I’ve Tested Skincare for 8+ Years, and I Use These Under-$40 Amazon Picks Every Winter

I’m no stranger to dry, flaky skin, particularly in the winter months. In my over eight years writing about beauty, I’ve slathered as many soothing, softening products as I can get my chapped hands on, from luxury lotions in gilded bottles to drugstore creams in pared-down plastic jars. Many of the most effective winter skincare products — the ones I’ve kept in rotation for years — are, frankly, the least sexy from a packaging standpoint, and wonderfully affordable. Conveniently, nine of my all-time favorites are available at Amazon — at $40 or less.  

Editor-Approved Amazon Skincare

• Laneige Water Bank Blue Hyaluronic Cream Moisturizer, $40
• La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer, $23
• Honest Beauty Hydrogel Cream, $22
• Cetaphil Face Wash, Hydrating Gentle Skin Cleanser, $14
• Curél Japan Skin Care Hydrating Water Essence Toner, $23
• Vaseline Intensive Care Aloe Soothe Spray, $7
• First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream for Face and Body, $16
• Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré Multi-Function Cream, $17
• Moroccanoil Hand Wash Fragrance Originale, $20 

Laneige Water Bank Blue Hyaluronic Cream Moisturizer

Hailing from a brand beloved by celebrities who use its lip mask, including brand ambassador Sydney Sweeney, this dense cream is both incredibly rich and non-greasy thanks to its fast absorbing formula. I was shocked when I applied foundation directly over it seconds later with no pilling. Two forms of soothing cica (Centella Asiatica) make it excellent for calming redness and inflammation.

La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer

This French pharmacy staple is a favorite among countless dermatologists I’ve interviewed, plus my beauty-loving friends with particularly sensitive skin. Niacinamide, glycerin, and ceramides refine uneven tone, lock in moisture, and strengthen the skin barrier, respectively. 

Honest Beauty Hydrogel Cream

Jessica Alba introduced me to this quenching cream, which is one of the actor’s personal favorites from her skincare brand (it’s also Lupita Nyong’o’s go-to). The “game changing” formula, as Alba dubbed it in our InStyle interview, delivers “radiant, hydrated, plump” skin “instantly.” I can confirm this almost-magical effect, which is attributable to sodium hyaluronate, squalane, and jojoba.

Cetaphil Face Wash, Hydrating Gentle Skin Cleanser

My boyfriend’s adoration of this astonishingly gentle cleanser has made it a permanent fixture in our shower. While I’ve found the lightweight cream too thin to fully cut through a full face of makeup, it’s a superb skin-softening tail end to a double cleanse. InStyle testers crowned it the best drugstore face wash out of almost 40 top-selling formulas they tried. 

Curél Japan Skin Care Hydrating Water Essence Toner

Toners get a bad rap for their ostensibly drying nature — when, in reality, they can neutralize the skin’s pH, in turn improving skin barrier health. This water-light, alcohol- and fragrance-free formula from Japan’s top-selling skincare brand is designed specifically for dry skin. Applied prior to moisturizer, it doubles down on hydration. Ceramides target compromised complexions, soothing irritation and smoothing flakiness, while glycerin attracts moisture. Allantoin, among the most soothing skincare ingredients, calms irritation and quells redness. 

Vaseline Intensive Care Aloe Soothe Spray 

Prior to discovering spray-on body moisturizer, slippery, lotion-laden hands after dipping into body cream had deterred me from moisturizing at all. Vaseline’s was the first of the few mistable, hands-free formulas I’ve tried, and has single-handedly inspired me to take better care of my body skin. The lightweight formula soothes itchiness and immediately delivers a non-greasy glow. Fast absorbing and refreshingly cool, the aloe-infused formula is equally ideal for sweaty summer months. The continuous mist makes it the fastest, most convenient, and fun method of moisturizing.

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream for Face and Body

Perhaps one of the most compelling aspects of this rich, fragrance-free cream is its dual-purposeness. Slather on body, face, and hands for instant relief and less flakiness over time. Colloidal oatmeal calms even the most sensitive skin, including skin prone to eczema flareups.

Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré Multi-Function Cream

Created over 70 years ago in France, Embyolisse’s Lait-Crème Concentré is a classic in the truest sense — and understandably so. The aloe and shea butter in the formula create a healthy glow and a petal-soft feel that plays perfectly beneath foundation. Because of this, it’s become a staple for makeup artists and supermodels like Karlie Kloss.

Moroccanoil Hand Wash Fragrance Originale

Whereas most highly fragranced hand soaps can exacerbate dryness, this divinely scented formula is, in fact, softening. Key ingredients include sodium hyaluronate, a close cousin of hyaluronic acid, and glycerin, a humectant that holds moisture and improves skin’s hydration levels. The best part, still, is the scent, which wafts warm, elevated amber notes and makes handwashing a true indulgence.