8 Best Moisturizers for Mature Skin to Target Dryness and Wrinkles

Different phases of life call for different skin-care needs, and the best moisturizers for mature skin make those adjustments feel like a thirst-quenching treat. Just as acne-fighting ingredients like salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide may have been your saving grace as a teen, there are similarly powerful ingredients that may prove to be a perfect fit for your skin as you age (including, yes, but not limited to retinol). Better yet, these moisturizers can do much more than relieve dryness—ask a few of our trusted board-certified dermatologists, all of whom are well acquainted treating with fine lines, sagging, dark spots, and discoloration. While these are perfectly normal characteristics of later-in-life skin, we’d never judge for seeking a little epidermal pick-me-up. Scroll ahead to discover your new favorite daily moisturizer for mature skin, as vetted by dermatologists and Allure editors.

Our Top Moisturizers for Mature Skin

Best Overall: SkinCeuticals A.G.E. Interrupter Advanced

Why it’s worth it: Skinceuticals’ A.G.E Interrupter Advanced is prescription-quality skin care without your doctor’s scribbles. New York City-based board-certified dermatologist Dhaval Bhanusali, MD, prefers thicker moisturizers for mature skin, and this rich, creamy formula fits the bill. It’s infused with blueberry extract to fight both free radicals and glycation, which is when sugar attaches to and breaks down the collagen in your skin. “[It’s a] great thicker cream that provides improvement for age-related changes, as well as for hydration,” Dr. Bhanusali adds. You can apply it twice daily on your face, neck, and chest. If you’re using it in the morning, prep with vitamin C serum and follow with sunscreen. At nighttime, use it after your retinol.

Best Drugstore: Cetaphil Skin Activator Hydrating & Firming Cream

Why it’s worth it: While Cetaphil Skin Activator Hydrating & Firming Cream is a face cream, the jar is big enough that you can slather this firming formula generously all over your neck, across your chest, and over your arms—or anywhere that’s starting to look a little crepey or thirsty. While it excels at moisturizing, it also works as a treatment: “The brand’s Skinactivator technology delivers microdosed mandelic acid, which is a gentle alpha hydroxy acid that can exfoliate the skin and increase cell turnover,” says Jane Yoo, MD, a dual board-certified dermatologist based in NYC. “This is combined with encapsulated Centella asiatica, which supports collagen synthesis and has antioxidant properties to help repair damaged cells.” Translation: It hydrates, supports the barrier, and helps with elasticity over time.

Best for Dry Skin: Tata Harper Repairative Moisturizer

Why it’s worth it: Though it boasts a whopping 22 sources of plumping and hydrating ingredients, Tata Harper’s Repairative Moisturizer feels light on the skin—making it an excellent choice “if you want hydration and plumpness without heaviness,” says Cheryl Karcher, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in NYC. Mango seed butter, safflower oil, jojoba oil, and coconut fruit extract help replenish the lipids that dry or mature skin tends to lose over time, while honey, saccharide isomerate, and hyaluronic acid draw in moisture for that bouncy, cushioned feel. Microbiome-friendly Lactobacillus ferment adds a calming layer, keeping skin comfortable throughout the day. With it, “patients often describe their skin as bouncier, which means moisture balance is improving within the skin rather than sitting on top,” says Dr. Karcher.

Best with SPF: Clinique Smart Clinical Repair SPF 30 Wrinkle Correcting Cream

Why it’s worth it: You’d be hard-pressed to find a dermatologist who won’t remind you that sunscreen is your best defense against fine lines and wrinkles. Clinique’s Smart Clinical Repair SPF 30 Wrinkle Correcting Cream is a multitasker that combines the proper amount of sun protection (SPF 30, as recommended by the American Academy of Dermatology) with a line-smoothing treatment in the same jar. A proprietary peptide blend helps support collagen for a firmer look over time, while hyaluronic acid and glycerin draw in moisture for a bouncier finish. Antioxidants help neutralize free radicals that chip away at elasticity. The non-greasy texture lands somewhere between cushy and lightweight, and it layers well under makeup.

Best Retinol: Revision Skincare D.E.J. Night Face Cream

Why it’s worth it: Dermatologists swear by this night cream, which pairs 0.25% retinol with bakuchiol (a plant-based retinol alternative) for double the line-smoothing power. The Revision Skincare D.E.J. Night Face Cream is a go-to for board-certified dermatologist Sejal Shah, MD, who uses it as the final step in her evening routine. Deanne Robinson, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Westport, CT, is also a fan and likes to use it around her eyes. “I’m very particular about eye creams, but this one has been in my routine for quite some time,” she says. For fans of this face cream, it comes in a retinol-free version designed for daytime use.

Best for Oily Skin: Shani Darden Hydration Peptide Cream

Why it’s worth it: Finding a good moisturizer for oily skin can feel like a struggle, but Shani Darden’s Hydration Peptide Cream manages to beat the odds. This oil-free formulation won’t clog pores and delivers firming peptides that help reinforce elasticity over time, while niacinamide regulates excess oil and calms visible redness. Ceramides and squalane work as the moisture keepers (since, after all, oily skin is often trying to make up for not having enough hydration), replenishing lipids without feeling greasy. Use it in the evenings after the brand’s best-selling Retinol Reform serum for a one-two punch against signs of aging.

Best Night Cream: Caudalie Premier Cru Cream

Why it’s worth it: What makes the ever-impressive, Best of Beauty-winning Caudalie Premier Cru The Cream so good? To start, it’s a concoction of hyaluronic acid and sugars derived from honey locusts—gasp. New York-based board-certified dermatologist Michele Green, MD, says the latter ingredient helps firm and plump the skin, targeting issues like sagging and fine lines. This cream also contains grapeseed oil and shea butter, two lipids known for their deep moisturizing abilities. If you have especially dry skin, consider Caudalie’s Premier Cru The Rich Cream, another Allure Best of Beauty winner.

Best for Sensitive Skin: Isdin Isdinceutics Age Contour Night Face Moisturizer

Why it’s worth it: Bedtime is the new Botox, thanks to Isdin’s Isdinceutics Age Contour Night Face Moisturizer. Instead of retinol, this nighttime moisturizer is powered by melatonin, hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid, and carnosine—an amino acid compound that slows glycation, thereby promoting elasticity. The cream goes on super smooth and works the night shift to hydrate, protect against free-radical damage, and brighten skin by morning. Designed to be used nightly as the last step in your routine, it’s a favorite of LA-based board-certified dermatologist Ava Shamban, MD, who praises its hyaluronic-acid content. She likens the humectant’s effect on skin to a sponge: “When wet, the sponge expands to occupy more space, giving a plumping effect,” she explains.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What ingredients should I look for in moisturizers for mature skin?

There are quite a few skin-care ingredients for mature skin that are worth considering when you shop, such as skin-brightening vitamin C, which is “a powerful antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals which would otherwise cause oxidative stress to the skin and lead to premature aging,” says Dr. Green. (In other words, it’s great for signs of sun damage.) She also recommends adding niacinamide skin-care products, hyaluronic acid serums, and ceramide-packed formulas to your routine for moisture-locking and skin barrier reinforcement.

What do moisturizers for mature skin do?

While all facial moisturizers for mature skin share the goal of hydrating, active and inactive ingredients vary between products, meaning the perks will vary, too. For example, using a moisturizer with a retinol-based formula can help boost skin cell turnover, promote collagen production, and increase elasticity, while alpha- and beta-hydroxy acids are essentials for smoothing skin and addressing discoloration concerns. “Salicylic acid, glycolic acid, and lactic acids help exfoliate the outermost layer of cells,” adds Dr. Green. “This can help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles while evening out your skin tone and skin texture.”

Meet the experts

• Michele Green, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City
• Cheryl Karcher, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Center Aesthetic & Dermatology, based in New York City
• Deanne Robinson, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Westport, Connecticut
• Sejal Shah, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Rochester, New York
• Jane Yoo, MD, a dual board-certified dermatologist and Mohs surgeon based in New York City

How we test and review products

When Allure tests a product, our editors look at it from every angle in an effort to best serve you. We review ingredients, scrutinize brand claims, and, when necessary, examine peer-reviewed scientific and medical studies. In addition to testing each and every product that’s included in each and every review, we rely on experts who shape their fields, including dermatology, cosmetic chemistry, and medicine, to help us vet the ingredients and formulas.

For our list of best moisturizers for mature skin, we considered each product’s performance across five primary categories: product ingredients, efficacy, fragrance, texture, and product wear. Our editorial team, which is composed of in-house writers, editors, and contributors, determined that every product excelled in each category—along with special consideration from board-certified dermatologists. To learn more information on our reporting and testing processes, read our complete reviews process and methodology page.

Our staff and testers

A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors—in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon—is essential to reaching that goal.

After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the “best” for people over 50 if the only testers we’ve solicited opinions from folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it’s never been tested on curls? We’re proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.

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All we’re saying is…fine lines have met their match: