Editor’s Picks: 11 of the Best Gel Moisturizers for Weightless, Non-Greasy, Fast-Absorbing Hydration

As a beauty editor, I’ve tested and evaluated gel moisturizers from a range of brands. These are my top picks for every preference:

Best for Sensitive and Acne-Prone Skin

• Benton Aloe Propolis Soothing Gel
• Epicuren Discovery Aloe Vera Calming Gel

Best Dewy

• Peach & Lily Glass Skin Water-Gel Moisturizer

Best Mattifying

• La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Matte Moisturizer

Best Clean Beauty

• Plenaire Droplet Lightweight Moisture Gel
• Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Pink Juice Moisturizer

Best K-Beauty

• Pyunkang Yul Acne Cream

Best Clinical

• Indeed Labs Hydraluron Moisture Jelly

Best Organic

• Dr. Alkaitis Organic Soothing Gel

Best Budget

• The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + Beta Glucan

Best Splurge

• Dr. Barbara Sturm Aloe Vera Gel

For more details on each formula, read on.

Benton Aloe Propolis Soothing Gel is a light, non-sticky gel moisturizer to hydrate and soothe your skin. With its two key ingredients, aloe vera and propolis, it is particularly ideal for sensitive types. Since it doesn’t contain any pore cloggers, it’s safe for acne-prone skin, too.

It contains over 80% aloe, which is famously calming, along with propolis (derived from honeycomb), which is prized for its anti-inflammatory properties. The rest of the formula is free of fragrance, oil and silicone. Bonus: It doubles as an after-sun lotion!

• Pros: Calming, non-sticky, non-comedogenic
• Cons: May not be hydrating enough for some skin types

YesStyle reviewer: “Truly a saviour. I have been looking for a good lightweight yet effective moisturizer and this is really it. My skin has always been a little complicated... since it’s dehydrated, it needs water and soothing ingredients. But being acne-prone, I had to steer away from any heavy moisturizers packed with silicones. But this one changed the game. Love the gel-like consistency and how refreshing it is when applied. My skin barrier has been restored, no more cracks and flaky skin and almost non-existent bumps.”

Epicuren Discovery Aloe Vera Calming Gel is a gentle, aloe-based gel moisturizer for all skin types. It’s a favourite of Kate Bosworth, who relies on it to counteract redness and sensitivity (and have you seen how flawless her skin looks?!).

This minimalist formula contains the pure, whole leaf of the aloe vera plant, and few other ingredients. So it’s non-comedogenic and super-soothing, and is free of silicone, fragrance and oils.

• Pros: Calming, non-sticky, non-comedogenic
• Cons: May not be hydrating enough for some skin types

Epicuren reviewer: “Super calming and clean formula without any irritants. Aloe has become a game changer in my skincare routine. I have redness in the cheeks and this has really helped with that and calms breakout spots as well.”

Peach & Lily Glass Skin Water-Gel Moisturizer is a gel moisturizer that gives your skin a subtly dewy glow. It was inspired by the “glass skin” trend—which is all about skin that looks poreless, luminous and translucent.

Besides replenishing moisture, it contains ingredients to calm and prevent irritation, redness and breakouts. It also has a silicone alternative (VoluSmooth) to blur imperfections and boost radiance. Plus, it’s oil-free and fragrance-free.

• Pros: Fast-absorbing, gives a subtle glow
• Cons: May not be suitable for sensitive skin

Ulta Beauty reviewer: “This is absolutely amazing! I have a combination of oily and dry skin. This is my holy grail of moisturizers. I always break out with moisturizers but not this one, finally! Plus it makes my skin look soft, hydrated and glass-looking while being super lightweight and refreshing.”

If you prefer a matte finish, La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Matte Moisturizer is a gel moisturizer that will hydrate without making you shiny. You might also be surprised that it’s free of silicones, oil, alcohol and fragrance. 

It’s also packed with skin-friendly ingredients. Think: niacinamide to control oil, support the skin barrier and calm redness, and ceramides to keep in moisture and heal barrier damage. There’s also silica and perlite to mattify, in a base of soothing thermal water.

• Pros: Controls oil, semi-matte finish
• Cons: May pill when layered with other products

Target reviewer: “Absolutely love this moisturizer. I have sensitive skin that is really dry for the first few hours of the day then gets really oily after a few hours and this moisturizer has been so good for me. It goes on really light and has a matte finish within seconds and keeps my skin from getting glossy when my oils do start to surface.”

Clean beauty lovers, add Plenaire Droplet Lightweight Moisture Gel to your list. This is a lightweight gel moisturizer with a cooling and refreshing sensation on your skin. It’s a clear jelly that sinks in fast, without feeling heavy. 

But it’s more hydrating than you’d think, thanks to high-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid, xylitol, glycerin and lecithin. Meanwhile, silica (not silicone) absorbs oil and lightly mattifies. It’s also buildable, so you can add a second layer for even more moisture.

• Pros: More hydrating than most gels, semi-matte finish
• Cons: Pricey

Credo Beauty reviewer: “This feels good going onto my combination, easily upset skin. It absorbs well and leaves my face feeling bouncy and fresh. I sometimes just leave my skin at this point, sometimes I put some oil on over the top, and either way this lotion performs beautifully.”

As one of the most popular gel moisturizers, Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Pink Juice Moisturizer plumps, hydrates and soothes your skin. Usually, the main ingredient in gel formulas is water, but not this one. 

Its base is 90% watermelon extract, which is rich in amino acids that help maintain moisture—so that’s why it’s so hydrating, despite its light, fast-absorbing texture. It’s also oil-free and silicone-free, with less than 1% synthetic fragrance.

• Pros: More hydrating than most gels
• Cons: May be comedogenic for some people

Sephora reviewer: “I love this moisturizer. It’s lightweight and never feels greasy or shiny but still moisturizes very well. For someone with combination skin, that is a tall order and this one does just that. It does have a scent, kind of like Jolly Ranchers, but the scent dissipates after application. Despite the fragrance, it is still one of the few products I’ve tried that doesn’t aggregate my super-sensitive skin or cause breakouts. It is a little pricey, but it lasts and is definitely worth it. I am already on my third bottle, and will continue to purchase it when I run out.”

Pyunkang Yul Acne Cream is a K-beauty moisturizer that promises to calm, hydrate and prevent excess oil and bacterial growth. Although it’s called “Acne Cream,” it’s definitely a gel—and you don’t need to have acne to use it.

The product was created by the Pyunkang Eastern Medicine Clinic in Seoul, which specializes in treating problem skin conditions. So it has ingredients like niacinamide, willow bark and Centella Asiatica extract to balance your skin and reinforce its barrier. It’s also fragrance-free, silicone-free and oil-free.

• Pros: Gentle, calming, lightweight
• Cons: May be comedogenic for some people

iHerb reviewer: “I love this moisturizer! It is lightweight and it has a gel-like consistency. I thought it wouldn’t be moisturizing enough, but I was so wrong. I have combo, acne-prone skin and I am really enjoying using this cream in the a.m. before sunscreen and in the p.m. as the last step in my routine. I feel it is calming on my skin, especially when I am having breakouts. I appreciate it has no smell and love the ingredient list.”