Non-Petroleum Dry Skin Creams

If your skin feels dry, taught and looks flaky, you’re suffering from dry skin. Several over-the-counter skin creams can help restore your skin’s moisture levels for smoother, more comfortable skin. Unfortunately, some skin creams contain petroleum and other oil-based moisturizers. Such oil-based ingredients can clog your pores and lead to problems such as acne. Thankfully, some of the best skin creams also are oil-free.

The editors of "InStyle" magazine picked Doctor's Dermatologic Formula's skin cream as the best oil-free sunscreen. Dermatologist Lisa Donofrio, reporting to "InStyle," says the cream's moisturizers and antioxidants can help prevent skin damage. The magazine also praised the cream's ability to dry to a sheer, non-greasy finish.

Skincare tester Paula Begoun, author of “Don’t Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me,” handed Neutrogena’s dry skin cream a “Paula’s Pick” award. This means she found it to have exceptional efficacy. Begoun specifically praised Neutrogena’s inclusion of “good emollients” while excluding potentially irritating substances, such as fragrances.

Aveeno’s oil-free skin cream has won several awards. For example, “Cosmopolitan” magazine’s beauty editors called it 2009’s best moisturizer and “Glamour” ranked it as one of the top-performing facial moisturizers available in drugstores. Soy-based ingredients condition the skin while built-in sunscreen ingredients guard against the sun’s damaging rays.

Begoun highlights the evening moisturizer by Biore as exceptional, saying it will moisturize and soften your skin and leave it “unbelievably silky.” The moisturizer conditions with oil-free ingredients such as green tea, which has antioxidants that might help to protect against skin damage. Instead of using oils, the moisturizer hydrates and smooths with silicons.