I've Tried Expensive Moisturizers. I Prefer This Juicy Drugstore Favorite.

New York Times

25-03-2025

I have spent a pretty penny on several mainstays of my makeup vanity, like a bottle of perfume, or tube of lipstick that I can savor before it's gone.
A moisturizer, however, is something I dutifully slather on every morning and night. Even though I've treated myself to occasional splurges from trendy brands like Ole Henriksen and Drunk Elephant, the cost-per-use was hard to swallow. So, I have ultimately opted for the cheapest good one I can find—because a moisturizer is only beneficial if you're actually inspired to use it.
I've tried other budget-friendly offerings from brands like Cetaphil and Byoma, but there's really only one moisturizer that's hit the sweet spot for me between price and satisfaction: Neutrogena's Hydro Boost Hyaluronic Acid Gel Cream.
I was first introduced to Neutrogena's Hydro Boost line six years ago. I let an aspiring makeup-artist friend practice on me for her portfolio, and she noted that my dry skin was thirstier than my underwatered houseplants and soaking up the foundation like a sponge. That meant my makeup was looking cakey, not smooth. Back then, moisturizing my face was not part of my daily routine. It was something I did inconsistently, whenever I remembered. (This is a sign that the CeraVe I had in my bathroom at the time was not the right choice for me, personally.)
She recommended I try out Neutrogena's Water Gel, and I was embarrassed enough about the state of my skin to do whatever she said. The silky gel-like texture was perfect for me, and so I used it diligently. The original Water Gel's added fragrance didn't irritate my skin, but once a fragrance-and dye-free version was released—what is now known as the Gel Cream formula—I happily switched over. Since those extras aren't essential to the moisturizer's function, I opted to keep things simple.
My skin is naturally very dry, but you wouldn't know that after I've applied the Gel Cream. The product has a gooey, viscous texture—but it's not too thick. It's springy like the interior of a crème brûlée. It absorbs quickly into my face and leaves my skin feeling bouncy and refreshed. And the feeling lasts all day long. The Gel Cream's juicy, not-too-thick texture absorbs easily into my skin. Lisa Fischer/NYT Wirecutter
Even after walking against high winds in freezing cold temperatures, my cheeks feel just as hydrated once I get back indoors as they did before I ever left the house. The smooth base that the Gel Cream helps me achieve improves the overall look of any makeup I apply, but it also leaves my skin feeling good enough that I rarely feel the need to add coverage with a skin tint or foundation.
The moisturizer's consistency has the added benefit of working for my entire household. My husband's skin sits more on the normal to oily end of the spectrum, and he relies on it, too.
Though I love the Gel Cream, I must admit I haven't been steadfastly loyal. Here and there I've experimented with other, more expensive moisturizers (such as the Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream or the Biossance Squalane + Probiotic Gel Moisturizer), but nothing has outperformed my trusty drugstore formula quite enough to justify permanently upping the budget for a daily essential that goes quickly with two users in my house.