# The 4 Best Face Moisturizers on Amazon in 2026 > The best face moisturizer picks for 2026: the best face moisturizer for dry skin, one for oily skin, an SPF moisturizer for face, and a gentle cream. Guide: https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-face-moisturizers/ · Updated 2026-09-28 · By TwelveTabs · Search it live: https://twelvetabs.com/?q=best%20face%20moisturizer&guide=best-face-moisturizers As an Amazon Associate we may earn from qualifying purchases. Our picks are independently researched, written by TwelveTabs AI and never sponsored. Prices and ratings change often: see the guide for today's. ## The top picks - **Dry skin, as a night lotion:** CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion. It won our main search: an oil-free daily facial moisturizer for dry skin, made as a night lotion to hydrate and support the skin barrier. - **Oily skin that wants a light layer under makeup:** e.l.f. SKIN Holy Hydration! Daily Hydration Moisturizer. It won our oily skin search: a lightweight daily face moisturizer that suits everyday wear under makeup, in a 2.5 fl oz tube. - **A daytime moisturizer with sunscreen:** CeraVe Ultra-Light Moisturizing Lotion SPF 30. It won our SPF search: a daily face moisturizer with broad spectrum SPF 30, oil-free and non-greasy, with hyaluronic acid and ceramides. - **Sensitive skin that wants a short ingredient list:** Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer. A runner-up in our oily skin search, and Wirecutter's pick for sensitive skin: a gentle, lightweight, non-greasy cream with ceramides and hyaluronic acid. Our top pick for most people is the **[CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-face-moisturizers/#pick-1)**. It won the main TwelveTabs search we ran for this guide, "best face moisturizer", out of 63 Amazon listings. It is an oil-free lotion for dry skin, made for night, and it suits anyone who wants a simple, reliable moisturizer before bed. Oily skin? The **[e.l.f. SKIN Holy Hydration! Daily Hydration Moisturizer](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-face-moisturizers/#pick-2)** won our oily skin search. For daytime, the **[CeraVe Ultra-Light Moisturizing Lotion SPF 30](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-face-moisturizers/#pick-3)** won our SPF search. And for sensitive skin, the **[Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-face-moisturizers/#pick-4)** is both a runner-up in our oily skin search and Wirecutter's sensitive skin pick. ## How to choose a face moisturizer A good face moisturizer holds water in your skin and does not clog or irritate it. The right one depends on your skin type and the time of day. These four things matter most. - **What is in it.** Wirecutter's dermatologists suggest looking for three kinds of ingredients. Humectants, such as glycerin and hyaluronic acid, draw in moisture. Emollients, such as squalane and niacinamide, soften skin. Occlusives, such as ceramides and oils like shea butter, seal the moisture in. Many good moisturizers have some of each. - **Fewer ingredients for sensitive skin.** Every dermatologist Wirecutter spoke to said that a long ingredient list makes it harder to find what is causing redness or stinging. If your skin reacts easily, choose a short list without fragrance. - **Texture for your skin type.** Dry skin usually likes a richer lotion or cream. Oily skin does better with a lightweight, oil-free formula that will not feel greasy or disturb makeup. - **Day or night.** A daytime moisturizer should have sunscreen. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends broad spectrum protection and SPF 30 or higher. A night moisturizer has none, because you do not need it in the dark. ## Our picks in detail ### 1. CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion: best overall **Why it made the list** - It won our main search, "best face moisturizer", from 63 listings, and was a runner-up in our oily skin search. - Its listing describes an oil-free daily facial moisturizer for dry skin. - It is made as a night lotion to hydrate and restore the skin barrier. **Drawbacks** - It has no sunscreen, so pair it with an SPF moisturizer in the morning, such as our pick 3. - Its listing says it is for dry skin, which is why our oily skin search ranked it second. **Skip it if** you want one moisturizer that covers the daytime too. ### 2. e.l.f. SKIN Holy Hydration! Daily Hydration Moisturizer: best for oily skin **Why it made the list** - It won our search for "face moisturizer for oily skin", from 65 listings, and was a runner-up in our main search. - Its listing describes a lightweight daily face moisturizer. - Our main search found it suits everyday wear under makeup. **Drawbacks** - It comes in a smaller 2.5 fl oz tube, which our main search counted against it. - This version has no sunscreen. e.l.f. sells a separate Holy Hydration! Face Cream SPF 30. **Skip it if** your skin is very dry and wants a richer cream. ### 3. CeraVe Ultra-Light Moisturizing Lotion SPF 30: best with sunscreen **Why it made the list** - It won our search for "face moisturizer with spf", from 57 listings. - Its listing describes a daily facial moisturizer with broad spectrum SPF 30, which meets the American Academy of Dermatology's advice. - It is oil-free and non-greasy, with hyaluronic acid and ceramides. **Drawbacks** - It comes in a small 1.7 oz bottle. - Like any sunscreen, it needs reapplying on long days outside. **Skip it if** you only want a moisturizer for night. ### 4. Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer: best for sensitive skin **Why it made the list** - It was a runner-up in our oily skin search. - Its listing describes a gentle, lightweight, non-greasy facial cream with ceramides and hyaluronic acid. - Wirecutter picks it as the best moisturizer for sensitive skin, noting its short list of 19 ingredients and no fragrance or dyes. **Drawbacks** - Wirecutter calls its plain plastic tube dull, and says it scuffed over time. - Its listing does not claim it is made for oily skin, which is why our oily skin search ranked it below e.l.f. **Skip it if** you want sunscreen in your moisturizer. ## What we left out, and why Our three searches returned 185 listings. TwelveTabs shortlisted 30 of them, read the listing pages of 9 finalists, and named a winner and two runners-up in each search. We kept four and left out three: - **St. Ives Collagen Elastin Face Moisturizer**, a runner-up in our main search. It is a large jar for dry skin, which doubled up on our top pick. - **e.l.f. SKIN Holy Hydration! Face Cream SPF 30**, a runner-up in our SPF search. It is the sunscreen version of our pick 2, and our SPF search ranked the CeraVe above it. - **Neutrogena Hydro Boost City Shield SPF 25**, a runner-up in our SPF search. Its SPF 25 is below the SPF 30 the American Academy of Dermatology recommends. Wirecutter's first pick, its best moisturizer for sensitive skin, is the [Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-face-moisturizers/#pick-4). It is our pick 4, so it is not repeated in the comparison table. ## Questions people ask ### What is the best face moisturizer for dry skin? The [CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-face-moisturizers/#pick-1) won our main search, and its listing says it is made for dry skin. Use it at night, and a moisturizer with sunscreen in the day. Want an oil on top? See our [facial oil guide](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-facial-oil/). ### What is the best face moisturizer for oily skin? Our oily skin search picked the [e.l.f. SKIN Holy Hydration! Daily Hydration Moisturizer](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-face-moisturizers/#pick-2). Look for a lightweight, oil-free formula. ### Do you need a separate moisturizer for day and night? Not strictly, but a day moisturizer should have sunscreen and a night one does not need it. Two is the simplest way to get both. If you want a face cream aimed at firmer-looking skin, see our [firming face lotion guide](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-firming-face-lotion/). For creams made for men or with built-in SPF, see our [men's facial moisturizer guide](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-facial-moisturizer-for-men/). ### What is the best moisturizer for sensitive skin? The [Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-face-moisturizers/#pick-4) is Wirecutter's pick for sensitive skin and a runner-up in our oily skin search. Its ingredient list is short and fragrance-free. Have oily skin? Our [oily skin moisturizers guide](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-oily-skin-moisturizer/) compares four by finish and sun protection. ### How did TwelveTabs choose these moisturizers? TwelveTabs ranked the Amazon listings for “best face moisturizer”, “face moisturizer for oily skin” and “face moisturizer with spf”, read the pages of 9 finalists and named a winner in each search. From those 185 listings, we kept the four that each suit a different need, as of September 25, 2026. We checked the advice against Wirecutter and American Academy of Dermatology. TwelveTabs, our AI shopping agent, compared the Amazon listings, and AI wrote this guide from that research. To see what it picks today, run the search yourself with the button on this page. ## How we researched On September 25, 2026 we ran three live TwelveTabs searches of Amazon: “best face moisturizer”, “face moisturizer for oily skin” and “face moisturizer with spf”. Together they returned 185 listings. TwelveTabs shortlisted 10 from each search, read the listing pages of 9 finalists and named a winner and two runners-up in each. We kept four that each suit a different skin need, and left out three. AI wrote this guide from that research. Listings change: we read them on September 25, 2026, and a formula, size or seller may differ today. This guide is not medical advice. ### Sources - [Wirecutter: After Considering 73 Moisturizers, We Found 7 Standouts for Different Skin Types](https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-moisturizers/) - [American Academy of Dermatology: How to select a sunscreen](https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/sun-protection/shade-clothing-sunscreen/how-to-select-sunscreen)