Cold and dry winter weather tends to easily wreak havoc on our skin. From December to March, this weather has us reaching for anything that will instantly hydrate our piel, leaving it supple and radiant. Sometimes products hold up to the elements and help replenish lost moisture, and others fall short.
We don’t want you to lose that glow that seems to happen so effortlessly in spring and summer — even in fall. In an effort to keep us looking and feeling our best this season, we put together a shoppable list of 25 of the best-rated, much-loved skincare products that will keep you hydrated. Best part? All of these items are from WOC brands.
XiCali Skincare Kit
It’s always a good idea to have a solid skincare regimen to keep your skin looking its best, on the regular. XiCali did the work for you, putting together this kit that contains its Squeaky Clean Facial Cleanser, A Touch of Gold Serum, and either their Mother’s Garden Facial Toner (Roses) or their Serenity Now Facial Toner (Lavender).
Review (Squeaky Clean Facial Cleanser): “I love this stuff. I have a very fair complexion along with combination skin. Cleans me up well and does not leave me dry”
Available at xicaliproducts.com, $60
Loquita Bath + Body Cara Limpia Face Scrub
A fabulous face scrub will really exfoliate the skin, revealing the glow that lies underneath. Loquita Body + Bath’s Cara Limpia Face Scrub goes the extra step, with organic hemp oil and argan oil for moisture. Added bonus? Both oils are non-comedogenic, which means they won’t clog pores.
Available at loquitabath.com, $10-$20
BASE BUTTER #1 Radiate Face Jelly: Aloe Vera Gel Face Moisturizer
A gel moisturizer is just what parched winter skin needs to feel replenished. BASE BUTTER, a female, Black-owned skincare brand, has a popular version that features lightweight aloe vera gel, which balances the skin’s pH, disinfecting tea tree oil, sebum secretion regulating lavender, and evening primrose, which boosts the skin’s elasticity.
Review: “Seriously, the B E S T face moisturizer I ever experienced in my life! The gel glides across your skin and seals into your pores so effectively. So I had to buy another one, after the first one arrived.”
Available at basebutter.com, $21
SheaMoisture Raw Shea Butter Hydrating Moisturizer
Another African-American owned brand known for keeping the skin moisturized and glowing is SheaMoisture. Their Raw Shea Butter Hydrating Moisturizer is a thick anti-aging cream that utilizes frankincense and myrrh, to heal skin and help with inflammation.
Review: “I use this amazing moisturizer daily! I can feel it working instantly to help tone. Sensitive enough to use on my sensitive skin!”
Available at sheamoisture.com, $11.04
Tata Harper Beautifying Face Oil
Colombian-created Tata Harper Skincare is all about taking care of la piel with high-grade, 100% natural ingredients. Their Beautifying Face Oil has “15 high-performance botanical ingredients” to hydrate and beautify the face, including Vitamins A, C, and E.
Review: “My skin looks and feels amazing after using. Perfect for winter months and also love the natural floral scent.”
Available at tataharperskincare.com, $98
Primera Alpine Berry Water Cream
Korean brand Primera makes an Alpine Berry Water Cream that will revolutionize your winter skin with its Water-Stay™ Technology, artemisia extract, and coconut-derived oil.
Review: “If I could give it 6 stars I would! I struggle with lupus and a malar rash from it!!! This planet-friendly product has helped with my malar rash!!! Not to mention my face feels like butter!!!! I loved the Clean Berry Lip Mask… BUT I love the water cream even more! Thank you Primera and thank you Influenster!!!! You just made a regular customer out of me!!!!”
Available at sephora.com, $40
Natura Ucuuba Restorative Body Butter
Formulated with ucuuba butter — which is loaded with essential fatty acids —native to Brazil, this body butter works to restore and deeply hydrated the driest areas of the body, leaving skin super soft and moisturized. Did we mention it’s Brazilian owned?
Natura Ucuuba Restorative Body Butter, $26, naturabrasil.com
Menos Mas Coconut Cream Body Scrub + Bath Soak
This organic and gender-natural body and skincare line was founded by Bronx-born Dominicana Annya Santana, who cured her own skin issues — including acne — by formulating all-natural remedies and concoctions. Her Coconut Cream Body Scrub + Bath Soak is made with virgin coconut oil and desiccated coconut that works to heal dry and cracked skin, leaving it super soft and luscious.
Menos Mas Coconut Cream Body Scrub + Bath Soak, $45, menos-mas.com
Eva’s Garden Combination Skin Facial Moisturizer
If you have combination skin, keeping moisturized without causing breakouts can be daunting. Dominican-owned Eva’s Garden has just the answer. Their Combination Skin Facial Moisturizer is made with an aloe vera base that absorbs “very quickly,” and doesn’t leave a greasy residue.
Review: “Excelente producto. Noté la diferencia en mi piel con tan sólo días de uso.”
Available at shopevasgardencom, $17
Tatcha Luminous Dewy Skin Mist
Sometimes, a dewy mist is all you need to make your skin feel ready for the winter elements. Japanese brand Tatcha’s mist contains 20% of botanical oils and humectants, Japanese “anti-aging superfoods” (rice, green tea, and algae), and more, that will leave skin feeling pampered.
Review: “This mist is fantastic in every way! It’s hydrating, but doesn’t make oily areas greasy. It can be used ANY time… Before makeup, as a daytime refresher over makeup, with no makeup… And it does not disturb makeup. One of the most amazing aspects of this mist is the delivery system. NEVER have I found a spray product with such a very fine even mist. I save my empty bottles to put my other spray products in so I get a finer mist, as every other spray product I have used has never sprayed out in such a light even mist as the Tatcha spray bottle! So save those bottles and use them for your other spray products that spray too much product with each pump!”
Available at tatcha.com, $20-$48
Loquita Bath + Body Bate Bate Chocolate Face Mask
Another Loquita Bath + Body product that your skin will thank you for is their Bate Bate Chocolate Face Mask. The cocoa will provide the skin with antioxidants, the vegan coconut milk will add that needed hydration, and the clay will draw out impurities, while also getting rid of excess oil.
Available at loquitabath.com, $9
The Healing Place Apothecary Daily Greens Whipped Moisturizing Cream
The Healing Place Apothecary is a Black-owned business that offers “botanical formulations for skin & hair rooted in holistic principals from Asia, Africa, and the Americas.” Just look at how rich, thick, and creamy their Daily Greens Whipped Moisturizer looks. It delivers serious hydration with avocado oil, antioxidants with matcha, and will both boost collagen production and minimize brown spots with Vitamin E.
Review: “This product is amazing and I’ve never seen anything like it. The texture is unique and the product feels so good on my skin. I’ve used it as after sun care in Mexico and am currently using as my main moisturizer during a Minnesota winter – in both cases have been super happy with how hydrated my skin feels. Love the ingredients and how fresh it smells!”
Available at blkgrn.com, $27
Eve Milan New York The Lacial Masque: Moisturizing & Repairing
https://www.instagram.com/p/B6TmYvEghNv/
A great part of any regular self-care routine is a relaxing, hydrating mask. We love this one by Black-owned beauty brand Eve Milan New York. Not only does it give your skin a good drink, but it is made to look like pretty lace.
Review: “I love this mask. Whenever I use it in the day, I skip foundation because I can’t cover up that glow!”
Available at blkgrn.com, $7
Tata Harper Hyaluronic Gel Moisturizer
Another Tata Harper product that you will want to get to make sure your skin is in its prime this winter is their Hyaluronic Gel Moisturizer. Made for oily/combination skin, it’s ultra-lightweight yet contains a whopping 37 high-performance botanical ingredients.
Review: “I love this moisturizer in the morning and at night. It is super weightless and leaves my skin feeling plump and hydrated.”
Available at tataharperskincare.com, $116
Beauty Bakerie Wake & Bake Hydrating Face Oil
Another Black-owned business we love and support is Beauty Bakerie. You’ll want to check out their Wake & Bake Hydrating Face Oil. You can also use this formula, made up of 11 oils, including African marula oil, on your lips, cuticles, hair, and decolletage, per the company, making it a true multitasker.
Review: “For someone with extremely dry skin, this works amazingly before applying makeup and even to just use every day!”
Available at beautybakerie.com, $28
TULA 24-7 Moisture Hydrating Day & Night Cream
https://www.instagram.com/p/B6ejOzOAAJe/
We all want great beauty products that do double duty. That’s just what you’ll get with TULA’s (founded by Dr. Roshini Rajapaksa) 24-7 Moisture Day & Night Cream. The rich formula contains beneficial ingredients, such as probiotics, grape seed oil, shea butter, and Vitamin C.
Review: “I absolutely love this night cream! I only use it at night after I wash my face because I do have oily skin and it does take some time to soak in but this stuff is amazing! Definitely not budget-friendly but it’s worth it. My face has never felt better!”
Available at ulta.com, $58
LANEIGE Hydration Dream Team
Korean brand LANEIGE is known for making dynamite skincare products. Their Hydration Dream Team set lets you indulge in four of their products: their Water Sleeping Mask, Cream Skin Toner & Moisturizer, Water Bank Moisture Cream, and Lip Sleeping Mask.
Review: “BUY THIS KIT! Separately, the full-size sleeping mask is $25 so for an additional $14 you get all these goodies. I want to leave work right now just so I can go home and put this mask on. It feels silky smooth and I woke up with the most supple skin. The lip mask I keep at my desk because I have the full size at home, I can’t get enough of it!”
Available at sephora.com, $39
Klairs Rich Moist Soothing Cream For Dry Skin
Another Korean skincare brand to know is Klairs. And a product of theirs that will deliver serious moisture to winter skin is their Rich Moist Soothing Cream, which contains jojoba oil, ceramides, and yeast-derived beta-glucan.
Review: “This cream is probably the best I’ve ever used and I have very sensitive, oily skin with acne. I always switch my products after going through it once because I like to see if new products would work better but will always repurchase this one. It is exactly what it says -soothing. Nothing makes my skin feel as good as this one does. I wear it every morning and night. You honestly just can’t go wrong with it, it’s the perfect lotion.”
Available at sokoglam.com, $23
Honey Baby Naturals Honey Nectar Body Jelly
Founded by Puerto Rican beauty entrepreneur Aisha Ceballos-Crump, Honey Baby Naturals is an all-natural hair and skincare line formulated using her abuelita’s secret ingredient — honey. The Honey Nectar Body Jelly is loaded with honey and feels as rich and supple as a body butter. It leaves skin extremely moisturized, soft, supple, and glowing. It also smells delicious!
Honey Baby Naturals Honey Nectar Body Jelly, $13, honeybabynaturals.com
Nyakio Quinoa De-Puffing & Firming Eye Cream
Nyakio Kamoche Greico (pronounced NEH-KAY-OH) founded this natural and clean beauty skincare line inspired by her own Kenyan grandmother’s natural beauty remedies. Her Sweet Almond Cleansing Oil Balm is great for removing makeup and her Maracuja and Yangu Soothing Oil deeply moisturizes and clams skin. But one of her best products yet has got to be her Quinoa De-Puffing & Firming Eye Cream — now available at Goop. It’s formulated with a blend of Peruvian quinoa, coconut oil, and coffee extract that targets dark circles and puffiness, leaving skin looking smooth, radiant, and refreshed.
Nyakio Quinoa De-Puffing & Firming Eye Cream, $39, goop.com
mudShopNaturals Hemp Seed Facial Serum
Afro-Latina-owned brand Mud creates natural beauty products that will make you look beautiful, without the harsh chemicals found in many mainstream offerings. Their Hemp Seed Facial Serum moisturizes and further improves skin with nourishing organic hemp seed oil, organic almond oil, and rosehip essential oil.
Available at etsy.com, $30
DHC Deep Cleansing Oil
Review: “I started using this 15 years ago for double cleansing when I wear makeup, which is often. While I was working it was daily. Just melts away the makeup, including the eyes. I have rosacea, but by watching my diet and cleansing skin properly–no flares! I use this first, add warm water, and rinse away. Then I use another gentle cleanser to finish the process. I have tried similar products, but this is the best.”
Available at ulta.com, $28
Tatcha The Water Cream
Another Tatcha product worth investing in for glowing skin is their The Water Cream. The anti-aging best seller is oil-free, making it perfect for oily and normal to oily skin. And unique ingredients such as 23-karat gold, Japanese Leopard Lily, and Hadasei-3™ (“an anti-aging trinity of green tea, rice & algae”) work together to achieve visible results.
Review: “Having been on a twenty-year search for a moisturizer that will work for my combination, sensitive, and picky skin I can finally say “I found it!”. The Water Cream is light but rich; creamy but gel-like; soothing but powerful; in other words, it’s everything I hoped it would be. All of Tatcha’s products are wonderful but I found the Silk Cream just a little heavy for my skin and the humid climate in which I live. In a month of use, I can see the visible tightening of pores and a reduction in my fine lines, not to mention that my skin tone has evened out and calmed down. My search is over. Tatcha’s Water Cream has answered all my moisturizing needs.”
Available at tatcha.com, $20-$68
LilyAna Naturals Face Cream Moisturizer
Not only is the packaging beautiful, but what’s inside this popular moisturizer (and Amazon’s Choice) is just as impressive. LilyAna Naturals’ Rose & Pomegranate Face Cream is made with Vitamin C and E, rose oil, pomegranate extract, aloe vera, and other ingredients that will hydrate and further improve skin.
Review: “As another reviewer posted, many of us have been conditioned over our lifetimes to think that the name brands and high-end products offer the best results. So like that reviewer, I also have many items of high-end repute just sitting there, unused, because there were no measurable results and I eventually thought that it was just me and no measurable results could be obtained through any beauty products. However, this stuff has changed my thinking entirely! I have rosacea at age 52 and sensitive skin. Now that I use this before going to bed every night, it’s not caused any breakouts whatsoever and I wake up in the morning with glowing, soft, beautiful and not-red-skin! I absolutely love it! Highly recommended! Thanks to all the others for the information shared in your reviews which helped convince me to try this product which I might not otherwise have tried!”
Available at amazon.com, $19.99
Cosrx Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence
Review: “Best product ever. Not only it helped me with my acne it also helps with my pores too. It lasted a long time.”
