When we think of winter, sparkling snowflakes, warm hot chocolate, and fuzzy scarves come to mind. But so does dry skin. When the temperature drops and the wind kicks up, it wreaks havoc on our faces. Knowing which moisturizers work best to alleviate dullness, redness and itchiness without exacerbating these common cold-weather skin problems can be tricky. Slathering heavy lotions onto your face and body seem like a logical solution, but not all dense moisturizers work. So we’ve spent quite some time testing popular creams to see if they really improve the skin’s overall condition.

Clinique Moisture Surge Intense ($39)

An OG moisturizer, Clinique’s Moisture Surge is made specifically for very dry to dry combination skin—and it works. It’s super rich but oil-free, and feels like a plumped up cream-gel hybrid. It repairs your skin’s moisture barrier to keep moisture in and all the bad, irritating stuff out.

Derma E Hydrating Day Cream

A single molecule of hyaluronic acid holds up to 1000 times its weight in water. Translation: You want it in your moisturizer. Thanks to that powerhouse ingredient, this day cream plumps and smooths dehydrated skin. Antioxidants like green tea, vitamin E, and vitamin C help protect your skin from free radical and environmental damage.

May Lindstrom Skin The Blue Cocoon

Blue tansy, the main ingredient in this cult all-natural balm, is a plant that is useful for treating inflamed, irritated, and damaged skin. The ultra-luxurious, blue-tinged balm that melts into a serum when massaged into your skin and will keep you supple all winter long.

Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Moisturizer

Enriched with squalane, a botanical lipid that is similar in molecular structure to natural skin lipids, Kiehl’s signature moisturizer keeps dryness at bay and protects your skin from the sun.