CeraVe Moisturizing Cream, Face Body Moisturizer, Normal to Dry Skin, 8 Fl Oz

Why it's worth it

This thick, fragrance-free cream pairs three ceramides with hyaluronic acid and a time-release delivery system, so hydration keeps working long after you rub it in. It's approved for face and body, which keeps both your routine and your ingredient exposure simple.

Ceramides are the whole point. Your skin barrier is built from fatty molecules, and dry or eczema-prone skin tends to run short on them. This cream puts three of them back — ceramides 1, 3 and 6-II — alongside hyaluronic acid, which draws water up into the surface layers. That's the difference between softening the top of your skin and repairing the part that's actually leaking moisture. Owners with chronically cracked hands and shins describe the change over weeks, not days.

The time-release delivery keeps working after you've forgotten about it. CeraVe's patented MVE technology wraps the moisturizing ingredients in layers that break down gradually, so hydration trickles out through the day instead of flashing off by mid-morning. In practice, you can put it on after your morning shower and not think about your legs again until bed. If you've been reapplying lotion three times a day just to stay comfortable, that alone is a real change.

From our review of 5 moisturizers for dry, sensitive skin, by Sarah Wright, Editorial Associate

What we like

• +Ceramides are the whole point
• +The time-release delivery keeps working after you've forgotten about it
• +One tub covers your face and your body
• +You can buy it almost anywhere

What to know

• –It's thick, and in warm weather you'll feel it
• –The jar means fingers in the product
• –It doesn't carry the National Eczema Association seal