\n
Frequently Asked Questions<\/strong><\/p>\nAccordionItemContainerButton<\/span><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nBest Overall:<\/strong> SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2<\/h2>\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
SkinCeuticals<\/p>\n
Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n<\/p>\nAllure<\/em> senior beauty editor Jesa Marie Calaor applying the SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2<\/p>\n<\/span>Jesa Marie Calaor<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nWhy we love it:<\/strong> SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2 isn\u2019t your average moisturizer\u2014it was one of the first formulas to mimic your skin\u2019s natural lipid barrier using a precise ratio of 2% ceramides, 4% cholesterol, and 2% fatty acids. While most creams simply hydrate, this one goes above and beyond, helping rebuild what your skin loses over time, improving texture, boosting tolerance to actives like tretinoin, and visibly reducing signs of aging. \u201cIf tretinoin has you feeling tight, rough, or \u2018paper-dry,\u2019 this is one of the best creams because the formula is literally designed around replacing key lipids that retinoids can deplete,\u201d says Dr. Karcher.<\/p>\n\n
\n<\/p>\nCalaor before applying the SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2<\/p>\n
<\/span>Jesa Marie Calaor<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n\n<\/p>\nCalaor after applying the SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2<\/p>\n
<\/span>Jesa Marie Calaor<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\n
AccordionItemContainerButton<\/span><\/button><\/div>\n\n
\n
\u201cFinding a moisturizer to use with my tretinoin was challenging. I test hundreds each year, yet I still had trouble finding a formula that didn\u2019t sting upon application and kept my skin moisturized for more than a few hours. That is, until I returned to this one. It\u2019s an oldie but a goodie, feeling rich but not heavy. It isn’t oily or sticky, so I\u2019m not leaving marks on my pillows when I sleep. It feels like a comforting blanket, which I especially appreciated when I first started my tretinoin journey and my cheeks felt extra-spicy.\u201d \u2014Jesa Marie Calaor, Allure<\/em> senior beauty editor<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
AccordionItemContainerButton<\/span><\/button><\/div>\n\n
\n
\nKey ingredients:<\/strong> ceramides, fatty acids, cholesterol<\/li>\nFragrance-free:<\/strong> yes<\/li>\nWho it\u2019s for:<\/strong> people with age-related dryness or dehydration<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nBest for Redness:<\/strong> Dieux Skin Mercy Intense Recovery Cream<\/h2>\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Dieux<\/p>\n
Mercy Intense Recovery Cream<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n<\/p>\nAllure<\/em> associate beauty director Sarah Kinonen applying the Dieux Skin Mercy Intense Recovery Cream<\/p>\n<\/span>Sarah Kinonen<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nWhy we love it:<\/strong> Whether you\u2019re new to tretinoin or your skin is generally sensitive, redness tends to show up when actives enter the chat. In that phase, Dieux Skin Mercy Intense Recovery Cream works nicely as a buffer or recovery cream to help settle things down and bring your barrier back to a more comfortable place. The hero ingredient here is 1% colloidal oatmeal, an FDA-recognized skin protectant you\u2019d typically see in over-the-counter eczema creams (which makes sense, because when skin is itchy or irritated, it usually shows up as redness too). The lightweight formula forms a comforting film over the skin while dialing down that hot, flushed feeling that can follow retinoids and acids. The brand\u2019s proprietary complex (tasman fruit, bisabolol, allantoin, panthenol) steps in to further calm cranky skin, while 10% glycerin draws in moisture, so everything looks plump and bouncy.<\/p>\n\n
\n<\/p>\nKinonen before applying the Dieux Skin Mercy Intense Recovery Cream<\/p>\n
<\/span>Sarah Kinonen<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n\n<\/p>\nKinonen after applying the Dieux Skin Mercy Intense Recovery Cream<\/p>\n
<\/span>Sarah Kinonen<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Tester feedback from Allure<\/em> associate beauty director Sarah Kinonen<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\nAccordionItemContainerButton<\/span><\/button><\/div>\n\n
\n
\u201cFor the four nights a week I use my prescription tretinoin, Altreno, a rich, soothing moisturizer is a must. I\u2019ve been loving the new Dieux Skin Mercy Intense Recovery Cream, which is chock-full of barrier-strengthening ceramides, calming colloidal oatmeal, and moisture-locking glycerin. A generous slathering locks in the Tret and ensures I won\u2019t wake up with flakes or irritation.\u201d \u2014Sarah Kinonen, Allure<\/em> associate beauty director<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
AccordionItemContainerButton<\/span><\/button><\/div>\n\n
\n
\nKey ingredients:<\/strong> 1% colloidal oatmeal, tasman fruit, bisabolol, allantoin, panthenol, glycerin<\/li>\nFragrance-free:<\/strong> yes<\/li>\nWho it\u2019s for:<\/strong> people with red or irritated skin<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nBest for Sensitive Skin:<\/strong> Kiehl\u2019s Ultra Facial Cream<\/h2>\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Kiehl’s<\/p>\n
Ultra Facial Cream<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n<\/p>\nAllure<\/em> contributing commerce writer Christa Joanna Lee applying the Kiehl\u2019s Ultra Facial Cream<\/p>\n<\/span>Christa Joanna Lee<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nWhy we love it:<\/strong> Who knew we even had 15 layers of skin? Apparently, Kiehl\u2019s Ultra Facial Cream is determined to hydrate all of them. \u201cIt\u2019s lightweight, absorbs quickly, and the fragrance-free formula with squalane and pro ceramides replaces water loss, and helps repair the skin barrier,\u201d says Corey L. Hartman, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Birmingham, Alabama. Another key ingredient is glacial glycoprotein, originally derived from Antarctic glaciers, which helps skin retain moisture and stay comfortable, which comes in handy when tretinoin\u2019s drying side effects come into play. It\u2019s also accepted by the National Eczema Association and tested in \u201cextreme\u201d conditions (likely very cold or dry climates), which is the brand\u2019s way of proving that it protects sensitive, easily stressed skin.<\/p>\n\n
\n<\/p>\nLee before applying the Kiehl\u2019s Ultra Facial Cream<\/p>\n
<\/span>Christa Joanna Lee<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n\n<\/p>\nLee after applying the Kiehl\u2019s Ultra Facial Cream<\/p>\n
<\/span>Christa Joanna Lee<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\n
AccordionItemContainerButton<\/span><\/button><\/div>\n\n
\n
\u201cI love lurking in the comments section of my local moms\u2019 Facebook group anytime someone asks for favorite beauty products. Kiehl\u2019s Ultra Facial Cream pops up over and over when it comes to the best face creams. The texture is perfect right out of the jar\u2014not gloopy, not waxy, just smooth and buttery (minus the actual grease)\u2014and it melts in seamlessly. I only use tret in the winter per my derm, but this cream is my year-round buffer for dryness and irritation.\u201d \u2014Christa Joanna Lee, Allure<\/em> contributing commerce writer<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
AccordionItemContainerButton<\/span><\/button><\/div>\n\n
\n
\nKey ingredients:<\/strong> squalane, glacial glycoprotein, ceramides<\/li>\nFragrance-free:<\/strong> yes<\/li>\nWho it\u2019s for:<\/strong> everyone, especially for extremely dry or sensitive skin<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nBest Drugstore:<\/strong> La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Balm B5+<\/h2>\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
La Roche-Posay<\/p>\n
Cicaplast Balm B5<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Why we love it:<\/strong> Sensitive, dry skin types, rejoice: Even babies as young as one week old can use La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Balm B5+ to soothe irritated, chafed skin, which tells you everything about how gentle (and reliable) it is. The formula pairs 5% panthenol (vitamin B5) to moisturize and comfort with dimethicone to protect against water loss, plus madecassoside to nourish, and the brand\u2019s thermal spring water for instant soothing. The formula also features a prebiotic complex that helps rebalance the microbiome. Dr. Sung calls it a \u201cdo-it-all night cream for tretinoin users,\u201d while Dr. Karcher likes the thick texture for \u201clayering on nights your dry skin stings or flakes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n
\n
\n
AccordionItemContainerButton<\/span><\/button><\/div>\n\n
\n
\nKey ingredients:<\/strong> prebiotic complex, thermal spring water, madecassoside, dimethicone, panthenol<\/li>\nFragrance-free:<\/strong> yes<\/li>\nWho it\u2019s for:<\/strong> people with extremely dry, irritated skin<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nBest for Acne-Prone Skin:<\/strong> M-61 BioBarrier Recovery Moisturizer<\/h2>\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
M-61<\/p>\n
BioBarrier Recovery Moisturizer<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Why we love it:<\/strong> For oily or acne-prone tretinoin users who need support and hydration but can\u2019t deal with thick, occlusive creams, M-61 BioBarrier Recovery Moisturizer hits a sweet spot. The cream-gel texture is lightweight but still restorative, making it \u201ca great pick when you want barrier repair without heaviness,\u201d says Dr. Karcher. Its mix of skin-identical lipids (a triple ceramide complex and cholesterol), plus \u201csoothing helpers like allantoin and multiple forms of hyaluronic acid, make irritation calmer and flaking less obvious,\u201d she says. The formula rounds things out with kokum butter, jojoba, and shea oils to replenish the skin\u2019s protective layer without clogging pores or leaving a residue.<\/p>\n\n
\n
\n
AccordionItemContainerButton<\/span><\/button><\/div>\n\n
\n
\nKey ingredients:<\/strong> ceramides, cholesterol, hyaluronic acid, allantoin, kokum butter, jojoba oil, shea butter<\/li>\n