April Basi has tested more than 40 dry skin products, and she approves most of them. Her approval rate sits at 80%, so she is far more likely to recommend something than to skip it. That said, the few products she passed on tell you just as much as the ones she loved.
What does April Basi recommend for dry skin?
What April Basi keeps coming back to is skin barrier support. She looks for ceramides, which help hold the skin's natural structure together, and humectants like hyaluronic acid or polyglutamic acid, which pull water into the skin. She praised the Torriden Dive-In Low Molecular Hyaluronic Acid Serum for using five different molecular weights of hyaluronic acid. She said that is a real formulation decision, not just marketing. She also loves ingredients that calm as well as hydrate, like panthenol. And she has a practical side: the CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion SPF 50 won her over partly because it combines a moisturiser and sun protection in one step. Her outright winners include the Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser and the BYOMA Milky Toner, which she called her favourite for giving dry skin a true milky, creamy feel.
In her words
"This one is my favorite. It has poly glutamic acid, which holds five times its weight in water compared to hyaluronic acid, so you know it's going to have your skin shaking with hydration. It also has panthenol to help soothe and support your skin barrier. Out of all the ones I've reviewed so far, this one gives you that true milky texture and a really creamy feel."
"If you have dry skin or just really irritated skin, the Skinfix Triple Lipid Peptide Cream is a must, [...] there's a reason why it's won so many different awards. This one also has all three of the ceramides I talked about earlier, as well as peptides to really work on the collagen levels in your skin, repair the skin barrier, and increase elasticity and strength. There's also a lot of emollient in it, like hemp seed oil. [...] It's always sold out everywhere, it's amazing for dry skin."
"There's no fragrance, no essential oils, and it's alcohol free. This is a very well thought out formula, the five form hyaluronic acid system isn't just marketing, the molecular weight variation is a real formulation decision, and the label backs it up. If you have sensitive or reactive skin and want something fragrance free, this is one of the most well formulated pure hydration serums I've seen at this price point, and the label fully backs up what it promises."
"For the first step of cleansing off makeup, I recommend the INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm. I love it because one of the main ingredients is oat kernel, which is really great for moisturizing and hydrating the skin, [...] and there's also colloidal oatmeal, which helps reduce any irritation that could happen from makeup. [...] I really like this product, it's under ten dollars, and it's just an all around amazing product that works for any skin type."
"This one is great because it has pretty much all the things I talked about earlier, niacinamide to control transepidermal water loss, and ceramides for the skin barrier. There's also SPF 50, so if you're someone who doesn't like having so many different products, like a separate sunscreen and a moisturizer, this would be great for you because you have an SPF and a wonderful lotion that's great for your skin all in one. You can't go wrong with this."
"This is great if you don't want to go the full petrolatum route, [...] it's a lot lighter than petroleum jelly but still provides that occlusive seal that locks in moisture to give your skin that glow from the inside finish. People literally stop me when I use this on my body and ask me what's on your body, did you do some type of procedure, and I'm like nope, just Vaseline. I [...] make sure to apply it on damp skin because it's easier to seal in the moisture that way."
How many products has April Basi reviewed for dry skin?
April Basi has reviewed 46 products for dry skin, for an approval rate of 80%. 37 approved, 6 mixed, and 3 skipped.
What has April Basi skipped for dry skin?
The products April Basi skipped are mostly ones where she felt the price did not match what was inside the bottle. She said she would swap the Fresh Rose and Hyaluronic Acid Deep Hydration Toner for a ten dollar alternative. Both are hydrating and alcohol free, and she said the only real difference is the rose scent and the packaging. She made a similar call on the Tatcha Dewy Skin Cream, saying a six dollar drugstore moisturiser does almost everything the seventy-two dollar version does. She also skipped the VT Reedle Shot 100 Collagen, a serum with microneedles designed to push ingredients deeper into the skin. She tested it on a patch of skin and said plainly that it did not feel good.
"What's really popular about this specific serum is that it has microneedles that create tiny little punctures in the skin so all the functional ingredients in the formula can go deeper into the skin, like injecting it in, versus a regular serum that still has to create pathways to get in. I used this on a test portion of my skin and it did not feel good."
"I'd replace this forty nine dollar Fresh Rose Deep Hydration Toner with the ten dollar Simple Soothing Toner. Both are hydrating, calming, alcohol free toners. Fresh just has rose petals and smells like roses. The marketing and sensory feel is all you're paying for, so save your wallet."
"I would replace this seventy two dollar Tatcha cream with a six dollar Pond's moisturizer, because the six dollar moisturizer does almost everything the seventy two dollar cream does. Tatcha markets theirs with Japanese ingredients and luxury packaging, but it gives you the same functionality, hydration and oil control. One of them is luxury, the other is retail, and the only difference is it doesn't come in a fancy jar."
What should you take from April Basi's picks?
April Basi's record on dry skin products is reassuring. She approves the clear majority of what she reviews, and she tends to favour straightforward, well-formulated products over expensive ones. When she does pass on something, it is usually because she found a cheaper product that does the same job, or because the formula did not hold up on her skin. If you are shopping for dry skin and want to know whether a product earns its price tag, her takes are worth a look.
Watch April Basi say it
Every verdict here comes from a video. These are the moments themselves, each one jumping straight to the bit about that product.
- Cetaphil Gentle Skin CleanserNamed a winnerWatch at 1:24
- BYOMA Milky TonerNamed a winnerWatch at 1:51
- VT Reedle Shot 100 CollagenSkipped itWatch at 1:45
- Fresh Rose and Hyaluronic Acid Deep Hydration TonerSkipped itWatch at 7:55
- Tatcha Dewy Skin CreamSkipped itWatch at 7:08
- SkinFix Barrier+ Triple Lipid & Peptide CreamRated itWatch at 4:30
- Torriden Dive-In Low Molecular Hyaluronic Acid SerumRated itWatch at 3:29
- The INKEY List Oat Cleansing BalmRated itWatch at 2:17
- CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion SPF 50Rated itWatch at 2:39
- Vaseline Radiant X Hydrating Body OilRated itWatch at 4:41
- Kopari Coconut OilRated itWatch at 4:30
- Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid SerumRated itWatch at 2:40
- Rhode Glazing Milk Ceramide Facial EssenceRated itWatch at 3:11
- Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics SPF 50+ PA++++ (Korean formula)Rated itWatch at 3:18
- Vaseline Original Healing JellyRated itWatch at 5:44
- Laneige Water Sleeping MaskRated itWatch at 4:05
- Topicals Slather Exfoliating Body SerumRated itWatch at 4:33
- CeraVe Daily Moisturizing LotionRated itWatch at 0:50
- CeraVe Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30Rated itWatch at 3:04
- REN Lactic Acid ExfoliantRated itWatch at 4:01
- La Roche-Posay Lipikar AP+M Triple Repair Moisturizing CreamRated itWatch at 2:49
- CeraVe Moisturizing CreamRated itWatch at 2:44
- La Roche-Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle CleanserRated itWatch at 5:51
- La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer SPF 30Rated itWatch at 3:46
About this expert
See everything April Basi has reviewed
Related guides
This guide reflects what April Basi said across her videos about 46 products for dry skin, aggregated by The Guru Index. Sponsored takes are excluded. The approval rate is the share of these products she approved. It is general information, not medical advice.