I Have $1000 Worth of Moisturizer in My Bathroom, but This Drugstore Pick Beats Them All

Photo: Getty Images/Tomas Rodriguez
I like my martinis and manicures when they are very, very dry. But my skin? Not so much.

Lately, due to the changing weather (hiya, spring!) and the worst seasonal allergies I've ever experienced (wuddup, pollen?), my face is drier than it ever has been in my life. We're talking itching, peeling, pilling, the whole nine. Even my lips are more chapped than ever, which is an issue I could have sworn was supposed to be left to the winter months. I've been chugging water like a camel in an attempt to fix things—because, as we all know, that's the solution to like, 99 percent of life's problems—but there's also one product that I owe my springtime skin survival to.

Not to be dramatic, but Dove Dermaseries Overnight Face Cream ($15) is completely saving my life right now. But like, actually, The moisturizer, which is designed and approved by dermatologists (hence, "Dermaseries"), is formulated specifically to help dry, dehydrated skin while you sleep. It's made with teeny, tiny molecules of glycerin, which are easily absorbed into the skin to keep cells hydrated and high functioning—think of it like a big gulp of water, but for your face. It also has nutrients like triglycerides, which break down into fatty acids in your skin and help repair your skin barrier, plus ingredients like shea butter to help seal in all that moisturized goodness.

At night, your skin is working its hardest to renew—because unlike during the day when it's exposed to UV rays and toxins, it can do its thing in a totally protected environment. Your skin repairs itself while you sleep, uninterrupted, and a product like Dove's face cream can get in there and help it do its thing.  And this time of the year, AKA when the seasons are transitioning and the weather is as fickle as my Gemini soul, it can be especially helpful. "During times of the year when the seasons change, the skin may have a difficult time adjusting to new temperatures or humidity levels," says Dove Dermaseries dermatologist Dr. Shari Marchbein. "Using a gentle but deeply moisturizing cream for the face can help maintain proper hydration and health of the skin."

While the product is technically designed for dry skin, according to Dr. Marchbein it also happens to be gentle enough to use on sensitive or acne-prone complexions. And I know, I know—there are a lot of great moisturizers on the market. But what makes this one so special is that the user experience is, in my opinion, bar none. It's not thick or goopy or greasy or heavy (or any of the other gross-sounding words that tend to come up when we talk about dry skin moisturizers), nor does it sit on top of my face like a coat of whipped cream or get all over my pillowcase when I sleep. I have hundreds of dollars worth of moisturizers sitting in my beaut cabinet, but this $15 one is what I'm most excited to slather on my face every night in the name of self care.

Here are 10 more derm-approved drugstore products. Plus, the best affordable beauty buys our editors can't get enough of

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