Best Drugstore Moisturizer: 6 Picks Under $25 by Skin Type

The best drugstore moisturizer for most skin types is CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion, a light, fragrance-free lotion with ceramides, niacinamide and hyaluronic acid for $14.99 at Target. For dry skin, CeraVe Moisturizing Cream is the better buy; for oily skin, Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel; for sensitive skin, Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer; and for daytime, CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion SPF 30. All six picks here cost under $25.

Standing in the aisle, you can scan a moisturizer's barcode or photograph its label with the ingredient scanner in Pori to check it against your skin type and spot fragrance, alcohol or heavy oils. Pori reads the label for you; it does not diagnose skin conditions.

Quick picks

• Best overall: CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion ($14.99 for 2 fl oz, Target): oil-free and fragrance-free, with three ceramides, niacinamide and hyaluronic acid.
• Best for dry skin: CeraVe Moisturizing Cream ($17.99 for 16 fl oz, Target): ceramides plus petrolatum and dimethicone, with the National Eczema Association seal.
• Best for oily skin: Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel ($19.99 for 1.7 oz, Target): a silicone gel that sinks in fast and leaves no grease.
• Best for sensitive skin: Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer ($13.99 for 3 fl oz, Target): squalane and five ceramides, no fragrance, botanicals or essential oils.
• Best for combination skin: La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer (from $11.49, Target): oil-free, with ceramide NP, niacinamide and glycerin.
• Best with SPF: CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion SPF 30 ($14.99 for 3 fl oz, Target): moisturizer and broad-spectrum sunscreen in one step.

We compared published ingredient lists, brand claims and listed prices; we did not test these products on skin. Prices are Target's US prices as of November 2026. The same products are widely stocked at CVS, Walgreens and Walmart, where prices and coupons differ, so check the shelf tag. Prices change often.

How do the best drugstore moisturizers compare?

How do you pick a drugstore moisturizer for your skin type?

Match the texture to your skin first, then check the label. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) gives simple rules in its guide to picking a moisturizer:

• Dry skin: start with a cream or ointment rather than a lotion.
• Oily skin: use a light gel, or less moisturizer, and look for "non-comedogenic."
• Sensitive skin: avoid fragrance, and be wary of long botanical ingredient lists.
• Age 50 and up: the AAD suggests a cream-based moisturizer, since skin holds less water with age.
• Look for: ceramides and hyaluronic acid. Avoid in dry skin: fragrance, drying alcohol and alpha hydroxy acids.

If you are not sure which texture you need, our gel vs. cream moisturizer guide explains the difference, and types of moisturizers covers humectants, emollients and occlusives.

Which drugstore moisturizers are best?

CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion: best overall

CeraVe describes PM as an oil-free, non-comedogenic lotion with niacinamide, hyaluronic acid and three essential ceramides, free of added fragrance. Target's listing adds glycerin, cholesterol and phytosphingosine. CeraVe lists it at $19.99; Target had the 2 fl oz bottle at $14.99. Nothing in it stops you using it in the morning, under sunscreen.

Who it suits: nearly everyone, including oily and acne-prone skin and people using prescription acne creams. Who should skip it: very dry skin in winter, which needs something richer. The catch: it has no SPF, so pair it with sunscreen by day. Our CeraVe PM review covers the formula in detail.

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream: best for dry skin

This is the thick cream in the tub or pump. CeraVe says it combines three essential ceramides, hyaluronic acid, dimethicone and petrolatum, is non-comedogenic, carries the National Eczema Association seal and can be used from age 3. The 16 fl oz pump was $17.99 at Target, which works out to about $1.12 an ounce.

Who it suits: dry, flaky or tight skin, and anyone who wants one cream for face and body. Who should skip it: oily skin, which will find it heavy. The catch: petrolatum gives it a richer feel than a lotion; use a thin layer at night if you are acne-prone. Read our full CeraVe Moisturizing Cream review.

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel: best for oily skin

Hydro Boost is mostly water, dimethicone and glycerin, with sodium hyaluronate further down, according to Neutrogena's ingredient list. The silicone base is why it feels light and dries without shine. Target lists the 1.7 oz jar for normal to oily skin at $19.99.

Who it suits: oily and combination skin, humid climates, and people who hate the feel of cream. Who should skip it: sensitive skin. The catch: this version lists fragrance and a blue dye. Neutrogena also sells a fragrance-free Water Gel Cream, but it is aimed at normal to dry skin. More options are in our best moisturizer for oily skin roundup.

Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer: best for sensitive skin

Vanicream's ingredient list is short: water, squalane, glycerin, hyaluronic acid, five ceramides, carnosine and phytosterols, with no fragrance, botanicals or essential oils. It carries the National Eczema Association seal and works day or night. Target had it at $13.99 for 3 fl oz.

Who it suits: sensitive, reactive or eczema-prone skin, and anyone who wants the fewest possible extras. Who should skip it: very dry skin that needs an occlusive on top. The catch: it is a plain moisturizer with no actives, which is the point. Our best moisturizer for sensitive skin roundup has more picks.

La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer: best for combination skin

Target's listing gives a short ingredient list: water, glycerin, squalane, dimethicone, corn starch and niacinamide, then ceramide NP lower down. It is oil-free, fragrance-free and non-comedogenic. It is light enough for an oily T-zone, while glycerin and squalane help drier cheeks. Target sells the 1.35 fl oz size at $11.49 and the 3.38 fl oz size for up to $24.99.

Who it suits: combination and normal skin, and sensitive skin that dislikes heavy creams. Who should skip it: very dry skin. The catch: the travel size runs out fast; the full size is close to the $25 ceiling. See our combination skin picks for alternatives.

CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion SPF 30: best with SPF

The AM lotion pairs the PM formula's ceramides, hyaluronic acid and niacinamide with homosalate 10%, octinoxate 5%, octocrylene 2% and zinc oxide 8% (older boxes still in some stores list meradimate 5% and zinc oxide 6.3%). CeraVe says it is oil-free, non-comedogenic and free of added fragrance, and it has the Skin Cancer Foundation's daily-use seal. Target had it at $14.99 for 3 fl oz.

Who it suits: normal to dry skin on mostly indoor days. Who should skip it: very oily skin, and anyone outdoors for hours, who needs a water-resistant sunscreen. The catch: you need about a teaspoon for the face for the label SPF. Our best moisturizer with SPF and best drugstore sunscreen for face roundups go further.

What about acne-prone or mature skin?

For breakouts, the rule is "non-comedogenic" and light: CeraVe PM, above, is a safe start, and our best moisturizer for acne-prone skin roundup covers gels and options with salicylic acid. For fine lines, the AAD's advice to switch to a cream after 50 still applies, and a drugstore cream with niacinamide, peptides or retinol is worth the extra few dollars. Our best anti-aging moisturizer roundup compares those, and best moisturizer for dry skin sorts rich creams by ingredient.

Is a drugstore moisturizer as good as an expensive one?

For most people, yes. Every product here lists ceramides, hyaluronic acid, glycerin or squalane near the top, and those are the same hydrators you find in moisturizers that cost three or four times as much. What you pay for higher up is usually texture, scent and packaging. If you are choosing between the two big drugstore brands, our CeraVe vs. Cetaphil comparison goes product by product. Our drugstore vs. luxury skincare comparison goes through where the extra money does and does not buy something. If you want to build a whole routine from the same aisle, start with our drugstore skincare routine and the best drugstore face wash picks.

How we chose

We looked for face moisturizers under $25 that are sold at major US drugstores and mass retailers, with a full ingredient list on the brand or retailer site. We favored fragrance-free formulas, flagged the one exception, and picked one product per skin type rather than ranking by popularity. We read each brand's published list and claims, used the AAD's moisturizer advice as our checklist, and checked prices at Target in November 2026. We did not wear-test any product. You can browse more options by skin type in our moisturizer catalogue, including dry, oily and sensitive skin.