Its likely that everyone would benefit from using sunscreen on their face each day, including people with darker skin tones. We dont love its push pump nozzle, which didnt dispense a sufficientor consistentamount. Amanda Doyle, dermatologist with the Russak Dermatology Clinic, Zoom interview, April 16, 2021, Nayamka Roberts-Smith, licensed esthetician, Zoom interview, April 20, 2021, Rachel Herschenfeld, dermatologist at Dermatology Partners, Lisa Quale, health educator at the University of Arizona Cancer Center, Ron Robinson, cosmetic chemist and founder of BeautyStat Cosmetics, Perry Romanowski, cosmetic chemist and publisher of Chemists Corner, Cula Svidzinski, dermatologist at Mount Sinai, email interview, April 14, 2022. Powder sunscreens are not effective for initial sunscreen application because theyre not easy to get enough applied to the skin, or get an even application, to make them an effective method of UV protection, according to Cula Svidzinski, a dermatologist at Mount Sinai. You have thousands of lotions to choose from. We also wanted our pick to be readily available across the country, which means sold on Amazon. Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion was the favorite lotion among our panel of testers; in fact, it was the only product that every person liked. Our testers praised its pleasant smell and found that it rubbed in easily and dried nicely. You should also wash your hands before moisturizing them, so the lotion has water to seal in. We independently review everything we recommend. (This is a good time to moisturize your face, too, although you probably want to use a face lotion designed for your skin type rather than our pick.) 2023 Wirecutter, Inc., A New York Times Company, A lighter lotion for less-harsh conditions, One 2015 study compared six commercially available moisturizers, not shown any direct link between parabens and any health problems, on the rise in the past five to10 years in North America, moisturizer is the secret ingredient in many anti-aging products, it takes too much time and lotion feels bad on their skin, best protection against microbial contamination, Jergens Ultra Healing Extra Dry Skin Moisturizer, Eucerin Intensive Repair Very Dry Skin Lotion, Vaseline Intensive Care Essential Healing Lotion. A similar pattern holds with the scent. The small pump bottle looks simple and elegant. It may leave a white cast on dark skin. You want to use enough to cover your skinbut not so much that leftover residue bothers you. Brush your teeth, floss, or otherwise noodle around in the bathroom for a few minutes to let it dry. There are plenty of options for on-the-go facial sunscreen reapplication, usually in the form of SPF powders or sprays. Research and interviews taught us two main lessons about lotion. We like this sunscreens light texture, which testers said felt weightless on their skin. (See The Competition.). But this new stuff isnt necessary, or isnt represented in sufficient amounts to make a substantial difference. Shop Now $28. The pass includes a magnetized card. None smelled like nothing at all. The best lotion for you is the one youll use consistently. Its greasy, it gets all over our hands, it feels weird on our skin, and it smells funny. You can use pure occlusives alone, but most people find them greasy and unpleasant and wont use them preventively. If you have naturally dry skin, you may want to skip this one. We decided that our pick should be inexpensive so that cost never limits how much lotion you use or how often you use it. OUAI's Melrose Place Body Cream has a weightless, whipped cream-like texture that easily melts into the skin. If you have a known allergy to common skincare ingredients (and the vast majority of people dont; see our Whats in there section), you should stick to those products that dont irritate your skin. Even though SPF (sun protection factor) does not increase linearlyand experts weve interviewed in the past have said SPF 30 is plentythis sunscreen may provide a sliver more protection than the lower-SPF picks in this guide. Credit: Boots. The Unseen sunscreen stays on great under makeup or can be reapplied throughout the day on top of makeup without looking oily or sticky, said a long-term tester. Unlike our other picks, this one comes in four sizes. How To Prevent And Treat Crepey Skin, According To Dermatologists Theyre also more likely to leave a white cast, particularly on the darkest and fairest skin tones. This sunscreen-moisturizer has a thicker consistency than the CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion with Sunscreen SPF 30, but without being streaky or too heavy. It feels nicely hydrating with a pleasant dewiness, one tester said. Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion thick enough to stay neat in your hand and thin enough to spread quickly and smoothly onto your skin. Some testers said this formula left an oily feeling that never quite went away throughout the day; its probably best for those with drier skin. Its perfectly fine to use the sunscreen that you put on your body on your face as well, though face-specific formulas can be lighter and more moisturizing. A good slathering of moisturizer isnt the only way to avoid dry skin. Visit the CeraVe Store. We recommend two moisturizer-sunscreens, which are facial moisturizers that contain enough SPF to double as a facial sunscreen. Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are the active ingredients that can be found in physical sunscreens that are FDA-approved for sale in the US. European and Asian regulatory agencies have approved more chemical UV filters than the FDA has. Dermatologist at Advanced Skin Care and Dermatology Physicians, Inc, Moisturizers: What They Are And How They Work, Dermatologist at Brookline Dermatology Associates. Pros. Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing so you can make quick and confident buying decisions. This chemical formula is designed for the face and body. It left a white cast on testers with darker skin tones. Health problems, like diabetes or kidney disease, can also cause dry skin. Perfectly Taipei - 25 Must-See City Highlights | Taipei Travel After 20 hours of research and testing 10 of the most popular drugstore brands, our new pick is Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion. Our previous top pick, CeraVe Moisturizing Lotion, is now the runner-up. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Its more expensive due to healing ingredients, even though research suggests they make little difference. Testers described it as smelling like butterscotch and yeast, and some even said they detected no smell at all. Proper reapplication for full SPF protection throughout the day can be tricky: Having to stop what youre doing every two hours to smear on a fresh layer of lotion sunscreen is already daunting enoughand its even trickier if youre wearing makeup. All of our full-body sunscreen picks have this rating. If you are a hairy human, these light occlusives are beneficial: One hirsute long-term tester said it did not get stuck in his arm and leg hair compared with greasier competitors like Lubriderm. We like the way Play Everyday smells: minty, with a hint of floral. The Best Grease-Free Gel Moisturizer. If you need to grab something in a pinch, these will do. This facial formula is slightly different from the Blue Lizard formula we recommend for full-body use because this one has added hyaluronic acid, which helps the skin retain moisture. It has a thicker, stickier texture than our pick. 10 best face moisturizers for dry skin, according to experts in April 2023 The All Good Tinted Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30 absorbed easily. It kind of feels like it sits on top of the skin, wrote one tester. If you know you dont like our pick, we recommend CeraVe Moisturizing Lotion. Flaws but not dealbreakers: This sunscreen does tend to sit on top of the skin instead of immediately sinking in, which some testers said made their skin look greasy.