The Best Moisturizers for Dry Skin in Winter (and How to Use Them)
The AAD says pick a cream or ointment and apply it on damp skin. Here's how to use it, plus six drugstore moisturizers for dry skin by where you need them.
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In this guide
The best moisturizer for dry skin is usually a cream or an ointment, not a thin lotion, and it works best when you put it on while your skin is still damp. That’s the advice from the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), and it’s the opposite of what a lot of us do, which is slap on a squirt of lotion at bedtime and hope.
Winter makes it worse. Cold air outside, heated air inside, and hot showers in between. So here’s what to look for, how to use it, and six drugstore picks. Everything about the products comes from each brand’s own product page, plus the price on the brand’s site in October 2026 where the brand lists one. Nobody here has tried them on your skin, and your skin gets the final vote.
What does the AAD say to look for in a moisturizer?
The AAD’s dermatologists’ tips for relieving dry skin are pretty specific:
- Choose a cream or ointment over a lotion. The AAD says these add more moisture than lotions do.
- Look for helpful ingredients. The AAD’s list includes glycerin, hyaluronic acid, lactic acid, dimethicone, lanolin, mineral oil, petrolatum, shea butter and jojoba oil. You don’t need all of them. Seeing a few on the label is a good sign.
- Pick “fragrance-free,” not “unscented.” The AAD says “unscented” products can still contain chemicals that mask a smell, and fragrance can irritate dry skin.
- Use sunscreen outside, even in winter. The AAD recommends a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher.
How to use moisturizer so it actually works
The product matters less than how and when you use it. From the same AAD page:
- Put it on damp skin. The AAD says to apply moisturizer right after a shower or bath, after washing your hands and any time your skin feels dry. Pat dry with a towel (don’t rub), leave a little water on your skin, and put the moisturizer on.
- Do it more than once a day. The AAD says to moisturize several times a day. Morning, after your shower and before bed is a realistic start.
- Keep showers short and warm. The AAD says to limit baths and showers to 5 to 10 minutes, using warm water instead of hot. Closing the bathroom door helps keep the humidity in.
- Go easy on soap. Use a gentle cleanser only where you need it, and skip the heavy lather. If you shave, the AAD says to do it at the end of your shower or bath, when skin and hair are softer. Here’s more on how to shave without razor bumps.
- Add humidity at night. The AAD suggests a humidifier in your bedroom while you sleep, and cleaning it regularly so mold doesn’t grow.
The AAD page also mentions wearing gloves for wet jobs like dishes and in cold, dry weather, picking loose cotton clothing over wool or polyester against your skin, and using lip balm or petroleum jelly on dry lips. If your hands crack every winter, keep a hand cream in your backpack and use it after every wash.
The best drugstore moisturizers for dry skin
A note on prices: CeraVe lists a price on its product pages. Cetaphil, Vanicream and Eucerin don’t show one on theirs, so those cards have no price. Check your store. Where there is a price, it was checked in October 2026.
For your face: lighter picks
Why we like it: a lightweight, oil-free lotion made for normal to dry skin, with three ceramides and hyaluronic acid. CeraVe lists it as free of added fragrance and non-comedogenic, says it provides 48-hour hydration, and notes it’s accepted by the National Eczema Association. A good fit if your skin is dry but you don’t want anything heavy.
Why we like it: a lotion built around hyaluronic acid and five ceramides, with squalane and glycerin. Vanicream says it’s non-comedogenic, pH balanced, has no botanical extracts or essential oils, and carries the National Eczema Association Seal of Acceptance. The page doesn’t say “fragrance-free,” so check the label if that matters to you.
For your face and body: creams
Why we like it: CeraVe lists it as made for normal to dry skin and formulated with three ceramides, hyaluronic acid, dimethicone and petrolatum. The page says it’s fragrance-free, allergy-tested and non-comedogenic, and for use on face and body, day or night.
Why we like it: Cetaphil lists it for dry to very dry skin, with glycerin, panthenol, niacinamide and sweet almond oil. The brand says it’s fragrance free, won’t clog pores, is clinically proven to hydrate for 48 hours and is good for the face, too. It’s also accepted by the National Eczema Association.
For the driest spots: ointment and body cream
Why we like it: the heaviest option here. CeraVe’s page lists petrolatum 46.5% as the active ingredient, plus ceramides and hyaluronic acid, and says it’s formulated without fragrance, dyes, preservatives or lanolin. The brand says it’s non-comedogenic and creates a protective barrier for up to eight hours. Think chapped lips, dry knuckles and cracked heels, not your whole face.
Why we like it: Eucerin calls it a fragrance-free, dye-free body cream for dry to very dry skin, with 5% urea, ceramide and natural moisturizing factors. The brand says it provides 48 hours of hydration. It’s described as a body cream and the page doesn’t say it’s for the face, so keep it below your neck.
One thing worth knowing: all of these are brand claims. “48 hours” is what the company says its own testing showed. It doesn’t mean you can moisturize once every two days.
How to pick the right one for you
- Dry but not painful: start with a lotion or light cream and use it often.
- Tight, flaky or rough even after moisturizing: move up to a cream, then an ointment on the worst patches.
- Oily T-zone but dry cheeks: that’s combination skin. Use a lighter lotion on your face and save the thick stuff for the dry areas. Not sure what your skin is? Try our skin type quiz, and if oil is the bigger issue, see moisturizer for oily skin.
- Anything that stings or burns: stop using it. The AAD says to tell a dermatologist if a product causes burning, stinging or irritation.
Where moisturizer fits in your routine
Moisturizer is the step that makes the rest of your routine feel better. In the morning: gentle cleanser, moisturizer, then sunscreen. At night: cleanser, then moisturizer. That’s enough. If you want the full picture, our skincare routine for teens breaks it down step by step.
If winter breakouts are part of your dry-skin story, our guide to how to get clear skin covers what helps and what doesn’t.
When dry skin needs a doctor
Most dry skin is just dry skin. But the AAD says to see a board-certified dermatologist if your skin stays dry after you’ve tried these tips, because it can be a sign of an underlying condition such as atopic dermatitis (eczema), psoriasis or kidney disease. Tell a parent or your doctor if your skin is itchy all the time, cracked and bleeding, or covered in red patches. You don’t have to just live with it.
