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We Found the Best Men’s Moisturizers for Dry Skin

Here’s what’s happening when your skin gets dry — and how to treat it with the right moisturizer

By Oscar Hartzog

Oscar Hartzog

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December 29, 2023

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best men's moisturizers for dry skin

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Some men are still skipping an important step in their skincare routine: hydration. And it shows. Besides looking flakey and prematurely wrinkled, dry skin can feel downright uncomfortable — be it from itchiness or from that overly tight feeling. The best men’s moisturizers for dry skin are here to help with formulas to relieve tightness, cracks, flakes, and premature signs of age.

In This Article

What Are the Best Men’s Moisturizers for Dry Skin?

Why Do Men Need to Moisturize?

How We Chose the Best Men’s Moisturizers for Dry Skin

How to Use a Moisturizer

What Are the Best Men’s Moisturizers for Dry Skin?

Below are some of the best men’s moisturizers for dry skin, including budget-friendly daily options on Amazon and high-end picks for powerful repairing. We created this list through extensive testing of trusted brands, to see which moisturizers actually helped our skin improve, and we also combed through reviews from both users and other experts.

1. La Roche Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer

Amazon

One of the worst side effects of dry skin is hyper-sensitivity. This lightweight Toleriane moisturizer from La Roche Posay (a favorite in French pharmacies) helps to gently heal dry skin while soothing in the process. The moisturizer’s formula brings some heavy-hitting ingredients like ceramide-3 for repairing, La Roche-Posay’s Prebiotic Thermal Water, and niacinamide to nourish the skin barrier. Combined, these ingredients yield up to 48 hours of rejuvenating hydration.

$24.97

Buy La Roche Posay Toleriane at Amazon

2. Neutrogena Hydro Boost Face Moisturizer Gel-Cream

Amazon

If you’re especially grossed out by thick creams (which is totally understandable), check out this Neutrogena Hydro Boost moisturizer. The oil-free product is extremely lightweight yet powerful when it comes to nourishing and moisturizing your skin. It does this with a formula led by hyaluronic acid to improve natural moisture absorption, and the cream absorbs very quickly (meaning no greasy film after application).

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3. Aesop Primrose Facial Hydrating Cream

Nordstrom

Australian brand Aesop is well-known for premium, natural skincare products — most of which feature attractive unisex scents. This Primrose Facial Hydrating Cream is the brand’s answer to dry skin, delivering a hefty dose of fatty acids to rejuvenate your skin. It also includes glycerin to lock in moisture and features a subtle floral scent that everyone will genuinely enjoy (we do).

$53

Buy Aesop Hydrating Cream at nordstrom

4. Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream

Nordstrom

The heavy-duty formula in this Kiehl’s Ultra cream is especially effective with serious cases of dry skin, although it works well on milder dryness too. Using glacial glycoprotein and olive-derived squalane, the cream helps provide immediate relief. Despite its power, the cream isn’t greasy and leaves behind a soft texture.

Buy Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream at Amazon

5. Malin+Goetz Vitamin E Moisturizer

Amazon

For this moisturizer, Malin+Goetz makes efficient use of vitamins E and b5 to balance and protect the skin. It also includes hyaluronic acid to lock in moisture and fatty acids for quick absorption. A substantial dose of chamomile, meantime, helps soothe any irritation for relief you can feel right away.

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$55.00

Buy Malin+Goetz Moisturizer at Amazon

6. Lumin Daily Face Moisturizer

Amazon

Inspired by cult-favorite Korean moisturizers, Lumin’s Daily Face Moisturizer is both affordable and effective. The formula, which includes powerful ingredients like meadowfoam seed oil, niacinamide, and ginger extract, promises to eliminate dry spots and improve the overall glow of your skin.

7. Jack Black Double-Duty Face Moisturizer

Amazon

Jack Black’s Double-Duty Face Moisturizer has been a best-seller on Amazon for years, and for good reason. The premium moisturizer is very lightweight and effective, and, as the name suggests, it performs two jobs at once by shielding skin from UV rays as well as repairing it. This UV protection is especially crucial for dry skin, as the sun can cause further cracking and dryness.

8. Blu Atlas Face Moisturizer

Blue Atlas

New York brand Blu Atlas has been making waves over the last few years with its high-quality men’s hydration products, such as this face moisturizer. It includes a great mix of repairing and rejuvenating ingredients like mango seed butter for vitamins E and C, seaweed for antioxidants, and vitamin C. Overall the brand is very upfront about its ingredients, which we love — have a full look on their website.

$35

Buy moisturizer at BLUE ATLAS

9. Brickell Daily Essential Face Moisturizer

Amazon

This moisturizer from Brickell is another Amazon best-seller that’s certainly worth checking out if you’re struggling with dry skin. Reviewers love the moisturizer’s light scent, effectiveness, and, most of all, its fast absorption that doesn’t leave behind any oily feel.

10. Harry’s Men’s Face Lotion SPF15

Amazon

Harry’s daily face lotion is another lightweight yet effective pick for guys with dry skin. It uses ingredients like nourishing shea butter and mint for a nice face wake-up in the morning. This one also includes SPF, so you don’t have to remember to put on a daily sunscreen as well.

$17.49

Buy harry’s face lotion at Amazon

11. Beau Brummell Face Moisturizer

Amazon

This face moisturizer from Beau Brummell does two things very well: scent and invigoration. It has a faint, masculine mahogany scent that gives us a little confidence boost after the shower, and the formula includes caffeine for extra stimulation in the morning.

12. Bulldog Sensitive Moisturizer

Amazon

Bulldog’s goal with this moisturizer was to make something that won’t irritate even the most sensitive men’s skin. We think they pulled it off. Almost all of its reviewers found the formula, which contains ingredients like baobab, oat oil, and willow herb, to be especially gentle and lightweight.

13. CeraVe Moisturising Cream

Amazon

Another great option for sensitive skin is this CeraVe moisturizing cream. It’s extremely popular and well-reviewed on Amazon, boasting an incredible 4.8/5-star rating and over 119,000 reviews. Reviewers love the lightweight texture, the faint scent, and the value for how much you get in one container.

$18.96

Buy cerave moisturizer at Amazon

14. Clinique Moisturizing Lotion for Men

Amazon

Another high-end moisturizer we like for all skin types is this Clinique moisturizing lotion. Besides moisturizing ingredients, the moisturizer also includes benzoyl peroxide to fend off acne breakouts.

$35.70 $42.00 15% off

Buy clinique moisturizer at Amazon

15. Sisley Sisleÿum For Men Revitalizer Gel

Courtesy Nordstrom

At the ultra-high-end of men’s skincare is Sisley. The French brand’s products, such as this Sisleÿum gel, deliver some of the rarest ingredients in careful formulas. The Sisleÿum gel is specifically designed to treat dry skin — either as a moisturizer or aftershave — and fend off signs of age. Sisley uses an impressive concoction of 18 natural active ingredients, which mostly include plant extracts and essential oils. The result? A light gel that leaves skin feeling revived and looking younger.

$325

Buy Sisley Sisleÿum gel at nordstrom

Why Do Men Need to Moisturize?

Dry skin has myriad causes from genetics to environmental factors like hot showers, fall weather, and urban pollution. But, whatever the cause, the issue behind dry skin is usually a compromised skin barrier. The best moisturizers for dry skin repair that barrier so that the body can resume normal hydration and renewal processes. Besides looking younger, you’ll feel better, too.

How We Chose the Best Men’s Moisturizers for Dry Skin

When we say that the best moisturizers will heal dry skin, we really do mean the best. Plenty of sub-par moisturizers only offer temporary hydration, and some can even dry out skin over time, which means it’s important to shop around for worthwhile products.

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To find the right dry skin moisturizer, we looked for ingredients like ceramides to help revive the skin barrier and hyaluronic acid to aid moisture absorption. Niacinamide (a form of vitamin B3) and fatty acids, which also nourish the skin barrier and improve texture, are some other great ingredients to look for. If you’re suffering from irritation and inflammation, soothing ingredients like chamomile or oatmeal can also be helpful.

How to Use a Moisturizer

As far as usage directions for these moisturizers, we suggest twice a day — once in the morning and once before bed — for the best effects. Just be sure to wash your face with a cleanser before moisturizing.

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