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The best summer moisturizers are essential beauty products for keeping skin hydrated without a lingering heavy or greasy feel—the most recent triple-digit weather sparked chat around Vogue HQ about how we were revamping our beauty regimens and closets to accommodate the sweltering conditions. Fellow city slickers know heat waves in New York can be punishing, and layers (both on the body and the skin) are best worn with a less-is-more approach.
Vogue’s Favorite Summer Moisturizers
- The Most Popular: La Roche Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer, $24
- The Gel Cream: Chanel N°1 De Chanel Revitalizing Cream, $120
- The K-Beauty Pick: Purito Mighty Bamboo Panthenol Cream, $25
- The Splurge: La Mer Moisturizing Fresh Cream, $100
- The Sensitive Skin-Safe: CeraVe Moisturizing Lotion, $15
- The Hydrating Milk: Solara Guardian Angel Super Peptide Sunscreen Milk,$56
From prestige beauty picks and lightweight gel creams to double-duty moisturizers with SPF and well…skipping moisturizers all together for hydrating serums—10 Vogue editors share their go-to lightweight moisturizer picks to give a dose of hydration for a healthy skin barrier, while still being undetectable enough for comfortable wear without compromising supple skin, no matter how hot it gets.
Chanel N°1 De Chanel Revitalizing Cream
- Why We Love It: One of Chanel’s bestselling moisturizers comes from the house’s prestige eco-conscious line, of botanically-derived beauty essentials—Chanel N°1. Packed with red camellia extract, camellia japonica flower water, and shea butter, this moisturizer delivers maximum hydration with minimum weight on skin.
- Editor’s Review: “Combo skin in the summer is a dilemma: You need enough moisture that makeup still sits nicely, but not so much that you turn into a shiny disco ball. I’ve found that gel-cream texture are the sweet spot of hydrating but not greasy—and Chanel’s is the most luxurious and effective of them all. I love how immediately dewy my skin looks and feels for hours.” —Margaux Anbouba, senior beauty commerce writer
- Key Ingredients: Mellia japonica flower water, glycerin, panthenol, ceramide
- Size: 1.7 oz
La Roche Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer
- Why We Love It: La Roche-Posay’s Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer is beloved by dermatologists for a good reason: It does exactly what it promises. The lightweight, oil-free cream sinks in effortlessly, instantly soothing skin with a refreshing dose of prebiotic thermal water and barrier-repairing ceramides. Niacinamide adds a layer of calm (redness, be gone), while glycerin locks in hydration for the long haul. Fragrance-free and non-comedogenic, it plays well with everything from exfoliants to actives, making it a true staple for even the most sensitive complexions.
- Editors’ Reviews: “Day or night, it’s always La Roche-Posay for me. Fragrance-free, lightweight, and quick to sink into skin, it doesn’t exactly what it needs to and nothing it doesn’t— namely, provide hydration with a barely-there feel and little concern for breakouts.” —Talia Abbas, associate shopping director
“I keep my skin-care routine simple, especially in the summer. I use the Advanced Génifique serum and La Roche-Posay moisturizer—both lightweight, hydrating, and perfect for beating the heat.” —Kasey Busiel, shopping marketing and production manager
- Key Ingredients: Ceramide-3, niacinamide, glycerin, prebiotic thermal water
- Size: 3.38 fl oz
La Mer Moisturizing Fresh Cream
- Why We Love It: Consider this La Mer Cream the more lightweight version of the OG rich cream’s texture, with this water cream. The patented fermented ingredient combine for a radiant complexion, that live up to the product’s refreshing name.
- Editor’s Review: “As Crème de la Mer is a bit too heavy for my oily skin, its Moisturizing Fresh Cream is my ideal substitute. Offering the same skin rejuvenating benefits via La Mer’s beloved Miracle Broth, this keeps my complexion plump and hydrated without the weight. Day or night, this is integral to my summertime regimen!” —Kiana Murden, senior beauty commerce writer
- Key Ingredients: Algae extract, glycerin, meadowfoam seed oil, lime peel extract, sesame seed oil, alfalfa seed powder, sunflower seedcake
- Size: 2 oz.
Solara Guardian Angel Super Peptide Sunscreen Milk
- Why We Love It: Oil-free, this SPF-packed sunscreen milk is great for oily or acne-prone skin types, or really anyone looking for something lightweight and easy to apply (or reapply). “Free of fragrance and oil, this smooth, hydrating SPF 50 sunscreen is appropriate for use by those with sensitive or oily skin. It is also made with peptides to encourage collagen production and botanicals that provide antioxidant protection,” double board certified dermatologist Dr. Brendan Camp previously told Vogue, The formula is a bit runny, so be careful when using it, but that also makes it easier to apply to other areas like the neck, hands, and feet. Made with zinc oxide, it offers broad-spectrum protection against UVA, UVB, and even pollution.
- Editor’s Review: “I like thin layers of hydration when it’s boiling-lava hot! For a moisturizer/SPF combo, Solara’s are my favorite right now—its Guardian Angel Super Peptide Sunscreen Milk is mineral and great even for sensitive skin!” —Arden Fanning Andrews, beauty editor at large
- Key Ingredients: Zinc oxide, jojoba esters
- Size: 1 Fl oz.
Purito Mighty Bamboo Panthenol Cream
- Why We Love It: For a truly non-comedogenic hydrating gel moisturizer, it’s hard to beat this underrated K-beauty pick. The powerful combination of amino acid-packed bamboo, squalane, and panthenol as a humectant offer maximum hydration. Skin feels refreshed, and never greasy, thanks to the water gel texture that absorbs near instantly. Plus, it plays well with other skin-care products in a route—when layered under makeup and SPF, there’s no pilling.
- Editor’s Review: “This is my all-time-favorite moisturizer because it’s completely non-comedogenic and so lightweight. It instantly absorbs and layers well under makeup.” —Concetta Ciarlo, beauty commerce writer
- Key Ingredients: Panthenol, squalane, bamboo extract, panthenol, hydrolyzed jojoba esters
- Size: 3.4 OZ
Vanicream Daily Moisturizer
- Why We Love It: Vanicream is another classic skin-care choice in any dermatologist’s office, thanks to its no-nonsense formulation. This fragrance-free formula is specifically for sensitive skin types. Its lightweight, non-greasy texture provides long-lasting hydration with a blend of hyaluronic acid and five essential ceramides, to restore and maintain the skin’s natural moisture barrier. “This is a great simple option. It’s free from dyes and irritants—just pure, effective moisturizing,” board certified dermatologist Dr. Noah Gratch previously told Vogue.
- Editor’s Review: “This is my go-to daily face sunscreen. It’s light, not greasy, and feels great layered on top of my morning skin-care routine. I’ve made it through a handful of empties and have never been tempted to try anything else, so you know it has to be good!” —Alexandra Ditch, associate producer
- Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, ceramides (EOP, NG, NP, AS, AP), squalane, glycerin
- Size: 3 fl oz
CeraVe Moisturizing Lotion
- Why We Love It: Those with hyper-sensitive skin can’t risk getting too fancy with their moisturizer picks—CeraVe is a tried-and-true dermatologist-tested brand, accessible at any drugstore.
- Editor’s Review: “I scream it from the rooftops all day long—but, I’m allergic to everything. And I don’t mean in a cutesy way. Fragrance, certain oils, anything with zinc, you name it, I’m sneezing over it. I keep my moisutizer as light as possible, and focus on sunscreen as a top layer.” —Cortne Bonilla, senior shopping writer
- Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, ceramides, glycerin
- Size: 12 fl oz
Korres Black Pine Daily Serum
- Why We Love It: Greek beauty brand Korres offers a hydrating daily serum that aims to add bounce back to skin. The star of the formula, black pine extract, packs a punch with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory ingredients. Plus, it includes three types of hyaluronic acid that dive deep into to the skin’s dermis to hydrate and nourish even the driest of complexions. And as a sweet bonus, there’s black tea extract to add a beautiful glow.
- Editor’s Review: “In the summer, there’s nothing I hate more than a heavy, sticky face cream—this serum from Korres is my current solution. It hydrates and brightens while still feeling super-lightweight (and while this is not a dermatological bonus, it smells incredible, too).” —Elly Leavitt, lifestyle commerce editor
- Key Ingredients: Black pine extract, hyaluronic acid, black tea extract
- Size: 1 fl oz
Pond’s Crema S Nourishing Face Moisturizer
- Why We Love It: Many beauty lovers may have first discovered Pond’s as a trusty jar tucked away in their grandma’s beauty cabinet; it was the classic cold cream for removing makeup. Pond’s Crema S is infused with hydrating ingredients such as mineral oil, glycerin, and emollients, resulting in a lightweight cream texture that glides on effortlessly. This blend of classic ingredients not only evokes nostalgia but also highlights how Pond’s continues to provide effective skin-care solutions that stand the test of time. Plus, a moisturizer priced under five dollars is pretty hard to beat.
- Editor’s Review: “Listen to your grandmas, people! Mine has always sworn by Pond’s, and she’s absolutely right. It’s simple, foolproof, and $8 for 14 ounces, so…you do the math.” —Sam Ravin, community manager
- Key Ingredients: Water, mineral oil, glycerin, apple extract, grapefruit extract, seaweed extract
- Size: 1.8 oz
