisture-grabbing hyaluronic acid for that.
What Reviewers Are Saying:
"I have been using this as my nighttime moisturizer for two months now and the hype is well worth it! It feels calming on the skin after other exfoliants and topicals." —Jules630
How to choose the best natural moisturizer for your skin
Because natural face moisturizers tend to harness essential oils to hydrate and treat skin, it's important that you look for a formula geared toward your specific skin type—especially if you're acne-prone, sensitive, or oily. That's because essential oils can sometimes exacerbate skin issues, so it's best to look for a formula that has been tailor-made for your skin.
Meet the Experts
- Dr. Loretta Ciraldo MD FAAD is a Miami-based board certified dermatologist with over 40 years' experience and founder of Dr. Loretta skincare.
Why trust Harper’s Bazaar?
For more than 150 years, Harper’s Bazaar has been the preeminent fashion and beauty resource for women at every age. We cover what’s new and what’s next in beauty by working with the world’s leading authorities in dermatology, plastic surgery, cosmetics, skincare, haircare, and fragrance. Every story we publish has been thoroughly researched and vetted by our team of beauty editors and industry experts.
Jenna Rosenstein is the Beauty Director at Harper's BAZAAR across both print and digital. While attending NYU, she held internships at Women’s Wear Daily, Bloomingdale’s, Harper’s BAZAAR, and Allure, the latter of which she parlayed into her first job as the Beauty Assistant. She left Allure three years later as the Senior Beauty Editor. She spent a few months at Refinery29 overseeing branded content in the same title, before finally landing back at BAZAAR to manage all beauty content. When she's not testing every lipstick known to mankind, getting zapped by new lasers, or interviewing experts and celebrities, you can find Rosenstein at home in New Jersey with her son, husband, and black cat named Maddie.
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