The Style and Beauty Doctor has reviewed more than 30 moisturizers, and her record lands at an approval rate of 84%. That means she approved most of what she looked at, with only a few mixed takes along the way. Her one skip tells you almost as much as her long list of approvals does.
What does The Style and Beauty Doctor recommend in moisturizers?
She keeps coming back to how a moisturizer performs in real weather. The Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Rich Barrier Moisturizer earned her praise for feeling lightweight while still locking in hydration in hot, dry air. She describes its ingredients as tiny sponges that grab onto moisture and then seal it in so it cannot evaporate. Gel creams like the Summer Fridays Cloud Dew Gel Cream Moisturizer and the Krave Beauty Oat So Simple Water Cream get her approval for warmer months, though she is upfront that a gel cream can feel like nothing on skin once cold, dry weather arrives. For products with active ingredients, she is clearly drawn to formulas that pack in more than one benefit at once: the SkinBetter Science AlphaRet Overnight Cream won her over because it combines retinol, lactic acid, glycolic acid, and niacinamide in a single step.
In her words
"The It Cosmetics Do It All Balm has become a must have on her list. She freaking loves this product. [...] A lot of balm foundations make tinted products look worse, [...] but this shocked her. You can put a little bit on for a sheer tint, and it's buildable without ever looking cakey. She's used it in full beat looks. It has about [...] 92% skin care ingredients."
"Those Alpharett products sound freaking amazing. [...] This combines retinoid and alpha hydroxy acid infused with retinol and lactic acid. It accelerates skin renewal for a visibly smoother complexion. This has all of the things in it. Niacinamide, glycolic, retinol, lactic acid. [...] I'm gonna order this and try it [...] because it sounds freaking amazing."
"They also have things that can help with um like uh the secoflate uh restorative protective cream."
"The Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Rich Barrier Moisturizer feels extremely lightweight. However, you'll appreciate it in a hot, dry climate because it has ingredients in it that help to prevent water loss. Think of it as like tiny little sponges grabbing onto the hydration and then somebody puts a seal on top to prevent the hydration from evaporating."
"I think I remember trying this Summer Fridays moisturizer before and liking it. One thing about gel creams that can be a little frustrating for me sometimes is that I cannot use these in the colder weather. My skin will be dry, especially with how dry and cold it gets here in New York in the winter, so this is definitely a warmer weather kind of thing."
"If you live in a hot dry climate, those same gel cream moisturizes after like an hour or so, maybe even within a few minutes, it might feel like you ain't put nothing on your skin. Now, if that's you, some options that you can try include the Krave Beauty Oat So Simple Water Cream"
How many moisturizers has The Style and Beauty Doctor reviewed?
The Style and Beauty Doctor has reviewed 31 moisturizers, for an approval rate of 84%. 26 approved, 4 mixed, and 1 skipped.
What has The Style and Beauty Doctor skipped in moisturizers?
She skipped the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Water Cream, and she did not hesitate to say why. Despite being a self-described Charlotte Tilbury fan, she called the price a dealbreaker and gave it a firm nope. That is the only product in this whole set she turned down outright, which means almost everything else she looked at cleared her bar in at least some way.
"As much of a Charlotte Tilbury lover that I am, I really, really love that brand, but this $100, a whole Ben Franklin, this is going to be a sadly a nope getter for me."
What should you take from The Style and Beauty Doctor's picks?
Her record on moisturizers is largely warm and approving, but she is not a pushover about price. She does the practical work of telling people which formulas suit warm climates, which ones fade in cold air, and which actives are worth the investment. Anyone shopping for a moisturizer would do well to start with what she has already put through its paces.
Watch The Style and Beauty Doctor say it
Every verdict here comes from a video. These are the moments themselves, each one jumping straight to the bit about that product.
- Charlotte Tilbury Magic Water CreamSkipped itWatch at 18:53
- IT Cosmetics Do-It-All BalmRated itWatch at 0:52
- SkinBetter Science AlphaRet Overnight CreamRated itWatch at 109:57
- Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective CreamRated itWatch at 60:22
- Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Rich Barrier MoisturizerRated itWatch at 2:26
- Summer Fridays Cloud Dew Gel Cream MoisturizerRated itWatch at 18:18
- Krave Beauty Oat So Simple Water CreamRated itWatch at 2:18
- Aveeno Skin Relief Moisturizing LotionRated itWatch at 6:44
- Vanicream 1% Hydrocortisone Itch Relief CreamRated itWatch at 59:38
- belif True Cream Aqua BalmRated itWatch at 15:50
- Lactin Daily 12% Lotion (Ammonium Lactate)Rated itWatch at 10:01
- Fresh Rose and Hyaluronic Acid Deep Hydration MoisturizerRated itWatch at 14:10
- Undefined Beauty RNR Gel CreamRated itWatch at 1:22
- Olay Micro-Sculpting Cream Fragrance FreeRated itWatch at 23:10
- L'Oreal Revital Lift MoisturizerRated itWatch at 3:48
- CeraVe Moisturizing CreamRated itWatch at 10:41
- Sunday Riley ICE Ceramide Moisturizing CreamRated itWatch at 8:03
- SkinFix Barrier+ Triple Lipid & Peptide CreamRated itWatch at 16:39
- Tatcha Dewy Skin CreamRated itWatch at 6:18
- Fresh Black Tea Advanced Age Renewal CreamRated itWatch at 7:55
- First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair CreamRated itWatch at 15:54
- Kahi Wrinkle Bounce Multi BalmRated itWatch at 16:45
- Kiehl's Ultra Facial CreamRated itWatch at 16:12
- Charlotte Tilbury Magic CreamRated itWatch at 16:17
About this expert
See everything The Style and Beauty Doctor has reviewed
Related guides
This guide reflects what The Style and Beauty Doctor said across her videos about 31 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.