e.l.f. Discovery

How to Choose the Best Moisturizer for Your Skin Type

By Brooke Sager

What’s the secret to having skin that looks glowy, feels soft, and is all-around healthy looking? It all comes down to proper hydration—and that includes hydrating your skin from the inside (drinking water) as well as from the outside (using a great face moisturizer daily).

While facial moisturizer is a crucial step in every skincare routine, it’s not a one-size-fits-all product. Choosing the best face moisturizer for your skin type—one that adds the right amount of moisture to your skin without exacerbating any existing skin concerns—is key for putting your best face forward and keeping your skin looking and healthy.

If you’re seeking the best facial moisturizer that suits your unique skin, check out our high-performance, hydrating e.l.f. SKIN picks that meet the moisturizing needs of four of the most common skin types.

Dry Skin

Dry skin can be caused by a variety of factors—from the environment, to hot showers, and your age (mature skin is often dryer). Either way, your extra-thirsty skin is craving moisture in spades.

Our lightweight Holy Hydration! Daily Moisturizer (which also comes as a fragrance free face cream formula) is a great option for those with dry skin. Infused with aloe, jojoba oil, shea butter, vitamin E, and grapeseed oil, this hydrating and nourishing moisturizer helps lock in moisture to reveal a radiant complexion. Plus, it quickly absorbs into skin (mature skin folks, rejoice!).

On days you’re feeling extra-dry, the Holy Hydration! Face Cream boasts a non-greasy, creamy formula with hyaluronic acid and delivers that powerful boost of moisture you need for a smooth, super-soft feel. If you’re looking for a 2-in-1 moisturizer and sunscreen, our Holy Hydration! Face Cream SPF 30 delivers all the same hydrating benefits, plus essential SPF to help protect skin from the sun’s harmful rays.

Acne-Prone and/or Oily Skin

If you struggle with oily skin or acne-prone skin, you may be hesitant to apply any more products to your face—especially creams, which can sometimes feel heavy or greasy). But the key to keeping your skin happy and hydrated without clogging your pores? Choosing a lightweight, fragrance-free moisturizer to use in the AM and PM that’s non-comedogenic (won’t clog pores) and also enriched with acne-fighting ingredients.

Our dermatologist-developed blemish breakthrough acne calming water cream hydrates the skin while helping to treat acne. This lightweight moisturizer is formulated with 1% Salicylic Acid (helps clarify pores and treat acne), Tranexamic Acid (helps to brighten dull and uneven skin tone)and Niacinamide (helps to control excess oil). It’s the best of both worlds for those with oily and blemish-prone complexions.

Sensitive Skin

Sensitive skin may be prone to react to certain products and ingredients, or even the environment.

Since healthy-looking skin is properly hydrated, it’s important that those with sensitive skin moisturize their faces—but choosing a non-irritating, soothing face lotion is key. Our dermatologist-developed pure skin moisturizer is a great option for those in the sensitive skin club. The highly nourishing formula is enriched with oat milk to help nourish and soothe skin, moisturizing allantoin, and niacinamide to help brighten skin’s appearance for a healthy-looking complexion. When it comes to sensitive skin, less is more, so this moisturizer is also non-comedogenic, fragrance-free, vegan, and cruelty-free. Added perk: the creamy, non-greasy formula is great for daily use and wears well under makeup.

Dull, Uneven Skin

Little known fact: dull skin and uneven skin tone and texture can be the result of dryness. Replenishing moisture by using a lightweight moisturizer that gives your thirsty skin what it craves, plus added brightening benefits for a glowy complexion.

Try our fragrance-free Superhydrate Gel Moisturizer. Featuring glycerin plus plant-based squalane, this fast absorbing gel formula delivers mega hydration to help for a bouncy, soft complexion. Other skin-loving ingredients like niacinamide are also at work to help brighten things up and help minimize the appearance of uneven texture and tone. This formula is perfect for using in the morning and evening, which will help your skin reap all those thirst-quenching benefits.

Don’t Forget Sun Protection

We’ll say it louder for people in the back: Broad spectrum SPF sun protection for your face is a daily must. This goes for sunny summer days and all year round—because even when it’s cloudy, the sun’s harmful UVA/UVB rays may be harmful.

Once you’ve applied the ideal moisturizer for your skin type, round out your skincare routine with a protective spritz of our lightweight sunscreen spray. This clear, quick-dry sunscreen setting spray works triple duty to deliver broad-spectrum SPF 45 protection, prime your skin for long-lasting makeup wear, and help refresh your look throughout the day. The misting format makes re-application a breeze (which you should do every two hours, BTW), and its natural finish works well on all skin tones.