You’re Using the Wrong Moisturizer in Cold Weather—9 Barrier Creams That Actually Nourish Your Skin

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When the air is crisp and cold, your skin might feel thirstier than usual. With winter right around the corner, the forecast is only getting drier and more frigid, so we’re stocking our shelves with the best skincare for winter dry skin. This includes the best barrier creams to slather onto your complexion when the temps drop below freezing (or—sorry to say it—your skin starts to flake). 

The Best Barrier Creams for Winter

As their name suggests, these creams exist to quite literally repair our skin’s moisture barrier with nourishing and deeply hydrating ingredients that can improve moisture levels, improve suppleness, and make the skin feel a little more equipped to handle the frost. 

When to Use Barrier Creams

“Barrier creams can be used year-round, but many people find them most beneficial in the winter, because they are particularly good at preventing damage and dryness caused by cold, harsh winter air,” says Dr. Dendy Engelman, MD, FACMS, FAAD, a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist and Mohs surgeon at Shafer Clinic in New York City. Since these creams are thicker, heavier formulas, she recommends using them at the end of your skincare routine, either as the last step at night or right before applying sunscreen during the day. 

According to ​​Erica Marie Gatt, esthetician and founder of EM Skin Studio, barrier creams can also be applied as a treatment for addressing temporary harsh temperatures. “If you plan on skiing in the mountains this winter, you may want to apply a barrier cream due to the cool temperatures, heaters, and high altitude, which can lead to excessive dryness, eczema, and other skin conditions.” 

As Dr. Engelman notes, barrier creams can be used year-round, but it all depends on skin type and climate. If you live somewhere hot and humid, she doesn’t recommend a barrier cream for regular use since they are heavy and occlusive formulas. This means that the cream creates a layer that protects the skin and prevents transepidermal water loss. “While that is a good thing in cold, dry climates, in hot temperatures, it can trap in sweat, oil, and bacteria, thus clogging pores and leading to acne breakouts,” she explains. 

What Makes Barrier Creams Special?

When it comes to moisurizing the skin, barrier creams are elite. These formulas contain nourishing ingredients and a thicker consistency that hydrate, protect, and help heal the skin’s barrier. “You need to have a healthy skin barrier to have healthy skin,” says Gatt. Barrier creams also create a layer on top of the skin, which Dr. Engelman says can keep unwanted stressors from coming into contact with your skin and wreaking havoc. 

How Often Should I Use a Barrier Cream? 

Barrier cream usage will vary depending on your skin type, the climate, and your skin concerns. According to Gatt, you can add it into your routine daily, once a week, or as a spot treatment on dry patches. To get an idea of how often to use a barrier cream, Dr. Engelman says to evaluate your complexion and look for signs of a compromised skin barrier. “Experiencing dryness, redness, and flaking is a strong indicator that your skin barrier is in a vulnerable state and could benefit from a barrier cream,” she explains.

The Best Barrier Creams to Slather Onto Your Skin This Winter

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Colorscience Barrier Pro™ Essential Moisturizer

Review: “Out of all the formulas I have tried, the Colorscience barrier cream is one of my favorites. The moisturizer comes in a pump bottle—similar to serums—making it super easy to get the right amount of formula out. It also features a more lightweight consistency compared to other options on this list. This makes for better (and faster) absorption, no residue, and more versatile wear, since it’s lightweight enough for daytime application and wearing under makeup.”—Jessie Quinn, Contributing Commerce Writer at StyleCaster 

Key Ingredients: Tri-molecular hyaluronic acid, prickly pear cactus extract, apple fruit extract, snow mushroom extract, goji berry extract, lactobacillus ferment, squalane, Crystalide™, Vital ET™, hydrolyzed pea protein 

EltaMD Barrier Renewal Complex

Review: “EltaMD is one of my favorite skincare brands and a go-to in the sunscreen department (I don’t go a day without the brand’s UV Sheer Broad-Spectrum SPF 50+). The brand’s Barrier Renewal Complex is a formula I come back to when I need a little extra daytime hydration—especially in the winter, when it’s bone-dry out. I love that this formula can provide the complexion with plenty of hydration to erase some of the fine lines that appear when the skin is parched. It also features nourishing ingredients such as squalane, ceramides, and biotin, which can actually enhance the skin’s structure and improve elasticity.”—Jessie Quinn, Contributing Commerce Writer at StyleCaster

Key Ingredients: Squalane, ceramides, biotin, tocopherol, Caprooyl Phytosphingosine, Caprooyl Sphingosine

Avene Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream

On Sale 27% off

Review: “I use Avene Cicalfate once a week as a ‘treatment,’ but I know so many people (including Leah Kateb!) who use it regularly. It’s very, very similar to Creme de la Mer in that it’s almost like a paste-like formulation that you have to work to rub in. It’s incredibly emollient, so your skin will really drink it up. This formula is unique in that it contains postbiotics that help revitalize your skin’s microbiome. As in, if your complexion is thrown off by extreme weather, stress, hormonal changes, or a couple of days of intense makeup, this will “reboot” things. A couple of years ago (I’ve been using this stuff for the past five years!) I went to New Mexico in January, when the weather was super arid and cold; as an LA girly, I didn’t think to bring any rich moisturizers. So as a result, my skin turned raspberry-red and started flaking. When I came back home, I slathered on Cicalfate+ morning and night, and within two days, my skin healed. French drugstore skincare FTW!”—Gina Vaynshteyn, Editorial Director at StyleCaster

Key Ingredients: C+ Restore, copper, Avene thermal spring water

Farmacy Honey Halo Ultra-Hydrating Ceramide Moisturizer

On Sale 23% off

Review: “Farmacy is another brand with some of the best skincare for dry skin, and its barrier repair cream is no exception. The Honey Halo Ultra-Hydrating Ceramide Moisturizer relies on the hydrating superpowers of honey with ingredients such as buckwheat honey with propolis and royal jelly, as well as ceramides for warding off moisture loss and fig fruit extract to create a plump and supple look. While this moisturizer is great for nighttime wear on super dry skin, I tend to use this as more of a ‘treatment’ when my skin feels like it needs a little more moisture and bounce. Honey is also a natural humectant, so I like using it in the late summer when Los Angeles hardly has a drop of humidity in its weather forecast.”—Jessie Quinn, Contributing Commerce Writer at StyleCaster

Key Ingredients: Ceramide blend, buckwheat honey with propolis and royal jelly, fig fruit extract

BYOMA Barrier Repair Treatment

Review: “The BYOMA Barrier Repair Treatment is proof that you don’t need to spend a lot of money on a barrier repair cream to get great results. I love when I find an under $20 formula that I reach for just as much as its more expensive counterparts, and the BYOMA moisturizer is on regular rotation in my skincare routine—especially when I want instant glowy skin. I travel a lot and often stash the TSA-friendly bottle in my carry-on to rehydrate my skin midflight.”—Jessie Quinn, Contributing Commerce Writer at StyleCaster

Key Ingredients: Tri-ceramide complex, avocado oil, ectoin, squalane

Skinfix Barrier Restoring + Pore Refining Gel Cream

Review: “I always thought barrier creams were for those with dry skin, but it turns out there are formulas that cater to me and my fellow oily skin girlies. I’ve heard great things about Skinfix’s bestselling Triple Lipid-Peptide Cream Refillable Barrier Moisturizer, so I was happy to discover the brand created a more lightweight version specifically for oily and combination skin: the Skin Barrier Restoring + Pore Refining Gel Cream. The gel-cream formulation suits my complexion much better than a thicker, richer, heavier goop. It delivers moisture and up to 72 hours of hydration, all while being non-comedogenic, silicone-free, and fragrance-free. Additionally, the cream helps control shine and minimize the look of pores. 

Once applied, my skin feels moisturized without appearing greasy. It sinks into my skin quickly, instead of sitting atop my skin like some other moisturizers do (I don’t love it when my complexion looks like it has a dewy layer of product that hasn’t absorbed). Within my first week of using the cream, I could already see clear results. Exhibit A: I had picked at a blemish right before testing the Skinfix gel cream, and I swear the dark spot healed and flaked off faster than usual, without leaving behind a lingering scar. If you have oily skin and are looking for a neutral, no-fuss moisturizer formula, this one’s for you. Its lipid complex, niacinamide, peptides, hyaluronic acid, and saccharide isomerate keep your moisture barrier in tip-top condition and leave behind a healthier overall appearance. I also love the airless pump jar packaging. It feels more hygienic and you can easily control how much product you use. Overall, this is a winner in my book, and while I don’t always use up every sample I receive from a brand, I know I’ll empty this jar (and maybe even repurchase it).”—Katie Decker-Jacoby, Commerce Editor at StyleCaster

Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, fatty acid-rich oils 

rhode Barrier Restore Cream Comforting Daily Moisturizer

Review: “The rhode barrier balm is thick and creamy and fantastic for those who have ultra-dry skin year-round. My skin tends to be chronically dehydrated, so I am able to wear this formula on a no-makeup day and reap the benefits of instantly soft, nourished, and glowy glazed skin. Note: it’s definitely too heavy for wearing under makeup and a much better pick for nighttime application if you have a normal or less parched skin type. Since my skin is so dry (thank you, Los Angeles weather), this will absolutely be a formula I reach for on the regular.”—Jessie Quinn, Contributing Commerce Writer at StyleCaster

Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid complex, polyglutamic acid, murumuru butter, ceramide NP

Tower 28 SOS Daily Skin Barrier Redness Recovery Moisturizer

Review: “The Tower 28 SOS Daily Skin Barrier Redness Recovery Moisturizer is another one of my go-to barrier creams. It feels much lighter than others on this list and is a formula I often use for daytime wear when my skin needs some extra hydration. The formula has some nice weight to it, but doesn’t sit on top of your skin. Instead, it absorbs quickly and makes your complexion feel like it is naturally soft and smooth. The Tower 28 moisturizer is enriched with hyaluronic acid and ceramides to repair the complexion and soothe redness. It’s also fragrance-free, so it’s safe for sensitive skin. ”—Jessie Quinn, Contributing Commerce Writer at StyleCaster

Key Ingredients: Ceramides, hyaluronic acid  

Drunk Elephant Bora Barrier Repair Cream

Reviews: “I’ve had this Drunk Elephant barrier repair cream on rotation for the last few months, so this isn’t exactly a first impression. It’s a formula I reach for when my skin needs a little extra oomph, and I love that it’s lightweight enough (for a barrier cream, at least) to wear during the day on my super-dry complexion, but also nourishing enough for nighttime, especially if I apply a face oil on top. The cream gives my skin an instant burst of moisture that melts into my complexion like butter, leaving no residue behind. I also love the applicator and find that just one push gets me enough product to cover my complexion.”—Jessie Quinn, Contributing Commerce Writer at StyleCaster

“Drunk Elephant may not be trending with the teens anymore, but I’ve been an OG user since 2015—my mid-20s. Now, as a 35-year-old, I swear by Bora Barrier’s thick, moisture-locking formula at night as a final step in my night routine. It’s really a triple-whammy formulation that knocks back redness and inflammation (I have slight rosacea, so I need that), plumps skin and makes it look more youthful by morning, and, over time, helps with firmness and wrinkles. I swear it’s the only nighttime moisturizer you really need, especially in the wintertime. I have combo skin that’s prone to blemishes when I’m stressed, and this has never broken me out.”—Gina Vaynshteyn, Editorial Director at StyleCaster 

Key Ingredients: 6 butterlipid complex, zinc and copper gluconates, alpha-glucan

Other Barrier Creams to Consider