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The 7 Best Natural Face Moisturizers for Dry Skin, Anti-Aging, and More
- Best Natural Face Moisturizer Overall: The Organic Skin Co. Dream Cream
- Best Face Moisturizer for Dry Skin: e.l.f. Skin Holy Hydration Face Cream
- Best Moisturizer for Acne-Prone Skin: Clearstem Hydraglow Stem Cell Moisturizer
- Best Anti-Aging Face Moisturizer: Osea Malibu Advanced Protection Cream
- Best Natural Moisturizer for Men: RUGGED & DAPPER Men’s Facial Moisturizer
- Face Moisturizer FAQs
Face moisturizers are important to use every season of the year—from sunburns in the summer to dry, chapped skin in the winter, it’s crucial to use a moisturizer as the final step in your daily skincare routine.
But we don’t all have the same skin concerns—an acne-prone young adult will likely look for a different moisturizer than a 50-year-old—making it challenging to choose one off the shelf.
Plus, some skincare products are filled with toxic additives, parabens, and other ingredients that we simply shouldn’t be putting on our faces.
Not to worry, we’ve got you covered—in this article, check out our list of the seven best natural face moisturizers, including our top choice, The Organic Skin Co. Dream Cream, plus our favorite picks for acne-prone people, dry skin, anti-aging, those on a budget, and even one for men.
| Best Overall | For Dry Skin | For Acne-Prone Skin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product | The Organic Skin Co. | e.l.f. | Clearstem |
| Cost | $29.99 for 1.7oz($17.64/oz) Shop Now | $13 for 1.8oz($7.22/oz) Shop Now | $65 for 2oz($32.50/oz) Shop Now |
Best for: Anyone looking for a high-quality natural face moisturizer that is suitable for all skin types.
Whether you have dry skin, sensitive skin, or need anti-aging ingredients, The Organic Skin Co. Dream Cream is our top choice for the best natural face moisturizer you can buy.
In this 77% organic facial moisturizer, you’ll find skin-soothing ingredients like organic amla berry, which also contains vitamin C to boost collagen production, plus rosemary, organic aloe vera, organic jojoba seed oil, and organic shea butter.
In addition to soothing dry or dehydrated skin, the Dream Cream is also anti-aging, as the New Zealand native red seaweed and black fern are restorative, antioxidant-rich plants that manage fine lines and wrinkles.
Another bonus of The Organic Skin Co. products is their innovative use of supercritical CO2 extraction.
As TOSC founder—and fifth-generation herbalist and former model—Megan Douglas told us in our in-depth review of the brand, this process nixes chemical or alcohol solvents during extraction.
Instead, Dream Cream uses low temperatures and CO2 gas to extract all the goodness from a plant or herb, allowing for thousands of essential compounds to become extremely concentrated extracts—and you get more bang for your buck.
Best for: People with dry, dehydrated, or normal skin; people who don’t get irritated easily by fragrance in products.
As its name suggests, e.l.f. Skin Holy Hydration Face Cream is our top pick for dry skin, as it is highly hydrating and soothing.
Some of the prominent ingredients in this face moisturizer include:
- Hyaluronic acid helps to retain moisture in the skin, creating a plumping effect that reduces the visibility of fine lines and wrinkles.
- Niacinamide minimizes pores and evens out skin tone.
- Squalane boosts elasticity and mimics our skin’s natural oils.
- Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) hydrates skin, as it helps to retain moisture and a strong skin barrier.
- Peptides help rebuild and repair damaged skin cells and signal the skin to produce more collagen.
Plus, Holy Hydration Face Cream is Certified Vegan and 100% cruelty-free, and, at just $13, is one of the more affordable moisturizers on this list.
Best for: People with acne-prone or oily skin; those who want a combo moisturizer that fights both acne and aging; anyone looking for a natural alternative to retinol.
As the first natural skincare brand that targets both anti-acne and anti-aging, Clearstem Hydraglow Stem Cell Moisturizer is our top pick for people with acne-prone skin that also want to reap the benefits of anti-aging ingredients.
This cult favorite gentle moisturizer is loaded with skin-supporting ingredients that won’t break you out, as the two founders—one of which is dubbed The Acne Guru™—have tested each compound and product religiously to ensure they are non-comedogenic.
Clearstem Hydraglow is loaded with beneficial compounds, including bakuchiol, a plant-based alternative to retinol (retinol is not recommended because it’s highly drying and causes increased sun sensitivity).
It also utilizes olive-based squalene and plant-derived stem cells that work to repair the skin on a cellular level, which promotes cell turnover to reduce the risk of clogged pores and breakouts.
Plus, Clearstem is a fully non-toxic skincare brand that is gluten-free, vegan, and never uses any hormone disruptors.
Best for: People with maturing skin or anyone looking for a preventative anti-aging moisturizer.
For anyone with aging skin—or anyone looking to prevent it—Osea Malibu Advanced Protection Cream is a premium natural face cream that works to firm skin, reduce wrinkle appearance, and promote an even skin tone.
Ingredients like Undaria seaweed, Bidens Pilosa Extract (a natural retinol alternative), squalene, and a biomimetic lipid complex work together to replenish the skin’s moisture barrier, increase hydration, smooth skin, and reduce fine lines.
According to the brand, a clinical study on 34 women ages 40-65 who were exposed to extreme, dehydrating weather conditions had a 121% increase in immediate skin hydration after using this moisturizer.
We also love that Osea Malibu Advanced Protection Cream is fragrance-free, vegan, and cruelty-free—and the brand is Climate Neutral, too.
Best for: Anyone wanting a natural face moisturizer that is more affordable but doesn’t skimp on quality; people looking for a 2-in-1 lotion that can be used on both face and body.
As the most affordable moisturizer on this list (by far), The Honest Company Hydrating Face + Body Lotion is still an excellent choice for a natural face moisturizer—plus, it can double as a body lotion.
As with all Honest Co. products, this face lotion is made with non-toxic and natural ingredients, including the soothing aloe vera, olive, jojoba, chamomile, and calendula that are great for dry or sensitive skin.
We also love that this moisturizer is hypoallergenic and fragrance-free, allowing it to be used on people of all ages—yep, even babies!
However, we might recommend that acne-prone people use caution with Honest Company Hydrating Face + Body Lotion, as it contains coconut products that can be comedogenic (pore-clogging).
Best for: People who want a morning/daytime moisturizer with high SPF for sun protection.
While moisturizing your skin is certainly important, protection from the sun is even more critical—and Paula’s Choice RESIST Daily Hydrating Fluid Face Moisturizer SPF 50 gives you the best of both worlds.
Calming, hydrating, and anti-aging ingredients combined with sunscreen (at SPF 50) allow this 2-in-1 product to save you a step in the morning.
Some stand-out ingredients include pomegranate and goji berry for antioxidant action, oat extract for calming and soothing, and green tea to calm redness.
Paula’s Choice RESIST moisturizer is great for all skin types (including acne-prone and mature skin), plus it’s fragrance- and paraben-free.
Best for: Men wanting a natural face moisturizer with masculine packaging.
Why should women have all the fun when it comes to moisturized skin?
With RUGGED & DAPPER Men’s Facial Moisturizer, guys can reap the benefits of nourished and healthy skin, too—but with masculine black-and-white packaging, of course.
And this is no drugstore moisturizer—it’s got all the good stuff, including peptides, hyaluronic acid, organic aloe vera, vitamin E, shea butter, organic jojoba oil, green tea, and gotu kola, which stimulates collagen synthesis.
Plus, we love that this affordable cream can also be used as aftershave to soothe skin, or as a beard moisturizer.
Fellas, you’ve got no excuse for dry skin now—time to slather it on!
Face Moisturizer FAQs
Can I Use Coconut Oil as a Face Moisturizer?
If you are not acne-prone, you can use coconut oil as a face moisturizer.Â
Coconut oil has a comedogenic rating of 4 (on a scale of 0-5), so you may want to watch out for clogged pores if you use this as a moisturizer.
Is Vaseline Good for Your Face?
Vaseline is an occlusive moisturizer that seals moisture into the skin, so it can be beneficial for people with dry, cracked, or sensitive skin.Â
Again, people with acne-prone skin will want to be careful.Â
What Is the Most Important Ingredient in a Face Moisturizer?
It depends on what your skin goals are.
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If you have dry or sensitive skin, look for highly hydrating ingredients that seal in moisture, like hyaluronic acid, aloe vera, ceramides, lipids, or squalene.Â
Calming or soothing ingredients are also helpful, like green tea, oat extract, shea butter, jojoba, or chamomile.Â
If you want anti-aging moisturizers, look for retinol alternatives like bakuchiol, stem cells, peptides, lipids, or hyaluronic acid.Â
What Ingredients Should Not Be in a Moisturizer?
Look out for parabens, phthalates, PEG, mineral oil, talc, alcohol, aluminum, SLS, and formaldehyde (yep, these can all be found in certain skin care products).Â
Plus, if your skin is sensitive to fragrances, look for fragrance-free moisturizers.
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