Glow & Grow: Black Beauty, Haircare, and Skincare Tips
- Moisturizers are essential for all skin types; they prevent dryness, slow fine lines, and strengthen the skin barrier, says Shereene Idriss, MD.
- Apply moisturizer after serums and treatments; it seals in actives, then finish daytime routine with sunscreen.
- Look for ingredients like hyaluronic acid to balance oil and water and boost lasting hydration and barrier function.
- Allure vets moisturizers by reviewing ingredients, packaging, texture, fragrance, and wear, with dermatologist and cosmetic chemist testing.
Why we love it: If you’re a day-one Glow Recipe, you know that the K-beauty-inspired brand’s first-ever product was the Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask, a deliciously gooey overnight AHA treatment to buff away dead skin and reveal baby-soft skin by morning. Since then, the Watermelon Glow line has birthed many more fan-favorites—hey, Watermelon Glow AHA Pink Dream Body Cream, a three-time Readers’ Choice Award winner.
But what if you’re sensitive to acids? Meet the Glow Recipe Watermelon Milk Peptide Cushion Cream, which relies on 10 peptides to help firm skin and smooth fine lines, watermelon milk (a.k.a. a blend of watermelon extract and squalane that’s responsible for the formula’s silky texture). Toss in glycerin, panthenol, and ceramides, and you’ve got yourself the perfect recipe (see what we did there?) for intense hydration and barrier care—without any potential sting. The texture is balanced, too—lightweight and breathable, but feels like a tall glass of water for your skin.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do you need a face moisturizer?
“Moisturizers are an essential part of every skin-care routine,” says Shereene Idriss, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City. “Just as our bodies require us to hydrate with water, so does our skin.” While our skin appears dewier almost instantly, the real benefits show up in the long term. The consistent use of moisturizers slows down the rate and intensity at which fine lines and wrinkles appear, Dr. Idriss says.
This daily philosophy applies to all skin types and not just dry skin. “Overwashing without the appropriate use of a moisturizer will trigger an overproduction of oil on your skin,” says Divya Shokeen, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Torrance, California. In short, if you don’t rehydrate your skin, it will become dried out and irritated, which then opens your skin up to a cache of troubles.
“People confuse oil with hydration, so they don’t properly hydrate the skin,” says New York City-based board-certified dermatologist Doris Day, MD. “We now have really great ingredients, like hyaluronic acid, which balances oil and water in the skin.” Increased hydration supports a stronger barrier, Dr. Day says, which also helps curb oil production.
What step is moisturizing in a skin-care routine?
Consider your moisturizer as the cellophane that seals in the rest of your skin-care routine. In our beginner-friendly skin-care guide, dermatologists recommended three simple steps: cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen (during the day, of course).
A basic rule of thumb is, after cleansing, use products with the lightest texture first and work your way down to denser formulas like moisturizers. Using your moisturizer after serums and treatments like toners and essences is crucial for getting the most out of your products, according to Wilson. “They seal in serums on your skin, which can make them more effective.” After moisturizing, you can layer oil to make your skin look even dewier. And again, never forget to apply your last (and arguably most important) layer, sunscreen, if you’re headed out for the day.
Meet the experts
- David Kim, MD, a New York City-based board-certified dermatologist
- Shereene Idriss, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City
- Divya Shokeen, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Torrance, California
- Doris Day, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City
- Ni’Kita Wilson, a cosmetic chemist based in New York City
- Shamsa Kanwal, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Portland
How our staff tests and reviews products
When Allure tests a product, our editors look at it from every angle to best serve you. We review ingredients, scrutinize brand claims, and, when necessary, examine peer-reviewed scientific and medical studies. In addition to testing each and every product that’s included in each and every review, we rely on experts who shape their fields, including dermatology, cosmetic chemistry, and medicine, to help us vet the ingredients and formulas.
For our list of the best face moisturizers, we considered each product’s performance across five primary categories: product ingredients and efficacy, packaging, fragrance, texture, and product wear. Every product was determined to have excelled in each category by our editorial team, which is composed of in-house writers and editors as well as contributors—along with special consideration from board-certified dermatologists who test and recommend moisturizers almost every day. To learn more information on our reporting and testing processes, read our complete reviews process and methodology page.
Meet our staff and testers
A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors — in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon — is essential to reaching that goal.
After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the “best” for people over 50 if the only testers we’ve solicited opinions from folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it’s never been tested on curls? We’re proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.
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