Shopping·13 min read

18 Products That’ll Keep Your Skin Hydrated During Winter

Best moisturizing products for winter
Photos: Touchland, L'Occitane, Laneige | Design: theSkimm
January 4, 2023

This post was originally published in January 2022 and has been updated.

Products you buy through our links may earn us a commission. Oh, and if something's out of stock, oops, it was there (and all prices were accurate) at time of publication.

Brrr, it’s cold in here. And if your hands, lips, and well…entire body feel chapped and dry, you’re not alone — and you’re probably willing to do anything in your power to keep things moisturized. So we consulted one of our go-to dermatologists, Dr. Nazanin Saedi, about reliable skincare practices and products you can scoop up that’ll help keep you feeling hydrated and super smooth from head to toe. We’ve got hand cream, lip balm, and the best moisturizers for dry skin. Plus, we also pulled in some of our favorite winter beauty items we can’t imagine getting through these cold months without.

Some tips to keep in mind

  • Hot showers aren’t so hot for your skin. “A hot shower feels so great, but it actually removes the moisture from your skin,” Dr. Saedi says. She recommends keeping them to five minutes of lukewarm water. (Sorry.) 

  • Look out for products that have hyaluronic acid, glycerin, or ceramides in them, according to Dr. Saedi. They help maintain your skin's barrier, lock in moisture, retain water, and give you that dewy, supple look. 

  • Avoid blasting the heat in your space…if you can. The heat will dry out your skin, which is the opposite of what you want this time of year. And if you can’t, then get a humidifier — it’ll help add moisture back into your space, which your skin will absorb.

And now for some product recs...

Best moisturizing sanitizers

Vaseline 2-in-1 sanitizer lotion combo
Amazon

A two-in-one lotion–sanitizer combo…

Vaseline never misses. In this duo you’ll get the benefits of a daily moisturizing hand cream with a sanitizer that kills unwanted germs. Its non-greasy formula will keep you hydrated and help prevent that dreaded cracked skin. Plus, it’s made with glycerin, which helps bring water to the outermost layers of your skin. Hydration station, here you come. ($19.36/4 pack, Amazon)

Buy it
Touchland sanitizer
Touchland

Unscented sanitizer that the internet’s obsessed with…

And for good reason: It’s fragrance-free, cruelty-free, vegan, and made with aloe vera and essential oils. Oh, and it comes in mist form. Yep, that’s right. No more ‘whoops, I accidentally squeezed an entire bottle of sanitizer onto my hands’ nonsense. Just mist your hands a few times and voilá. Psst: If you do happen to prefer a fragranced option — they’ve got plenty of delicious scents too. ($10, Touchland)

Buy it on TouchlandBuy it on Sephora

Face and body moisturizers for dry skin

Cosrx intensive face cream
Amazon

Hyaluronic acid intensive face cream from one of our fave brands…

The team behind these insanely popular pimple patches also happens to make one of our favorite winter moisturizers. If you want to deeply nourish your skin, look no further. It locks the moisture right in (thanks to the hyaluronic acid) and provides genuinely long-lasting hydration that’ll leave your skin feeling supple and smooth. Plus, it’s great for anyone with sensitive skin — it’s hypoallergenic and free of parabens and sulfates. ($24, Amazon)

Buy it
Cerave moisturizing cream
Amazon

An irritant-free, unscented cream you can use all over…

This dermatologist fave can do it all. It’s got hyaluronic acid and ceramides and will make your skin feel like pure butter, sans greasiness or stickiness. We love that you can use this one on your face, body, or hands — so it’ll never go to waste. Just slather this everywhere and be on your merry way. Oh and it's noncomedogenic (aka it won’t clog your pores) and hypoallergenic. It's one of the best dry skin moisturizers out there. Trust. ($16.29, Amazon)

Buy it
Augustinus Bader

A cream that will be your skin savior…

Because these temp changes have us sending out an SOS. Augustinus Bader’s Rich Cream packs in all the hydration our parched skin needs. Plus it reduces the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and hyperpigmentation, and improves elasticity. For an all-around skin boost. Baby soft isn’t even the half of it. ($92+, Augustinus Bader)*

Buy it
La Roche-Posay body lotion
Amazon

Intense repair body lotion that’ll give you long-lasting hydration…

From the brand that makes one of our go-to sunscreens. This shea butter option from La Roche-Posay is perfect for those with dry (or extra-dry) skin, or sensitive skin. It includes the magic ingredient, glycerin, and just like so many others on this list it’s free of parabens and fragrance. ($19.99, Amazon)

Buy it
Buttah Skin whipped body butter
Verishop

Whipped body butter that’ll give you a full body glow…

This one from Buttah Skin is packed with vitamins A, B, and E and organic unrefined shea butter from Ghana that’ll give you that nourishing, soothing feeling your skin's probably craving this time of year. Massage it all over now. Feel amazing later. ($29, Verishop)

Buy it

Hand creams

L’Occitane shea butter cream
Amazon

Fast-absorbing L’Occitane shea butter hand cream…

For when you want to feel luxe but can’t really swing a trip to a French spa right now. This mini tube of colorless balm works wonders on the driest parts of your hands and won’t leave you feeling greasy. It's packed with insanely soothing ingredients like honey, almond extract, and coconut oil. Once you try this out, you'll never want to use another hand cream again. Oui, oui. ($12.50+, Amazon)

Buy it
Neutrogena hand cream
Amazon

Fragrance-free Neutrogena lotion…

Goodbye, rough patches — hello, silky-smooth skin. Made with glycerin, this one is specifically formulated for dry skin. And according to Dr. Saedi, who considers this cream her all-time favorite, “a little bit goes a long way.” Great for your skin and great for your wallet? We’ll take it. ($13.90/3 pack, Amazon)

Buy it
Working Hands balm
Amazon

Healing balm to keep in your purse at all times…

For when you forget to wear gloves and your knuckles are rough and dry…just slap some of this on and you’ll feel instantly better. Like so many others on this list, it works to heal, relieve, and repair any cracked or damaged dry winter skin. Keep this stashed in your bag and you’ll always be glad you did. ($15.67/2 pack, Amazon)

Buy it

Lip balms

Laneige lip mask
Amazon

A cult-fave renewal lip mask to wear overnight…

Skimm HQr’s love — and we mean love — this famous Laneige lip mask. Put it on right before bed and wake up with smooth, supple lips in the AM. It’s as simple as that. Plus, you can wear it during the day too for a glossy, healthy look. Your obsession will be real, promise. ($22.05, Amazon)

Buy it
Sugar advanced therapy lip treatment
Sephora

The lip balm with the crazy word-of-mouth buzz…

Gorgeous, gorgeous girls love this advanced therapy lip treatment. It’s an internet fave because it actually works, unlike so many lip balms that leave your lips feeling drier than when they started. This one helps prevent moisture loss and has a (non-scary) plumping effect so you can get a fuller look, sans any medical filler. Consider your peeled lips gone for good. ($28, Sephora)

Buy it

Shower gels and body washes

L'Occitane shower gel
Amazon

Almond shower oil that’ll make your skin feel like actual heaven…

Lather this up, ASAP. The oil (when it hits the water) transforms into a milky foam that’ll gently cleanse your bod, leaving behind a velvety softness that you’ll absolutely adore. One HQ’r said that it feels like you’re rubbing pure softness on your skin, which sounds exactly like what the doctor ordered. We’ll take 10, please. ($29, Amazon)

Buy it
Dove body wash
Amazon

A super-moisturizing body wash from Dove…

Sometimes classics are classic for a reason. This one does everything you want during the winter: cleanses your skin, nourishes it, and leaves it softer than when you started. It’s cruelty-free and comes in 100% recycled plastic bottles. ($39.99/4 pack, Amazon)

Buy it

Extra skincare items we love for winter

Humidifier
Amazon

A humidifier that’ll keep your air hydrated…

Because the heat drowns out the moisture. So if you like to crank your thermostat up high, you might also want to invest in a humidifier. It’ll help fight the abrasive cracking sensation your skin gets when it’s dry or cold and works to make sure your air has moisture in it. And since your skin is your largest organ, it’s going to absorb allllll that good moisture that your humidifier gives off. Sounds like a win to us. ($49.99, Amazon)

Buy it
Patchology hand and foot kit
Amazon

A hydrating kit for hands and feet…

Scoop this up for your next spa night in. You’ll get one self-warming hand and cuticle mask that’ll heal chapped skin, and one softening foot and heel mask that’ll restore your feet with some natural conditioners. Each one requires only 10 minutes and you don’t even have to rinse after using them. Live from your couch, it’s you getting your self-care on. ($18, Amazon)

Buy it
Rose-infused face mask
Sephora

A rose-infused face mask…

If you didn’t take a selfie while masking, did you even do it? This Skimm HQ-fave product has hyaluronic acid and real rose petals that’ll give you that instant soothing effect. Some masks strip your face of oil and can make your skin feel drier than when you put it on and this, well, is the complete opposite. 10/10 recommend. ($26+, Sephora)

Buy it
Exfoliating gloves
Amazon

Exfoliating gloves so your moisturizers will actually absorb into your skin…

Out with the old, cracked skin, in with the new, supple, healthy skin. All thanks to these. Just scrub away while you’re in the shower and rinse thoroughly once you’re done. It’ll unclog your pores, give your skin a deep clean, and can help ensure your products better absorb into your skin. What more could you want? ($7.49, Amazon)

Buy it

*This denotes a sponsored section.

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