Whether your skin is as dry as the Sahara desert or retains more oil than a slice of pizza, finding the best winter face moisturizer is a necessity as we dive headfirst into the season. No matter the skin type, dry, winter skin is just a fact of life so it's important we take a little extra time to care for it as the temperature drops. But, what exactly causes dry winter skin?

Does Winter cause dry skin?

During the winter months, skin needs a little more help for a bunch of reasons, namely the drop in humidity. Your skin reflects your environment, and with a lower humidity comes drier air which leads to (you guessed it) drier skin. When you add on things like dry indoor heat and an increase in hot showers, it's no wonder our skin suffers this time of year! So, what should you be looking for in a winter face moisturizer?

What do the best Winter face moisturizers contain?

Sometimes the ingredient list on the back of cosmetics can seem impossible to understand, but when it comes to winter face moisturizers, there are some things you should be on the lookout for. The three main components of moisturizers are humectants, occlusives, and emoilents. Humectants help attract moisture (think ceramides, glycerin, sorbitol, hyaluronic acid, lactic acid, and lecithin), occlusives help seal moisture within the skin (think petrolatum – or petroleum jelly – silicone, lanolin, and mineral oil) and emollients (think linoleic, linolenic, lactic, and lauric acids) smooth skin by filling in the spaces between skin cells.

winter face moisturizers

In addition to ingredients that fall under the "big three", you should also look for products that include vitamins and menthol. Vitamins can make a great addition to moisturizers (and skincare in general) because of their antioxidant properties. Menthol is great because its cooling sensation can help with that seasonal "winter itch" we all loathe during the most blustery days.

Now you could spend days searching for the best products that include these ingredients or you could just scroll down because we already did the work for you! Ranging from drugstore favorites to high-end splurges, stay hydrated and save your skin this winter with one of these winter face moisturizers!