The Best Moisturizers for Dry Fall Skin, by Skin Type

Dry skin lacks oil: it feels tight all day, flakes, and makeup clings to patches. Dehydrated skin lacks water: it can be oily by 2pm and still feel taut, and fine lines look worse than usual. Most autumn complaints are dehydration, not dryness.

Dry skin needs lipids. Dehydrated skin needs humectants sealed with a light occlusive. Buying a heavy balm for dehydrated skin gives you congestion and no relief.

It Cosmetics Confidence in a Cream is the classic thick, cushiony option, and the Innbeauty Extreme Cream layers well under makeup despite the weight.

Look for a whipped or gel-cream texture: Eight Saints Cloud Whip hydrates with vitamin C without the grease, and Tula's 24-7 cream is the middle-ground pick that suits almost everyone.

At night, a dedicated night cream can carry the heavier lifting so your daytime layer stays light under SPF.