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Personal care · product guide

Moisturizer: does it work?

Draws water into skin and seals it in. Useful for dry skin and eczema; cheap basic formulas work as well as luxury ones.

Moderate evidenceReviewed September 2026

What it is

Moisturizers combine three kinds of ingredients. Humectants (glycerin, urea, hyaluronic acid, lactic acid) pull water into the outer skin layer. Emollients (squalane, plant oils, fatty alcohols) smooth the rough edges between cells. Occlusives (petrolatum, dimethicone, mineral oil, shea butter) form a film that slows water loss; petrolatum is among the most effective and allergy to it is very rare. Ceramides, cholesterol and fatty acids resemble the skin's own barrier lipids.

Face creams, body lotions, ointments and foot creams differ mostly in how much oil versus water they contain: lotions are light, creams heavier, ointments the most occlusive. Foot creams usually add high-strength urea or salicylic acid to soften thick skin.

How strong is the evidence?

Moderate evidence

A Cochrane review of 77 trials found moisturizers reduce eczema severity, prevent flares and reduce steroid use, but found no reliable evidence that any one moisturizer beats another. For ordinary dry skin the evidence is mostly short, small and industry-run. A large trial found daily emollient from birth did not prevent eczema in high-risk babies. Anti-aging claims for moisturizers themselves rest on temporary plumping, not lasting change.

The claims you'll see, checked

Relieves dry skin and eczema

Holds up

Moisturizers reduce eczema severity and flares in randomized trials, and work better alongside prescribed treatment.

Expensive creams work better

False

Trials have not found one moisturizer reliably better than another; the working ingredients are inexpensive.

Reverses wrinkles

Unproven

Hydration temporarily smooths fine lines. Lasting change comes from sunscreen and retinoids, not the moisturizer base.

Daily emollient in newborns prevents eczema

False

The BEEP trial of 1,394 high-risk infants found no reduction in eczema at age 2 and a small rise in skin infections.

Urea softens rough, thick skin

Holds up

Urea creams improved dryness in trials; higher strengths (10% and up) are used for heels, elbows and rough, bumpy skin.

What to look for

  • A texture for your skin: gel or lotion for oily skin, cream for dry, ointment for very dry or cracked skin.
  • Both a humectant (glycerin, urea, hyaluronic acid) and an occlusive (petrolatum, dimethicone) for real water retention.
  • Fragrance-free if you are sensitive or have eczema; 'unscented' can still contain masking fragrance.
  • Urea (about 10% or more) or lactic acid for rough heels, elbows and bumpy upper arms.
  • Pump or tube packaging for larger family-size tubs, which keeps fingers out and lasts longer.
  • For the face in the morning, a moisturizer with broad-spectrum SPF 30 can replace a step, but only if you use a full dose.

What to skip

  • Luxury price tags and exotic extracts. Glycerin, petrolatum, dimethicone and ceramides are cheap and effective.
  • Separate day, night and 'neck' creams unless the texture difference matters to you.
  • 'Firming' and 'lifting' claims, which describe temporary tightening from film-forming ingredients.
  • Essential-oil-heavy 'natural' creams if you are prone to rashes; they are common allergens.

How to use it

  • Apply within a few minutes of bathing, while skin is still slightly damp.
  • Keep showers short and warm rather than hot.
  • Reapply to hands after washing and to lips and dry patches as often as needed.
  • For eczema, use generously and often, alongside any prescribed treatment rather than instead of it.

Who should be careful

  • Stinging on eczema or broken skin is common with urea and lactic acid; use a plain ointment on cracked areas instead.
  • Babies and people with eczema can react to fragrance, lanolin and preservatives such as methylisothiazolinone; check the list.
  • Paraffin-based emollients soak into fabric and make it flammable; keep away from open flame if you use large amounts.
  • See a clinician if dryness comes with widespread itching, thick scaly plaques, weeping or cracking that does not heal, or sudden onset without an obvious cause.

The studies

Every citation is checked against its PubMed record.

  1. Emollients and moisturisers for eczema
    van Zuuren EJ, Fedorowicz Z, Christensen R, Lavrijsen A, Arents BWM · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · 2017 · Systematic review and meta-analysis

    77 trials (6,603 people with eczema): moisturizers lowered investigator-rated severity and reduced flares (RR 0.33) versus no moisturizer or vehicle, and worked better combined with active treatment. There was no reliable evidence that one moisturizer is better than another.

  2. Daily emollient during infancy for prevention of eczema: the BEEP randomised controlled trial
    Chalmers JR, Haines RH, Bradshaw LE, Montgomery AA, Thomas KS, Brown SJ, Ridd MJ, Lawton S, Simpson EL, Cork MJ, Sach TH, Flohr C, Mitchell EJ, Swinden R, Tarr S, Davies-Jones S, Jay N, Kelleher MM, Perkin MR, Boyle RJ, Williams HC · Lancet · 2020 · RCT

    1,394 newborns at high risk of eczema were randomized to daily emollient for a year or standard care. Eczema at age 2 was 23% vs 25% (no significant difference), and skin infections were somewhat more common with emollient.