2024's "5 Best" Moisturizers For Combination Skin On The Market
How To Pick A Moisturizer That Works And Get It At A Great Price
We sorted through hundreds of moisturizers to narrow down the top ones to test. These are the best moisturizers for combination skin to try now.
After over 16 years of extensive research in beauty and dermatology, my biggest passion is finding the most effective products that can make a positive difference in people’s lives. I’ve incorporated all my knowledge and expertise in our Top 5 Review Series, where we investigate the leading skincare and beauty brands.
While there are several skin types like dry, oily and even sensitive skin that have plenty of products catering to the special needs of their skin, one of the most confusing skin types is combination skin.
Combination skin is literally what the name says, a combination of two skin types -dry and oily. Understanding the needs of this skin type is almost as confusing as picking the right skincare products for it. While you try to pick products for the excessive oily parts of your skin, you could be drying out the dry areas further. Skincare products for combination skin types ensure a balance in your skin and treat the oiliness as well as the dryness effectively.
We found that many moisturizers in the industry, regardless of how big the brand is, had questionable ingredients along with other red flags that could be making your skin worse than it was before.
A good number of products, even from well-known brands, do not show any drastic results for their premium price points. Even with patented formulations, they fail to deliver results.
Some moisturizers can easily feel too heavy and even leave the skin looking greasy, with the chances of clogging your pores.
Our team of researchers and testers researched and tried hundreds of moisturizers on the market to find the best of the best. Testers looked at various factors, including company ethics, quality, efficacy, results, and value. They also looked for the most effective moisturizers and other anti-aging ingredients. These “Top 5” best moisturizers stood out.
What Is Combination Skin?
If you have ever noticed your skin to be dry in certain patches and excessively oily in other areas like the T-zone and the chin, you most definitely have combination skin. Its astounding how the same facial skin can have varying skin types with completely different needs and picking the right products is surely no piece of cake.
Combination skin could be the result of overactive oil glands at the T-zone caused by hormones, stress, climate and even the excessive dryness of your skin which has led to the glands trying to overcompensate the hydration.
Oily T-zones mean enlarged pores, blackheads and acne in that region while the dry areas of your face could feel tight, flaky and dull. The only way to work with combination skin is by creating a balance in your skincare routine to target all of your skincare concerns.
Will A Moisturizer Help Your Skin?
One of the best products you can include in your daily routine is a hydrating moisturizer for combination skin. Yes, it might sound scary, especially for the oily regions of your face, but the one thing in common that can solve these skin concerns is hydration. You need to adequately hydrate your skin and keep it balanced to nourish the dry areas and controlling the excess oil production, without clogging the pores.
Skipping a moisturizer in your daily routine can do more harm than good. So, add a suitable one for both your AM and PM routines.
What Kind Of Moisturizer To Pick?
There are various kinds of moisturizers that work for different purposes, and it does make a difference to your skin. Moisturizers come in the form of lotions, creams, and ointments. If you have combination skin, a hydrating and non-comedogenic cream will do the trick.
For the day, go for a cream that hydrates and protects your skin from harmful UV rays, enhanced with natural ingredients like rosemary leaf extracts and avocado oil. Opt for a creamy and luxurious yet non-comedogenic night cream that will replenish your skin overnight with its healing green tea and hydrating coconut content.
Ingredients like avocado oil, aloe vera, jojoba oil, rosehip seed oil, and hyaluronic acids help rehydrate dry regions and ensure the skin's moisture is balanced. Glycerin, propylene glycol, and proteins also help attract water to your skin. It is better to avoid moisturizers with synthetic ingredients and fragrances to help your skin retain its natural oils.
How To Find The Best Moisturizers For Your Skin?
Searching for the best moisturizers for your skin among thousands of moisturizers can be a mammoth task if you do not know what, where, and how to look. So, we are going to tell you exactly how you can discover these skin-balancing gems.
- Review other reviews. Customer reviews on the brand’s website or even other major retailers like Amazon can give a lot of insight into the product and its efficiency. Although some reviews could be solely for advertisement purposes, a product with several reviews is highly likely to be accurate and honest.
- Money-back guarantees by the company ensure security and increase the trust consumers are willing to put in the product.
- Third-party testing by the company can be expensive for them, but it ensures quality control and supports the promises of the results the moisturizers claim to deliver.
Choosing the right moisturizer seems like a taxing task, especially with thousands of ineffective products in the market. While there could be false advertising, customer reviews never lie. So, we have tested these products and sorted through multiple trustworthy reviews to give you our top picks along with their pros and cons.

Model Off Duty Beauty
Dream Glow Moisture Cream
- High-Quality Ingredients
- The Right Proportions
- Risk-Free Trial
- Affordable Price
- Powerful Testimonials
- Reputable History
The Dream Glow Moisture Cream by Model Off Duty Beauty is a luxurious moisture cream that gives you intensely hydrated and balanced skin. The nourishing and naturally sourced ingredients rejuvenate and replenish even the driest skin types.
Model Off Duty Beauty, a well-known brand with its best moisturizer with over 1.2K+ reviews, could be one of the if not the only best moisturizer with the highest consumer 5 star feedback rate. Out of all the products researched and tested, Model Off Duty Beauty Dream Glow Moisture Cream impressed our experts with their innovative and high-quality formula.
All-natural ingredients like antioxidant-rich avocado oil keep your skin firm, elastic, and calm. Nourishing jojoba oil soothes the skin from within. Rosemary extracts protect your skin from sun damage, rosehip seed oil minimize dark spots and signs of aging along with multivitamins that cater to several skin concerns and give you the skin of your dreams!
Model Off Duty beauty wears its status as a clean, cruelty-free, vegan, and all-natural brand with pride, along with its recyclable packing. The moisture cream is lightweight, natural, and non-comedogenic, making it suitable for all ages and skin types. They have been positively reviewed by several big influencers and third-party platforms.
The product has multiple positive reviews on both platforms, easily making it a consumer-favorite vegan cream!
They offer a 30-day Risk-Free 100% Money Back Guarantee which is great to try out their product.
Get 20% off by using code: DGCMODB20
Pros
- Its non-comedogenic property makes it ideal for those with oily or combination skin.
- Helps with dry skin and reduces the signs of aging.
- Clinically tested and developed by skincare experts for the highest quality
- The ingredients used are natural and synthetic-free
- The moisture cream is Non-GMO, Paraben Free, Phthalate Free, and Non-Toxic.
- The product is vegan, cruelty-free and Made in USA.
- The brand uses recyclable packing and is 100% sustainable.
- Several positive reviews make it evident that the cream is a cult favorite.
- The clean formulation is suitable for any age or skin type.
- Soothes the skin with its avocado extracts and keeps it moisturized.
- The emollient cream is still lightweight enough for daily use.
- The company offers free shipping and a 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- High product demand may create out of stock issues

Tatcha
The Water Cream Oil-Free Pore Minimizing Moisturizer
The Water Cream is a lightweight gel that absorbs quickly into the skin. It is specifically formulated to be oil-free, making it suitable for those with oily or combination skin types. It can provide hydration without leaving a heavy or greasy residue.
Japanese wild rose extract helps to minimize the appearance of pores and refine skin texture, delivering a smoother, more even-looking complexion.
Its botanical blend includes green tea, rice, and algae, which can help protect the skin against environmental stressors and promote a healthier-looking youthful complexion.
The product has a mattifying effect on the skin, which controls excess oil production throughout the day, leaving the skin with a more balanced and shine-free appearance.
The brand's products are generally heavily priced and this moisturizer is no exception, costing $70 for less than 2 ounces of the product.
The anti-aging water cream has a scent that could be overwhelming for some. The oil-free formula is great for oily and combination skin but does not provide sufficient hydration for dry skin. The moisturizer is not as effective on all skin types.
Get 15% off on all Tatcha products with the code: ALLTATCHA
Pros
- The Water Cream is a lightweight, fast-absorbing gel.
- It is non-comedogenic
- The product is clean, cruelty-free and natural.
- It is also free from parabens, sulfates and phthalates.
- It is specifically formulated to be oil-free, making it suitable for those with oily or combination skin types.
- It can provide hydration without leaving a heavy or greasy residue.
- Japanese wild rose extract helps to minimize the appearance of pores and refine skin texture.
- Green tea, rice, and algae helps protect the skin against environmental stressors.
- These ingredients also minimize the visible signs of aging.
- The product has a mattifying effect on the skin, which controls excess oil production throughout the day.
Cons
- The product costs $70 for less than 2 ounces of the product.
- The anti-aging water cream has a scent that could be overwhelming for some.
- The oil-free formula is great for oily and combination skin but does not provide sufficient hydration for dry skin.
- The moisturizer is not as effective on all skin types.

Skinfix
Barrier+ Triple Lipid-Peptide Refillable Face Cream
The Barrier+ Face Cream is formulated with a combination of lipids and peptides that help to nourish and support the skin's natural barrier function to improve the overall health and resilience of the skin.
This face cream is formulated to provide deep hydration to the dry areas and balances the oil in the oily regions of combination skin.
It contains ingredients like shea butter, ceramides, and natural oils that help to replenish moisture and lock it in, resulting in a smoother and more supple complexion.
The product comes in an eco-friendly refillable jar, which can be cost-effective and reduce waste over time. It is dermatologist tested, fragrance-free, and free from parabens, sulfates, and synthetic fragrances, making it a good option for those with sensitive skin.
The versatile cream can be used both in the morning and night skincare routine. However, the moisturizer is a little pricey. Its thick formulation is hydrating but not as fast-absorbing. The product is not easily accessible.
Get 25% discount on this product with the code: SKINFIX25
Pros
- Lipids and peptides help nourish and support the skin's natural barrier function to improve the overall health and resilience of the skin.
- Formulated to provide deep hydration to the dry areas and balances the oil in the oily regions of combination skin.
- Shea butter, ceramides, and natural oils that help to replenish moisture and lock it in, resulting in a smoother and more supple complexion.
- The product comes in an eco-friendly refillable jar.
- It is dermatologist tested
- The product is fragrance-free
- It is free of parabens, sulfates, and synthetic fragrances, making it a good option for those with sensitive skin.
- The versatile cream can be used both in the morning and night skincare routine.
Cons
- The moisturizer is a little pricey. It costs $54 for less than 2 ounces.
- Its thick formulation is hydrating but not as fast-absorbing.
- The product is not easily accessible.

SkinMedica
AHA/BHA Cream
The hydration-packed moisturizer contains Pro-vitamin B5, which ensures the skin is adequately hydrated and less irritated, red or flaky, unlike several other exfoliating products.
SkinMedica AHA BHA Cream is an exfoliating moisturizer that contains alpha and beta hydroxy acids to renew the complexion while promoting softer, smoother and even-toned skin. It effectively targets multiple signs of aging.
Naturally sourced ingredients like bilberry-derived AHA ingredients, sugar cane extract, sugar maple extract, and citrus extracts are used.
The product is gentle enough for a daily skin renewal treatment.
However, the cream takes a while to deliver the promised results. The use of alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) may increase the skin's sensitivity to sunburn.
Get 15% off on purchases over $60 with the code: OVER60
Pros
- AHA and BHA promote softer, and smoother skin.
- Hydrating and soothing Pro-vitamin B5 formulation.
- The product is gentle enough for daily use.
- Naturally, derived ingredients are used.
- The nourishing moisturizer ensures the skin is balanced.
Cons
- The product can increase the risk of sunburns.
- The product does not do much for severe cases of pigmentation, dark spots or acne.
- The rich cream does not sit well with certain sunscreens or foundations.
- Not as effective as other products in the market or this list for the same price.

Obagi
Obagi Hydrate Luxe
This non-comedogenic moisturizer is a luxuriously rich cream with a balm-like texture to hydrate your skin, without clogging the pores of your combination skin.
The brand states the product is suitable and designed keeping various skin types in mind to promote its smoothness.
Its unique and innovative Hydromanil technology provides long-lasting hydration, enhanced with other moisture-locking ingredients like shea butter, avocado, mango butter and glycerin.
The product is a medical-grade cream that is gluten-free and paraben-free but the brand itself is not cruelty-free, although they claim not to have tested their products on animals.
Get 20% OFF on this product with the code: HYDRALUXE20
Pros
- Provides long-lasting hydration.
- The product is non-comedogenic, making it ideal for oily and combination skin.
- It is a medical-grade moisturizer.
- The formula is thick but not too heavy.
- Free from gluten and paraben.
Cons
- The website lacks visuals and data backing the results promised.
- The product is pricey. It is $74 for 1.7 ounces.
- Obagi is not cruelty-free.
- Contains fragrance.