Rounding out the formula is heartleaf extract, an antibacterial oil-controller, and evening primrose flower extract, a deeply hydrating, elasticity-boosting buddy. All together, this makes it a dream formula for post-breakout recovery and any lingering redness. But even if your acne days are (mostly) in the rearview, your skin will still dig this cream’s calming, cloaking comfort.
Tester feedback: “No matter what condition my skin is in, Dr. Althea’s 345 Relief Cream calms down my skin immediately—thanks to the likes of ceramides, cica, heartleaf, and panthenol,” raves Han. “It’s touted as a lovely moisturizer for acneic or post-acne skin but I have combination skin and I can attest that it works well for my skin—it walks a fine line between moisturizing but not too-rich or too-heavy.”
Key ingredients: ceramides, vitamin E, resveratrol, turmeric extract | Who it’s for: people with redness, people with acne | Fragrance-free: yes
Best Cooling: Belif The True Cream Aqua Bomb
Why it’s worth it: Belif’s True Cream Aqua Bomb is packed with the most hydrating ingredients on the block, like hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and a ton of herbal goodies to soothe and cool your skin. It absorbs fast and is the perfect follow-up to your cleanser and toner. Former beauty editor Devon Abelman wrote, “Imagine someone lobbing a water balloon at your face—minus the pain and shock of it popping—that’s how slathering on The True Cream Aqua Bomb feels. It gives skin that kind of rush of hydration.” Enough said.
Tester feedback: “The cooling jelly texture of the Belif The True Cream Aqua Bomb was a godsend for my dry, red skin,” says contributing commerce writer Annie Blackman. “It feels so comforting to rub on, and I know the hyaluronic acid is doing me favors I can’t even understand yet.” While it’s free of synthetic fragrances, Blackman says it still smells super good, “like clean, cold water,” she notes. The fresh scent can also be attributed to natural extracts in the formula, like rosemary leaf oil and lime flower oil.
Key ingredients: hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, oat kernel extract, calendula | Who it’s for: everyone | Fragrance-free: yes
Best for Dry Skin: Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin Skin Barrier Moisturizing Cream
Why it’s worth it: The doctor is in, thanks to Dr. Jart+’s Ceramidin Skin Barrier Moisturizing Cream. Cushiony, creamy, and packed with deep hydration, this formula puts ceramides front and center while panthenol steps in to strengthen the skin barrier. It also doubles as a makeup primer, helping base products apply smoothly and sit beautifully on the skin.Slather this non-comedogenic formula on, morning and night, and feel the dryness disappear.
Tester feedback: “My combination skin gets capital-d Dry from external factors, be it freezing winter weather or stale airplane air,” says contributing editor Deanna Pai. “That’s why a travel-size tube of this lives in my toiletry kit. I put it to the ultimate test—a trip to central Missouri in the dead of winter to visit my in-laws—and found that it still kept my skin radiant and comfortable.”
