Key moisturizing ingredients: humectants, emollients, occlusives

Winter is brutal on skin and most moisturizer advice online is either oversimplified, wildly inconsistent, or driven by marketing.

So we brought in Jenn Sullivan, senior editor of Wirecutter’s beauty team, to explain what moisturizers actually do, and how to use them in a way that makes a real difference. Jenn breaks down the ingredients that matter, the mistakes that leave skin feeling drier, and why timing and consistency matter more than price tags or hype. 

By the end of this episode, you’ll have a clearer sense of how to choose a moisturizer—and how to make the one you already own work better for you.

This episode covers: 

• What moisturizer actually does. Jenn explains that moisturizers aren’t adding water into your skin so much as helping your skin hold onto the water it already has. Their main job is to support and protect the skin barrier, which naturally loses moisture throughout the day—especially in cold, dry weather or after washing.
• Why timing matters more than quantity when you apply moisturizer. Moisturizer works best when skin still has some water on it. Jenn explains why applying it shortly after washing—when skin is slightly damp, not dripping—helps lock in hydration more effectively.
• The real difference between face moisturizer and body lotion. Jenn breaks down how much of the distinction comes down to texture, sensitivity, and marketing. In many cases, a well-formulated body moisturizer can work just fine on the face. But it depends on your skin.
• Why oils and petroleum jelly don’t hydrate on their own. Jenn explains that oils and petrolatum don’t add moisture—they prevent water loss. Used correctly, they can be helpful; but used alone on dry skin won’t fix the problem.
• When an expensive moisturizer might make sense—and when it won’t. Higher price tags can reflect formulation, texture, or packaging, but Jenn explains why cost alone doesn’t determine effectiveness—and why many affordable options work just as well.

Products we recommend:

• Our favorite luxe moisturizer: Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream
• Our favorite reliable moisturizer: The Outset Nourishing Squalane Daily Moisturizer
• Our favorite simple drugstore moisturizer: Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer
• Our favorite body moisturizer for all around hydration: CeraVe Moisturizing Cream
• Jenn Loves: FitFlops F-MODE Leather Flatform Chelsea Boots

Additional reading:

• The 7 Best Moisturizers of 2026
• The 8 Best Body Lotions of 2026
• CeraVe’s Moisturizer Is Under $20. Augustinus Bader’s Costs 10 Times as Much. We Love Both.
• Repeat After Me: Aquaphor Is Not a Moisturizer. 
• The 6 Best Humidifiers of 2026

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The Wirecutter Show is executive produced by Rosie Guerin and produced by Abigail Keel.Engineering support from Maddy Masiello and Nick Pitman. Episodes are mixed by Catherine Anderson, Efim Shapiro, Rowan Niemisto, Sophia Lanman, and Sonia Herrero. Original music by Dan Powell, Marion Lozano, Elisheba Ittoop, and Diane Wong. Wirecutter’s deputy publisher and general manager is Cliff Levy. Ben Frumin is Wirecutter’s editor-in-chief. Hosted by Rosie Guerin, Caira Blackwell and Christine Cyr Clisset.

Find edited transcripts for each episode here: The Wirecutter Show Podcast