Best Natural Face Moisturizers for a Next Level Glow and Hydration

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Since we're deep into the winter season, it's especially important to make hydrating your skin a priority in your skincare routine. Thankfully, natural face moisturizers are the perfect skincare solution to ensure your skin will remain healthy during the cold weather, regardless of your skin type.

But what exactly is a natural face moisturizer, and why should you consider switching over to one? "Natural face moisturizers are great options for consumers looking forproducts with ingredients that closely simulate naturally occurringhydrating agents," says double board-certified dermatologist Dr. Brendan Camp, M.D., FAAD."By harnessing the ability of naturally occurring ingredients tohydrate skin, natural face moisturizers help keep skin supple,protected from environmental stressors, and more youthful inappearance."Before you commit to a natural face moisturizer, there are a few things you need to know, like what ingredients to look for, what to avoid, and what will work best with your skin type.

Best Natural Face Moisturizers

• Best Overall: Epionce Renewal Facial Cream

• Best Budget Buy: cocokind Resurrection Polypeptide Cream

• Best Multipurpose Moisturizer: One Love Organics Skin Savior Multi-Tasking Wonder Balm

• Best for Combination and Oily Skin: Ursa Major Fortifying Gel Moisturizer

• Best for Dry and Normal Skin: Biossance Squalane + Omega Repair Deep Hydration Moisturizer

• Best Anti-Pollution Cream: OSEA Atmosphere Protection Cream

What to Consider

Camp's biggest tip is to familiarize yourselfwith how to read an ingredient label when shopping for a natural face moisturizer. "Ingredients listed first arepresent in higher concentrations than those listed toward the end," he says. Ahead, the NYC-based doctor shares insight on his favorite natural ingredients to look out for in a face moisturizer.

Best Natural Ingredients

• Hyaluronic acid is a complex sugar molecule that occurs naturally inthe skin. "Hyaluronic acid is an effective moisturizing agent because it attractsand retains water in the skin,"says Camp. Consider this clear, fast-absorbing ingredient like a tall glass of water for your skin that plumps up fine lines and wrinkles.

• Ceramides are lipids (fats) that normally exist in the top layer ofskin. Camp says they help trap moisture within skin cells and maintain theskin's barrier function.Ceramides also provide fantastic anti-aging benefits because they keep the skin hydrated and supple.

• Squalane is an oil derived from plant sources and featured inskincare products because it moisturizes skin. "It issimilar, but different, to squalene, an oil that contributes to themakeup of sebum, your body’s natural oil," he says.

Limitations

Natural face moisturizers are fantastic for almost anyone, but Camp has two other important factors to consider:

1. Synthetic ingredients: "Note that many 'natural' ingredients in theseproducts may be synthetic to maintain purity and consistencyin the manufacturing process," he says.

2. Skin Sensitivities: These moisturizers are typically infused with botanicals, meaning someone with sensitive or reactive skin should always do a spot test before fully committing to a natural face moisturizer to avoid any potential skin reactions.

Your Skin Type

Your skin type will also help you determine which natural face moisturizer is ideal for your skin. Here's my quick, at-a-glance look at the different formulations and who would benefit the most from using them:

• Gels and lotions offer oily and acne-prone skin light hydration, ensuring their complexion isn't greasy throughout the day. Non-comedogenic face moisturizers are ideal for those with acne-prone skin to avoid congesting their pores, which leads to blackheads and zits.

• Face creams are typically heavier and more hydrating for dry, normal, and mature skin types.

• Those with combination skin that leans dry can opt for face creams, while those who are oily can use lightweight lotions and cream natural face moisturizers.

How We Chose

Camp is an incredible medical source with a wealth of experience in the field, including working as an assistant professor at George Washington University's medical school. Given his incredible expertise, I just had to ask him to share his all-time favorite natural face moisturizers.

I also included a plant-based face cream that I genuinely won't shut up about — after one use, you'll become equally obsessed! Since the most affordable expert-suggested product costs $40, I carefully researched dozens of promising natural face moisturizers and selected a cheaper pick from cocokind. It's made with familiar, clean ingredients and imparts a gorgeous radiance to the skin without stretching your budget.

These natural face moisturizers will soften and deeply hydrate your complexion all winter. I'm confident you'll be so into these natural face moisturizer recommendations that you'll also want to use them in the upcoming spring and summer seasons because they are made with ingredients you can trust to care for even the most sensitive skin types.

Renewal Facial Cream

I'm honestly obsessed with so many Epionce products! I crowned it our best overall distinction because it's my desert island natural face moisturizer of choice.

It's designed for sensitive and dry skin, yet it somehow works effectively on my oily skin during the fall and winter seasons in NYC. TBH, I love it so much that I'll use a tiny bit of cream during the summer just so my skin can soak up the plant-based ingredients.

I appreciate that Renewal Facial Cream contains ingredients we all know, like olive oil to calm skin redness, orange to fade dark spots, and avocado oil to hydrate and soothe. There are also botanicals, like antioxidant-rich apple, flax seed for anti-aging benefits, and meadowfoam for some much-needed hydration.

When my skin gets irritated from testing new beauty products, I heavily rely on this calming skincare product. It's also a must-have for both short and long-haul flights since airplane cabins are notoriously drying to the skin.

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Resurrection Polypeptide Cream

Budget-friendly shoppers can rely on this rich cream from cocokind, a popular clean beauty brand. The company makes several face moisturizers, but I opted to feature the Resurrection Polypeptide Cream because it's their most hydrating option for wintertime.

In addition to the Camp-approved ingredient, squalane, this thick cream contains antioxidant-rich watermelon seed for an anti-aging effect. There's also resurrection plant extract to help strengthen the skin and help prevent dehydration, while the plant-based polypeptide complex reduces fine lines and wrinkles.

Fortifying Gel Moisturizer

Personal trainers previously told me they love Ursa Major's natural deodorant, so I was immediately intrigued by Camp's skincare suggestion from the brand.

"A number of botanical ingredients, like willow bark, aloe, olive leaf, and prickly pear, are included in this lightweight, invisible dailymoisturizer with a serum-like texture," says Camp.

Reviewers adore its paraben-free formulation that moisturizes, calms, and firms their skin. It's fast-absorbing, allowing users to move on to the next step of their beauty routine, like sunscreen and foundation.

Skin Savior Multi-Tasking Wonder Balm

Camp highlights this unique balm as a multipurpose product worthy of a spot in your medicine cabinet. "With an antioxidant-rich blend of organic coconut oil, mango butter,jojoba, and chia, this balm works as both an effective moisturizer andmakeup remover," he says.

You can also treat it like a face mask for sensitive skin by leaving it on for 15-20 minutes and rinsing away before bed.

Although Skin Savior is less than 2 oz, you only need a half-a-pea-size amount of product, meaning a container should last you for several months.

Squalane + Omega Repair Deep Hydration Moisturizer

Biossance's ingredient label reads like a checklist of dermatologist-approved ingredients — no wonder Camp gave it high marks. "The lipids in this moisturizing face cream mimic the skin’s naturalmoisture barrier to nourish, plump, and hydrate skin cells," he says.

The combination of ceramides, sugar-derived squalane, and omega fatty acids is a trifecta of epic moisture and anti-aging for dry and normal skin types. There's even hyaluronic acid for a covetable plumping effect. Bouncy skin is only a few clicks away!

Atmosphere Protection Cream

Rounding out this list is a gentle face cream from OSEA, which is like an invisible protective shield between your skin and environmental pollutants that cause signs of aging. It's designed to soothe and nourish your complexion to ensure it becomes supple.

"As a lightweight moisturizer, this product contains a blend of brownand green seaweed extracts, seawater, and marine exopolysaccharide tosoothe dry skin and maintain moisture," says Camp.

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