Dermatologists Say These 11 Eczema Creams Will Soothe Your Driest, Itchiest Skin Issues
All of the moisture, none of the irritation!
If you have patches of dry, itchy skin, chances are, you might have eczema. Though it's annoying to deal with, we have some good news for you: There's a lot you can do to soothe this skin ailment.
The Best Eczema Creams
- Best Overall: Vaseline Petroleum Jelly Original (3-Pack)
- Expert-Approved: Eucerin Eczema Relief Body Creme
- Best Daily Cream: Aveeno Eczema Therapy Daily Moisturizing Cream
- Highly Rated: CeraVe Moisturizing Cream
- National Eczema Association-Approved: Cetaphil Pro Eczema Soothing Moisturizer
- Best for Face: La Roche-Posay Lipikar Soothing Relief Eczema Cream
- Best for Pregnant Women: Pipette Eczema Lotion
- TikTok-Famous Cream: Vanicream Moisturizing Cream
- Best Clean Formula: First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream Intense Hydration
- Best Luxury: Tatcha The Indigo Cream Soothing Skin Protectant
- Best Sunscreen: Neutrogena Sensitive Skin Sunscreen Lotion SPF 60+
What Is Eczema?
“It’s itchy, inflamed [skin], sometimes with thickened patches and bumps,” says board-certified dermatologist and RealSelf advisory board member, Dr. Sonia Badreshia-Bansal, M.D.“Eczema, also called atopic dermatitis, is a common skin condition affecting adults, teens, and kids.” In fact, it’s so common, it impacts up to 15 million Americans a year, according to data from the nonprofit medical center Cleveland Clinic.
Though eczema can flare up on your face, board-certified dermatologist and surgeon Dr. Dendy Engelman, M.D., says that it’s more likely to appear elsewhere on your body first. She also notes that the intensity of eczema differs from person to person.
“There are varying levels of severity of eczema, ranging from mildly annoying to severely painful,” she says. “Mild forms of childhood eczema may clear up and never return. Conversely, very severe cases can be challenging to control and incredibly uncomfortable. You can develop eczema at any time during your life, even though it commonly appears for the first time in children.”
How Can I Treat Eczema?
Though the National Eczema Association notes that there is no known cure for this skin condition, there are quite a few steps you can take to minimize the itching, flaking, and scaling that comes with it.
➥ Read Product Labels
First, you should take a look at the ingredient list on your bottles of skincare to make sure there aren't any hidden additions to the formula that could induce a flare-up.
“Stick with hypoallergenic, fragrance-free products,” says Badreshia-Bansal. “Look at the ingredient list: Less than a dozen ingredients is better than a long list. Avoid harsh chemicals such as abrasives and fragrances.”
Engelman also adds that steroids like hydrocortisone should only be used on your hands or feet, and should be avoided on other areas of the body.
➥ Formulations Are Important
Badreshia-Bansal and Engelman suggest a petroleum-based cream or jelly as a great start for soothing your eczema flare-ups. To treat mild eczema cases, Engelman recommends thick creams and ointments, rather than lightweight lotions and gels.
“If you are treating eczema on your hands or feet, consider applying petroleum jelly at night, and then covering the affected area with gloves or socks to keep it in place without ruining your linens,” she says. “For more aggressive cases, your dermatologist may prescribe hydrocortisone creams for use on the hands and feet.”
➥ Stop Scratching
Regardless of which of these 11 eczema creams you choose to slather on your face and body, be careful not to scratch too much: Badreshia-Bansal notes that you can actually cause infections by constantly itching and scratching.
How Do I Fix Eczema on My Face?
The skin on the face is far more delicate than the hands and feet, so if you’re dealing with an eczema breakout there, Engelman recommends avoiding any steroid creams. If you'd rather go the prescription route, she notes that you may be prescribed a topical, such as tacrolimus or pimecrolimus, which are both steroid-free treatments for eczema.
Best Ingredients for Treating Eczema
The medical experts we consulted agree that you’ll need to use a gentle eczema cream that is free of fragrances and dyes. “Remember, unscented is not fragrance-free, but can mean a product has a scent that is masked,” says board-certified dermatologist, Dr. Michele Farber, M.D. of Schweiger Dermatology Group. She and fellow board-certified dermatologist Dr. Loretta Ciraldo, M.D., FAAD, highlight their favorite skincare ingredients for treating eczema.
- Dimethicone retains moisture, enhances the penetration of other beneficial ingredients, and gives an immediate soothing effect on the skin, explains Ciraldo, who also founded Dr. Loretta Skincare. This ingredient helps creams spread evenly across your skin, to boot.
- Glycerin is a humectant naturally found in the top layer of the skin, and it holds many times its weight in water. Your eczema-prone skin will appreciate this hydrating ingredient, but be aware that high levels of glycerin can leave your skin feeling tacky, notes Ciraldo.
- Ceramides earned snaps from Ciraldo and Farber because they help repair the skin's barrier, lock in water, and calm the skin.
- Niacinamide (Vitamin B-3) is a powerhouse ingredient that soothes inflammation associated with eczema, says Farber.
- Colloidal Oatmeal is handy for treating redness and swelling caused by eczema, notes Farber.
How We Chose
We followed the dermatologists' advice for this article: Not only did they offer us a few product suggestions, but we also chose top-rated formulas that contain the soothing ingredients they recommended above. All of these eczema creams are hypoallergenic, non-comedogenic, and leave out harsher ingredients like exfoliating acids, retinol, and fragrances.
To ensure that you get the best of the best to soothe your eczema, we also referenced the National Eczema Association's eczema product directory to make sure that these creams help your skin get better — not worse.
