Nipun Kapur has looked at more than 50 moisturizers, and she approves of almost all of them. Her approval rate sits at 89%, with only a handful of mixed takes and barely a skip. That said, she is not easy to impress on value: she wants real ingredients, and she will call it out when a price tag is not backed by a formula.
What does Nipun Kapur recommend in moisturizers?
Ceramides and peptides come up again and again in what she rates. She told her viewers that CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion earns its place because it has ceramides, and she called Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream iconic because she believes in peptides in every step of a routine. Barrier support matters to her too. She has suggested using a basic cream like CeraVe Moisturizing Cream as a buffer before retinol, because it lets sensitive skin ease into an active without full exposure. She also rates textures that earn their price: Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel Cream is a product she said she has recommended over and over for four years.
In her words
"It is a product I have recommended over and over again in the last four years it has to be the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Cream."
"This can pretty much repair everything except a broken heart"
"The Dynasty Cream is a little thick, it's a whipped formula, but the ingredients are skin-soothing, barrier support, pure amazing anti-aging. But overall it'll hydrate, plump, and moisturize your skin. So dry skin, that's it."
"If you're a beginner [...] and starting retinol [...] for the very first time, start by using a cream on your face, a basic cream like CeraVe. Start using a cream before you apply your retinol serum [...] because you're creating a little bit of a barrier. [...] Even if your skin is sensitive, by using a basic cream before you can actually control the amount of retinol exposure that your skin is getting for the first time."
"You should have this product. And that is the CeraVe PM Moisturizing Lotion because it has ceramides."
"This cream is more like a moisturizer because it's not that emollient, one pump and it's lightweight. It's not something that's going to stay on your face, it absorbs very easily. It's an absolutely beautiful formula. It is pretty iconic because I've loved this product for a very long time primarily because peptides and I believe in peptides a lot. I would like to have peptides in every part of my skincare routine including the moisturizer, which is why this is good."
How many moisturizers has Nipun Kapur reviewed?
Nipun Kapur has reviewed 54 moisturizers, for an approval rate of 89%. 48 approved, 5 mixed, and 1 skipped.
What has Nipun Kapur skipped in moisturizers?
She gave Augustinus Bader Rich Cream a skip, and her reasoning is worth knowing. The ingredient list is patented, so there is no way to see what is actually in it. Her view is that any good cream can do the same job, and that a lot of the attention around it comes from celebrities who receive it for free. She said plainly that the brand is not worth the money. Beyond that, she skipped very little: nearly everything she reviewed got at least a nod.
"The ingredient list is patented, so you'll never really know what it has, but I somehow just don't see the value in this product. [...] It's not a bad product, it's a nice cream, and any cream can give you the same impact. A lot of celebrities use it because they get it for free. I definitely would not recommend it. This brand is not worth your money."
What should you take from Nipun Kapur's picks?
Nipun Kapur's record on moisturizers is one of the warmest in her whole catalogue. She has named a few winners, among them Tatcha Water Cream Oil-Free Pore Minimizing Moisturizer, Beauty of Joseon Dynasty Cream, and Beauty of Joseon Red Bean Water Gel. If you are building a routine, her through-line is clear: look for ceramides, look for peptides, and do not pay a luxury price unless the formula justifies it.
Watch Nipun Kapur say it
Every verdict here comes from a video. These are the moments themselves, each one jumping straight to the bit about that product.
- Tatcha Water Cream Oil-Free Pore Minimizing MoisturizerNamed a winnerWatch at 7:46
- Beauty of Joseon Dynasty CreamNamed a winnerWatch at 7:34
- Beauty of Joseon Red Bean Water GelNamed a winnerWatch at 5:02
- Augustinus Bader Rich CreamSkipped itWatch at 8:51
- Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel CreamRated itWatch at 1:20
- La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5Rated itWatch at 5:11
- CeraVe Moisturizing CreamRated itWatch at 3:26
- CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing LotionRated itWatch at 4:17
- Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide CreamRated itWatch at 4:30
- La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face MoisturizerRated itWatch at 2:52
- La Roche-Posay Lipikar AP+M Triple Repair Moisturizing CreamRated itWatch at 31:03
- Purito Deep Sea Pure Water CreamRated itWatch at 8:17
- CetaPhil Moisturizing CreamRated itWatch at 47:43
- VT Reedle Shot PDRN Capsule CreamRated itWatch at 4:40
- Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Pink Juice MoisturizerRated itWatch at 3:21
- The INKEY List Peptide MoisturizerRated itWatch at 6:45
- La Mer Eye Concentrate CreamRated itWatch at 6:08
- Sunday Riley ICE Ceramide Moisturizing CreamRated itWatch at 14:24
- Minimalist Sepicalm Moisturizer with Oat ExtractRated itWatch at 11:54
- I'm From Rice Bran CreamRated itWatch at 5:34
- SkinFix Barrier Repair CreamRated itWatch at 15:22
- Minimalist 5% Marula Oil Moisturizer with Hyaluronic Acid and Vitamin FRated itWatch at 3:48
- Mison Phyto Plump Collagen Night CreamRated itWatch at 4:00
- Plum Niacinamide and Rice Water Water Gel MoisturizerRated itWatch at 7:55
About this expert
See everything Nipun Kapur has reviewed
Related guides
This guide reflects what Nipun Kapur said across her videos about 54 products in moisturizers, 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.