Have you been damaging your skin barrier without knowing it?

Skin CareThe best face creams for repairing your skin barrierExperts weigh in on repairing and preventing a damaged skin barrier with these moisturizers.Updated May 20, 2026, 8:23 PM EDTBianca Alvarez Associate ReporterSkip to table of contentsRepair and maintain a healthy skin barrier with dermatologist-recommended barrier creams from brands like Drunk Elephant, Kiehl’s, La Roche Posay and CeraVe.Kara Birnbaum / NBCDoes your skin feel or look dry, flaky, red, itchy or rough? You may have a compromised skin barrier, according to board-certified dermatologist Dr. Terrence Keaney. Instead of grabbing your usual body lotion or face moisturizer, try a cream made to support and repair your skin barrier.“Repairing the skin barrier means giving it what it needs, which is replenishing the essential lipids and increasing water hydration,” says Dr. Stacy Chimento, a board-certified dermatologist. Unlike your typical cream or lotion, barrier creams do more than just hydrate the skin; they also heal the barrier and protect against water loss and an influx of allergens and irritants, says board-certified dermatologist Dr. Stephen Suah.Since I was young, I’ve been combating eczema and focusing on how to repair and maintain my skin barrier to prevent my condition from worsening. This is why I spoke to dermatologists about how to best shop for a barrier cream and rounded up their recommendations, as well as NBC Select staff-favorite creams to consider.Selected.Our top picksBest overallCerave Moisturizing Cream$18.96$20.49AmazonLearn moreEditors pickLa Roche Posay Toleraine Double Repair Face Moisturizer$undefined$24.99AmazonLearn moreBest moisturizerDr. Jart+ Ceramidin Skin Barrier Moisturizing Cream$undefined$50.00AmazonLearn moreSee 1 MoreWant more from NBC Select? Sign up for our newsletter, The Selection, and shop smarter.RelatedselectselectThe 100 best moisturizers tested and ranked, according to NBC Select editorsThe best barrier creams of 2026 Below is a compiled list of our...