13 Best Oil-Free Moisturizers of 2022 for Every Skin Type

This GH Beauty Lab test winner earned perfect scores for not being greasy or irritating. With nourishing ingredients like resveratrol, hyaluronic acid and a vegan collagen alternative, this lightweight night cream firms skin overnight and was the best at improving skin texture over four weeks in Lab tests. “I didn’t need to use a lot of this product and didn’t leave my face feeling greasy,” one tester noted. “I find that some products are too heavy for me to use in the summer months (when my skin isn’t as dry), but I feel like this is a product that I could use year-round.”

• Skin type: All
• Formula: Cream
• Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, vegan collagen alternative, squalane

This Beauty Lab-tested pick received top scores for absorbing quickly and having a non-tacky texture, earning a perfect score for the latter. With a combination of anti-aging and soothing ingredients like glycerin, this night cream is a favorite for someone seeking more firming benefits rather than moisture in their evening routine. Testers loved the texture, absorbency and scent of the night cream.

• Skin type: All
• Formula: Cream
• Key ingredients: Glycerin, antioxidants

This non-comedogenic moisturizer from Mary Kay was developed with oily and combination skin specifically in mind. Also a GH Seal Star, it contains vitamin B3 and peptides for anti-aging. Beauty Lab evaluations found that it absorbs quickly and feels non-greasy, and Lab data analysis confirmed that 85% of testers found it enhanced skin’s youthful glow after five weeks of use.

• Skin type: Oily/combination
• Formula: Cream
• Key ingredients: Resveratrol, vitamin B3, peptides

This former Beauty Award-winning formula is a customer and editor go-to for good reason: With hyaluronic acid, this unique watery gel-cream hydrator keeps skin supple and quenched all day and is formulated especially for dry skin. It can be used on both face and neck, too. Beauty Lab evaluations confirmed that this product absorbs easily and is extremely moisturizing, keeping skin hydrated for 12 hours.

• Skin type: Dry
• Formula: Gel cream
• Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid

Ceramides and hyaluronic acid help restore the skin barrier in this Beauty Lab-tested moisturizer wtih SPF. With a lightweight finish, it absorbs quickly and doesn’t leave you feeling tacky. In Beauty Lab testing, it earned perfect scores for not irritating, causing breakouts or causing redness on the skin across all skin types. “It goes on easily and absorbs quickly,” a tester shared. “It wasn’t greasy, didn’t leave a white cast, and didn’t interfere with my makeup. I tend to have sensitive skin, and didn’t notice any reactions or issues while using this product.”

• Skin type: All (however, note that Beauty Lab tests ranked this highest for dry skin testers)
• Formula: Lotion
• Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, ceramides, SPF

A previous GH Beauty Award winner, this Neutrogena moisturizer relies on a lightweight formula to both moisturize dry spots and control shine in oilier areas. GH Beauty Lab data evaluation confirmed it moisturizes for up to four hours and absorbed quickly, leaving a non-greasy finish that won’t congest pores.

• Skin type: Combination
• Formula: Lotion
• Key ingredients: Glycerin

This sunscreen gel, a Beauty Lab test winner for facial sunscreens, received perfect scores among testers for not leaving a white cast, not stinging eyes and not causing breakouts, in addition to working well on oily/combination skin types. “The texture of the product was really nice – like a gel that was instantly absorbed,” one tester explained. “It didn’t leave any residue or film and wasn’t sticky or tacky. It felt weightless.”

• Skin type: All
• Formula: Gel
• Key ingredients: Aloe leaf extract, sunflower seed oil, rosehip oil

La Prairie’s newest night balm has a rich, luxurious texture yet doesn’t feel heavy on skin. Specifically designed for customers with devitalized skin, it boosts cellular energy metabolism to help balance and replenish. Though not Lab tested, one editor uses this cream for her combination/oily, acne-prone skin, saying “it absorbs quickly and leaves skin feeling hydrated all night and into the next day without causing breakouts.”

• Skin type: All
• Formula: Balm
• Key ingredients: Glycerin, sunflower seed oil, glycoproteins, shea butter

Olay’s retinol-infused moisturizer is a GH Seal Star and Beauty Lab test winner, earning top scores for reducing the appearance of wrinkles, making skin look brighter and making skin feel more moisturized. “This cream was emollient, but very light,” one tester said. “As for the anti-aging part, it seemed to work as well as my prescription retinoid,” another noted.

• Skin type: All
• Formula: Cream
• Key ingredients: Retinol, niacinamide

The classic Kiehl’s face cream is a favorite of consumers and beauty pros everywhere, including GH’s Beauty Assistant. “It keeps my skin hydrated all day long without feeling heavy or greasy,” she says. “It doesn’t cause my acne-prone skin to break out.” While we haven’t Lab tested this pick, it claims to provide long-lasting lightweight moisture with proven hydrators glycerin and squalane.

• Skin type: All
• Formula: Cream
• Key ingredients: Squalane, glycerin, glycoproteins

Tatcha’s fan-favorite mineral sunscreen continues to sell out and even garnered a waiting list that was thousands of people long when it first launched. And for good reason: The tinted moisturizer includes niacinamide and hyaluronic acid to keep skin super hydrated while protecting from the sun. It’s even replaced primer for our GH Beauty Assistant who uses it under makeup to stay dewy and protected from the sun. “It layers amazingly under makeup or stands on its own,” she says. “It’s my go-to for pool or beach days when I don’t want to wear a full face of makeup.” This pick isn’t Lab-tested, but it’s editor-loved.

• Skin type: All
• Formula: Liquid
• Key ingredients: Niacinamide, hyaluronic acid

Reduce the appearance of pores and improve skin’s texture with this GH Seal Star serum moisturizer. It contains retinyl palmitate, a retinol derivative, to help reduce fine lines and wrinkles. Testers enjoyed the texture of this product, with 95% agreeing it wasn’t too thick or greasy and 91% agreeing that it absorbed quickly. However, some testers found the formula irritating and didn’t see much of a difference in skin texture. “Absorbed very quickly,” one tester shared. “I saw results within the first 10 days – smoother texture, wrinkles less visible.”

• Skin type: All
• Formula: Serum
• Key ingredients: Retinyl palmitate, collagen peptides, hyaluronic acid

This 2022 Beauty Award winner and GH Seal holder is a customer and Lab favorite. The multitasking anti-ager and moisturizer performed well in Lab testing. During tests, the Corneometer device, which gauges skin hydration levels, measured an 8% skin-moisture increase without feeling heavy. Two testers reported that their skin had a “healthy glow” and “the lines are gone!”

• Skin type: All
• Formula: Oil
• Key ingredients: Retinol, cocoa butter, vitamin C