Michelle from Lab Muffin Beauty Science has reviewed more than 20 products for dry skin, and she brings her chemistry background to every one. She lands at an approval rate of 68%, which means most things pass her bar. The interesting part is what does not.
What does Lab Muffin Beauty Science recommend for dry skin?
When she approves a moisturiser, it tends to be one that feels good on the skin without grease or tackiness. She praised the Sulwhasoo Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Cream for the way her skin looks the morning after, and she says she does not need to use much of it. She has also called the Then I Met You Living Cleansing Balm her top cleansing balm of all time. On serums, she noted that the L'Oreal Revitalift Filler Hyaluronic Acid Serum uses a form of hyaluronic acid that goes deeper into the skin and lasts longer than the standard kind, and she found it genuinely plumping rather than just a surface fix. For those who want a retinol option that is gentler on dry skin, she flagged that Altreno Tretinoin Lotion 0.05% has a lotion base that is less irritating than most.
In her words
"I still love this. It's still my top cleansing balm of all time."
"I've also been using the L'Oreal Revitalift Filler serum. I've kind of dismissed hyaluronic acid as just another humectant moisturizer in the past, but this one has a special acetylated form of hyaluronic acid that penetrates deeper and doesn't get broken down as quickly. I found this really nice for plumping up my skin with more than just a humectant effect. I don't love this specific smell and I do kind of wish there was a fragrance-free option as well."
"There are some fancier versions like Altreno which has that nicer lotion base it's less irritating"
"I've been really enjoying the Vaseline intensive care body lotions I find them hydrating without being sticky and greasy and they sink in nice and quick"
"The Sulwhasoo Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Cream is pricey but it is my favorite moisturizer and I don't find I need to use very much of it. After I use it my skin just looks so nice in the morning. The star ingredient in this is called ginsenomics or compound K, extracted from ginseng."
"I love the Cicaplast B5 which is getting reformulated to the B5 plus. I picked one up in Europe and so far it seems to be pretty similar on my skin, maybe a little bit lighter."
How many products has Lab Muffin Beauty Science reviewed for dry skin?
Lab Muffin Beauty Science has reviewed 28 products for dry skin, for an approval rate of 68%. 19 approved, 7 mixed, and 2 skipped.
What has Lab Muffin Beauty Science skipped for dry skin?
The products she skipped are ones many shoppers reach for first. She has said she has never had a good experience with what she calls the standard super budget-friendly bulk moisturisers, and she names CeraVe Moisturizing Cream and Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream specifically, along with QV. Her reason is texture: they tend to feel greasy on her skin. She is careful to say they do work for a lot of people, and she recommends giving them a try if your skin is on the drier side or you live somewhere cool and dry. So the skip is personal, but it is worth knowing.
"I have personally never really had a good time with the standard super budget-friendly bulk moisturizers that a lot of people tend to recommend. I'm talking about things like cerave, cetaphil and qv. [...] These tend to come in really big pump bottles or in really big tubs. They do work for a lot of people, so I'd recommend giving them a try, especially if you have drier skin or if you live in a cool dry climate. But for me these tend to feel a bit greasy."
"I have personally never really had a good time with the standard super budget-friendly bulk moisturizers that a lot of people tend to recommend. I'm talking about things like cerave, cetaphil and qv. [...] These tend to come in really big pump bottles or in really big tubs. They do work for a lot of people, so I'd recommend giving them a try, especially if you have drier skin or if you live in a cool dry climate. But for me these tend to feel a bit greasy."
What should you take from Lab Muffin Beauty Science's picks?
Michelle's record on dry skin products is broadly positive, and she has named a pair of outright winners in Then I Met You Living Cleansing Balm and Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum. Her most useful signal, though, may be her honest caveat on the big-tub classics: they work for many people, just not for her, and knowing why helps anyone make a smarter call.
Watch Lab Muffin Beauty Science say it
Every verdict here comes from a video. These are the moments themselves, each one jumping straight to the bit about that product.
- Then I Met You Living Cleansing BalmNamed a winnerWatch at 7:37
- Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose SerumNamed a winnerWatch at 6:13
- Cetaphil Moisturizing CreamSkipped itWatch at 18:01
- CeraVe Moisturizing CreamSkipped itWatch at 17:53
- L'Oreal Revitalift Filler Hyaluronic Acid SerumRated itWatch at 15:40
- Altreno Tretinoin Lotion 0.05%Rated itWatch at 2:16
- Vaseline Intensive Care Body LotionRated itWatch at 3:14
- Sulwhasoo Concentrated Ginseng Renewing CreamRated itWatch at 16:55
- La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5Rated itWatch at 3:15
- iUNIK Centella Bubble Cleansing FoamRated itWatch at 8:58
- Bioderma Atoderm Shower OilRated itWatch at 16:42
- COSRX Full Fit Propolis Synergy TonerRated itWatch at 18:58
- Jordan Samuel Skin Performance CreamRated itWatch at 16:40
- Paula's Choice Resist Advanced Replenishing TonerRated itWatch at 5:08
- The Ordinary Lactic Acid 10% + Hyaluronic AcidRated itWatch at 11:55
- RoC Retinol Correxion Max Hydration CreamRated itWatch at 13:08
- Simple Kind to Skin Hydrating Cleansing OilRated itWatch at 5:08
- Vaseline Original Healing JellyRated itWatch at 1:50
- The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5Rated itWatch at 15:53
- CeraVe Healing OintmentRated itWatch at 4:52
- CeraVe Hydrating Facial CleanserRated itWatch at 4:07
About this expert
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This guide reflects what Lab Muffin Beauty Science said across her videos about 28 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.