Winter in New York isn’t just cold, it’s an annual assault on your moisture barrier. Whether your skin is sensitive, dry, oily, or perfectly confused, you need a winter moisturizer that actually works in freezing wind, radiator heat, and whatever’s happening to the air between subway stations.
Here are the best moisturizers for winter 2025, divided by skin type, with two solid picks for each and an affordable option that doesn’t feel like settling.
Winter Moisturizers for Sensitive Skin
If your face reacts to a harsh breeze like it’s personal.
Tatcha Indigo Overnight Repair — $92
One of the best winter moisturizers for sensitive skin, thick, calming, ceramide-rich, and built to comfort irritation during the cold months.
La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer — $22.99
A dermatologist-favorite winter moisturizer for reactive skin. Barrier-friendly, fragrance-free, and steady under makeup.
Affordable option: CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion — $16
A winter-friendly drugstore moisturizer with ceramides and niacinamide that genuinely supports sensitive skin.
PHOTO 01 COURTESY OF CERAVE
Winter Moisturizers for Dry Skin
For people whose faces enter January and immediately give up.
Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream — $300 (50ml)
One of the most effective luxury moisturizers for dry winter skin. Deep hydration, barrier repair, and that signature Bader glow.
Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream — $38 (50ml)
A classic winter moisturizer for dry skin, lightweight, long-lasting hydration that survives subzero wind without being greasy.
Affordable option: Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel-Cream Extra-Dry — $20
A top budget winter moisturizer with hyaluronic acid that plumps and hydrates instantly.
Winter Moisturizers for Oily Skin
Because “winter” does not equal “your skin stops being shiny.”
Tatcha The Water Cream — $72
One of the best lightweight winter moisturizers for oily skin. Cloudlike texture, shine-free finish, and instant hydration.
Paula’s Choice Clear Oil-Free Moisturizer — $31
Designed for acne-prone, oily skin in winter. Hydrates without clogging pores or triggering chaos.
Affordable option: COSRX Oil-Free Ultra-Moisturizing Lotion — $25
A featherlight, birch-sap-based moisturizer that oily skin actually likes during the colder months.
Winter Moisturizers for Combination Skin
When your T-zone is living in July and your cheeks are living in January.
Youth to the People Superfood Air-Whip Moisturizer — $48
A top winter pick for combination skin — nourishing but never heavy, antioxidant-rich, and universally flattering.
First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream — $38 (6 oz)
A cold-weather essential for people with dry patches and oily zones. It balances, soothes, and softens without suffocating your face.
Affordable option: Cetaphil Daily Hydrating Lotion with Hyaluronic Acid — $18
A simple, dependable winter moisturizer that works for combination skin without overwhelming any particular region.
Your winter moisturizer is the difference between “windburned commuter” and “functioning human.” Choose the formula built for your specific skin type, apply generously, and let your barrier thrive while the weather falls apart around you.
Text by: Wika Soto-Hay
