Best Moisturizer for Winter: 6 Face Creams for Cold, Wind and Indoor Heat

The best winter moisturizer for most faces is CeraVe Moisturizing Cream, a fragrance-free cream with ceramides, hyaluronic acid and petrolatum for $17.99 at Target. Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream suits normal or combination skin that only turns dry in winter, CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream is the richer night option, CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion keeps oily skin comfortable, La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Balm B5 protects wind-chapped patches, and La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair UV SPF 30 covers daytime sun.

Before you buy, you can scan a moisturizer's barcode or label with the ingredient scanner in Pori to check it against your skin type. Pori reads the ingredient list; it does not diagnose skin conditions.

Quick picks

• Best overall: CeraVe Moisturizing Cream ($17.99 for 16 fl oz, Target): ceramides, cholesterol, hyaluronic acid and petrolatum, fragrance-free.
• Best for skin that is only dry in winter: Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream ($39 for 1.7 oz, Ulta): glycerin, dimethicone and squalane in a light cream.
• Best night cream: CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream ($15.49 for 1.7 fl oz, Target): shea butter, ceramides, niacinamide and peptides.
• Best for oily skin in winter: CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion ($14.99 for 2 fl oz, Target): an oil-free lotion with niacinamide and ceramides.
• Best for wind-chapped patches: La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Balm B5 ($32.99 for 3.38 fl oz, Target): panthenol, shea butter and dimethicone.
• Best daytime moisturizer with SPF: La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair UV SPF 30 (from $12.49, Target): ceramide NP and niacinamide with broad-spectrum SPF 30.

We compared published ingredient lists, brand claims and listed prices; we did not test these products on skin. Prices are US prices at Target and Ulta as of November 2026 and change often. If your face cracks, burns or develops an itchy rash that does not settle in two weeks, see a dermatologist.

How do the best winter moisturizers compare?

Why does your face need a different moisturizer in winter?

Cold outdoor air, wind and indoor heating all lower humidity, and dry air pulls water out of the skin. The result is tightness, flaking and stinging, even on faces that feel fine in July. Many people are oily in summer and dry in winter without their skin type changing at all.

The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) suggests creams, oils or balms for the face in winter, and names glycerin, lanolin, mineral oil, petrolatum and shea butter as ingredients that work well for dry skin. It also suggests using exfoliating acids and retinol less often, or at a lower strength, while the air is dry.

So a winter moisturizer usually means one step richer than your summer one:

• If you use a gel in summer, try a light lotion or gel-cream.
• If you use a lotion, try a cream.
• If a cream is not enough, add a thin balm or ointment over the driest spots at night.

Look for a humectant such as glycerin or hyaluronic acid, barrier lipids such as ceramides or shea butter, and an occlusive such as petrolatum or dimethicone. Skip added fragrance, which irritates dry, cracked skin more easily.

How is this different from a moisturizer for dry skin?

Our best moisturizer for dry skin roundup is for faces that are dry all year. This list is for seasonal dryness: oily, combination and normal skin that changes in the cold, plus the problems winter adds, such as wind-chapped cheeks and the need for sunscreen that does not dry you out. Some picks overlap, because a good dry-skin cream is also a good winter cream.

Which winter moisturizers are best?

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream: best overall

CeraVe says this cream combines three essential ceramides, hyaluronic acid, dimethicone and petrolatum, and the full list adds cholesterol. That covers every job a winter cream needs to do: draw water in, top up barrier lipids and seal. It is fragrance-free and non-comedogenic, and works on the face and body. Target sells the 16 fl oz pump for $17.99. Our CeraVe Moisturizing Cream review covers the label line by line.

Who it suits: normal to dry faces, and anyone who wants one jar for face, hands and legs. Who should skip it: very oily skin, which may find it heavy by day. The catch: it is thick, so some people use it only at night.

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream: best for skin that is only dry in winter

For faces that are normal most of the year, a heavy cream can feel like too much. Kiehl's lightweight cream lists water, glycerin, dimethicone and squalane first, according to Ulta's listing. Kiehl's says it is fragrance-free and paraben-free, claims 72-hour hydration based on an instrumental study, and says it was tested in everyday and extreme environments. Ulta sells 1.7 oz for $39. Our Ultra Facial Cream review has more.

Who it suits: normal and combination skin that turns tight in the cold. Who should skip it: very dry skin and anyone on a budget, at about $23 an ounce. The catch: it has no petrolatum or ceramides high on the list, so on bitter days you may need a balm on top.

CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream: best night cream

Night is when a richer cream is easiest to wear. CeraVe's night cream lists glycerin, caprylic/capric triglyceride and shea butter near the top, with ceramides, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and peptides further down. CeraVe says it is free of added fragrance and will not clog pores. Target sells 1.7 fl oz for $15.49.

Who it suits: normal to dry skin that wants a cushier night cream, including people over 30 who like peptides. Who should skip it: very oily or acne-prone skin, which may prefer the PM Lotion. The catch: the jar is small for the price per ounce compared with the big Moisturizing Cream tub.

CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion: best for oily skin in winter

Oily skin still gets dehydrated in winter, especially on cheeks. CeraVe PM Lotion lists glycerin, caprylic/capric triglyceride and niacinamide first, then ceramides NP, AP and EOP, according to Target's listing. It is labeled oil-free, non-comedogenic and free of added fragrance. Target sells 2 fl oz for $14.99.

Who it suits: oily, combination and acne-prone faces, and people using retinoids or benzoyl peroxide. Who should skip it: dry skin, which will want more. The catch: it is a light lotion, so on very cold days apply it to damp skin and add a dab of cream to dry cheeks only. Our PM Lotion review covers the formula.

La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Balm B5: best for wind-chapped patches

Wind and cold can leave red, raw patches on cheeks, the nose and around the mouth. Cicaplast lists water, hydrogenated polyisobutene, dimethicone, glycerin, shea butter and panthenol first, per Target's listing, with madecassoside from centella. It is fragrance-free, can be used on the face, hands and lips, and La Roche-Posay says it helps protect skin from the drying effects of wind and cold. Target sells 3.38 fl oz for $32.99.

Who it suits: chapped spots, skin around the nose during a cold, and as a thin last layer before going out in wind. Who should skip it: anyone wanting a whole-face daily cream on a budget. The catch: it is thick and can pill under makeup. Our Cicaplast review has the details.

La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair UV SPF 30: best daytime moisturizer with SPF

The AAD says to keep wearing sunscreen year-round on the face and to choose more moisturizing creams in winter, or to apply moisturizer first and sunscreen on top. Toleriane Double Repair UV lists avobenzone 3%, homosalate 5%, octisalate 5% and octocrylene 7% as actives, with ceramide NP, niacinamide and glycerin. It is fragrance-free. Target sells the 1.35 fl oz size for $12.49 and lists the full size for up to $24.99.

Who it suits: most skin types that want one morning step. Who should skip it: very dry skin, which should layer it over a cream, and anyone avoiding chemical filters. The catch: SPF 30 is the minimum the AAD recommends; skiers and snowboarders face stronger UV from snow and altitude. Our Toleriane Double Repair UV review goes further.

How do you build a winter skincare routine around your moisturizer?

• Wash with lukewarm water and a creamy, fragrance-free cleanser; our cleanser for dry skin picks fit here.
• Apply moisturizer while skin is still damp, within a few minutes of washing.
• Use retinoids and exfoliating acids less often if they start to sting.
• Run a humidifier in the bedroom if indoor heat dries the air.
• Wear sunscreen on clear days, and a scarf on windy ones.
• Switch back to a lighter product in spring, when your skin feels greasy again.

Our winter skincare routine has the full morning and evening steps, and our damaged skin barrier guide helps if your face already stings.

How we chose

We used the AAD's winter advice: creams and balms for the face, fragrance-free products, ingredients such as glycerin, petrolatum and shea butter, and year-round sunscreen. We chose one product for each common winter problem across skin types, checked each brand's ingredient list or retailer listing, and left out products with added fragrance. Prices are from Target and Ulta in November 2026. We did not wear-test any product. For more, see our best barrier repair cream roundup and the moisturizers for dry skin catalogue.