When your skin is feeling extra parched, tight, cracked and uber irritated, swapping out a lightweight moisture cream for a richer, more intensive formula is key to treating the discomfort and getting your complexion back to normal as quickly as possible. With that being said, however, when you switch to a heavier cream product, you also run the risk clogging your pores or simply ending up with extra greasy skin that feels like a straight-up oil slick—and if you’re looking to add makeup on top, you can just forget about it staying put for anything longer than an hour or so.
Whether you battle dry and irritated skin year-round or the dehydration just crops up from time to time (often when you least expect it), keeping an intensive, thicker moisturizer in your skincare lineup is essential if you want to act fast to heal and soothe the flare-up. Not all heavy moisturizers are created equal, and it is possible to find a super nourishing cream that tackles dry patches, redness, peeling, and cracking without going overboard on the oil and emphasize pores and other imperfections. Ahead, we’ve rounded up a few of our favorite high-potency hydrators to always have on hand.
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1. First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream Intense Hydration
First Aid Beauty.
This super-rich healing cream soothes and repairs irritation from dermatological conditions like eczema, as well as restores balanced moisture levels to severely dehydrated skin. It’s infused with calming colloidal oatmeal to quell inflammation and redness flare-ups, as well as Ceramide 3 to lock in moisture for all-day comfort. This generously-sized six-ounce jar will last you forever too.
2. EltaMD Intense Face and Body Moisturizer
EltaMD.
This rich moisturizing cream offers an intense double-dose of hydration that lasts up to twelve hours without having to re-apply more product. Suitable for use on both your face and body, this hydrating cream is also a great remedy for repairing dry patches, flakiness, and lifting redness from irritation.
3. CeraVe Moisturizing Cream for Normal to Dry Skin
CeraVe.
This super hydrating (yet non-greasy) moisture cream is fragrance-free, making it an excellent formula for those with sensitive skin or allergies to scents. Just one application of this moisturizer delivers up to twenty-four hours of continuous hydration and relief from irritation, itchy skin, and peeling.