Luxurious skincare doesn’t have to come with a lux price tag — sometimes, well-known, affordable brands genuinely make great products. With over a whopping 87,000 ratings, Neutrogena’s Hydro Boost face moisturizer with hyaluronic acid is one of them. Several users say this 1.7-ounce water-based gel formula is gentle and lightweight, non-greasy and truly helps retain water in their skin. According to reviewer Jeremy Ellet, since using it himself, his “Skin is soft and smooth, like when I was 15, [my] pores look good [and my] skin looks brighter and healthier.”
If you’re interested in trying what a 90-year-old deems a “miracle in a jar,” then good news: It’s only $12.09, or 19% off its regular price. You can also grab the gel cream version of the Hydro Boost moisturizer, which has a richer, more nourishing cream-lotion texture to it, for 22% off!
The water gel moisturizer is an all-time fan favorite.
Sifting through countless pages of this hydrating formula’s 87,000 reviews, you’ll see customers waxing poetic about their favorite daily moisturizer. Several reviewers say it goes on clear, smells excellent and doesn’t clog their pores. “This is such [an] awesome moisturizer,” says Tossy. “It feels cooling and luscious going on but immediately melts in and doesn’t feel sticky or heavy. I have acne and hate it when moisturizers feel greasy. This is perfect.”
The water gel formula has a lighter texture to it, and Neutrogena says it’s best for normal to oily skin. The brand claims it offers up to 24 hours of hydration.
The gel cream is a slightly stronger formula.
Meanwhile, you can find just as much fanfare surrounding Neutrogena’s water cream Hydro Boost. “I absolutely love the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hyaluronic Acid Gel Cream!” says one reviewer. “It has a super light, gel-like texture that absorbs quickly without leaving any greasy residue. My skin feels instantly refreshed and stays hydrated all day long. I have combination skin, and this moisturizer works perfectly as a base under makeup or on its own.”
The gel cream is much closer to a lotion, applies slightly thicker and offers up to a claimed 48 hours of hydration.
For a daily application that’ll leave your skin feeling hydrated and smooth, consider grabbing one of these jars before it shoots back up in price, and read on for more promising reviews for that extra encouragement.
“Never have been a big fan of any large corporate facial products. As I’ve aged, my skin has changed and I’ve tried a TON of products in it. This moisturizer soaks in. My makeup doesn’t feel like it is sitting on top of cream getting ready to flake off. So far it’s the best I’ve found!” — Lisa price
“This keeps my face & neck moisturized and feeling comfortably fresh. It goes on smoothly like a gel, and it dries quick. I use a vitamin C + caffeine serum as a second step for added skin nourishment. Then I add a SPF 30 sunscreen. The 2nd step is by choice. I have worn it alone with SPF 30 Sunscreen. SPF 30 sunscreen is important to keep your skin young looking; also to protect against sunspots and wrinkles. I recommend this product. I also recommend reading a bit about dimethicone, which is an ingredient in this product.” — K.Williams72
“Ok so as a regular user of HIGH END products I was originally skeptical of this Hydro boost moisturizer from neutrogena. I recently had my makeup professionally done for a wedding and voiced my concern of dry skin to my makeup artist. She used a beauty blender to apply this hydro boost mixed with a small amount of L’Oréal glowtion- I was WOWED!! (And purchased both) this stuff is remarkable!! I am VERY prone to breakouts and extremely sensitive to fake chemicals smells and fragrances. This moisturizer is absolutely heaven sent! A little goes a long way and it gives me a young youthful glow! I am sooo happy I found out about it and I must say it’s wonderful on its own AND under makeup!!! It is a wonderful product and at a great price point!!” — AZBunny
Wanna peek around for more on your moisturizer hunt? Here are more ultra-hydrating skin care recs from HuffPost Shopping writer Lourdes Avila Uribe.
A cream to address dryness AND texture concerns
If you're combatting dryness but also want to focus on smoothing and plumping, then this top-selling moisture cream is a perfect formula. It's packed with hyaluronic acid for top-tier moisture that'll help you beat this dry season but it's also got collagen and retinol which are great ingredients for improving smoothness and texture while restoring bounce. It's meant for use on the face, neck and décolletté.
Promising review: "This is my second time buying this product and I love it. Is reducing my wrinkles on my forehead. I also like that is not greasy." — Margie M
Aveeno Skin Relief intense moisture repair body cream
Non-greasy and fragrance-free, this Aveeno body cream is formulated with shea butter and triple oat (oat flour, oat extract and oat oil) for a long-lasting moisture that's noncomedogenic and soothing on the skin. It's meant to help heal skin that's so dry, it's itchy, and reviewers say it really works and delivers on its promises.
E.l.f. Holy Hydration! Face Cream SPF 30
Just because it's dreary and gray out, doesn't mean you can skimp on sunscreen. This beauty is perfect for anyone who doesn't want to sacrifice hydration and healing ingredients for sun protection. It's made with hyaluronic acid and peptides and provides SPF 30 protection, which is perfect for the winter season.
Revision Skincare YouthFull Lip Replenisher
My former colleague Janie Campbell swears by this Revision Skincare lip treatment. She was intrigued by the fact that it’s rich in peptides, including palmitoyl tripeptide-1 and palmitoyl tripeptide-38, along with other well-researched ingredients like vitamins E and C and green tea and hydrating ingredients like shea butter. After one overnight application, she could see the difference the next morning. It’s a game-changer for anyone who wants to improve the appearance of their lips without going under the needle, and is a nice juicy option for the dry fall and winter months.
Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré moisturizer
This multi-purpose French pharmacy staple is beloved here at HuffPost. This emollient moisturizer is famous for not just hydrating the skin, but for offering the perfect base for foundation and makeup. The iconic formula, which includes calming aloe vera, protective beeswax, nourishing soy proteins and skin-softening shea butter, has been a longtime secret weapon among makeup artists and skin care enthusiasts.
Weleda Skin Food
There's nothing like Skin Food for parched flesh. The original ultra-rich formula is perfect for cracked, flaky skin. It's ideal for itchy, dry areas like elbows, toes and feet, but I've definitely slathered it on my face during times of need. Everyone should have a tube of this in their home as soon as the temperatures drop.
Laneige lip sleeping mask
This popular lip mask sells like wild, and with good reason. It creates a seal on your lips while you sleep, letting all those good, hydrating ingredients nourish your lips. If you get craggy winter lips, you definitely want this on your bedside table.
CeraVe moisturizing cream
You can't go wrong with this affordable option from the always-dependable CeraVe. It's super hydrating and is formulated with ceramides, one of my favorite ingredients for helping to restore the moisture barrier and keeping skin soft and smooth.
Elemis Pro-Collagen cleansing balm
I consider this my personal skin care savior and in regards to the price point, I regret to inform you that it's worth every penny. This deliciously luxe cleansing balm melts away makeup, dirt, grime and other daily impurities, leaving skin more soft, smooth and plump. It's a multitasking cleansing treatment that is as nourishing as it is effective at removing makeup. I'm currently obsessed with the Green Fig version. You get all the juicy benefits of Elemis' cult-fave formula with the added bonus of a gorgeous scent. It's incredibly gentle and mild, is wildly effective and doesn't clog my sensitive pores. It's an investment, but worth it if you want to splurge on yourself.
The Real Deal: We use deal trackers and commerce experience to sift through “fake” hike-and-drop deals and other deceptive sales tactics. Products will usually be rated at least 4 stars with a minimum 15% discount. (And when there’s an exception, we’ll tell you why.)