PRODUCT REVIEW

EltaMD AM Restore Moisturizer

A light niacinamide lotion with a name that implies sun protection. It has no SPF — and it makes a structural claim a cosmetic should not make.

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EltaMD AM Restore Moisturizer

Key facts

EltaMD AM Restore Moisturizer at a glance.

Niacinamide + hyaluronic acid

Key active

Sheer, silicone-based lotion

Texture

Oily and sensitive skin; a light daytime moisturizer

Best for

$48 for 1.7 oz

Approximate price

Fragrance free

Fragrance

1.7 oz

Size

$48.00

Price

Moisturizer

Type

What is it?

Top things to know about EltaMD AM Restore Moisturizer

  1. EltaMD AM Restore Moisturizer is a light daytime face lotion, 1.7 oz for $48. Despite the AM in the name, it has no SPF and no UV filters at all. EltaMD's own directions tell you to follow it with one of their sunscreens.
  2. Niacinamide, a form of vitamin B3, is fourth on the list and does the real work. Sodium hyaluronate and glycerin pull water in, and the body of the lotion is cyclopentasiloxane and dimethicone, silicones that spread thin and dry down. That is why it disappears instead of sitting on the skin, and why sunscreen goes over it without dragging.
Mixed

This has no sunscreen in it. The AM means morning, not protection, and there are no UV filters anywhere on the list. EltaMD's own directions tell you to follow it with a sunscreen. As a lotion it is good, led by niacinamide for barrier support and oil. Put an actual SPF over it every morning.

— Dr. Schwarz

Skin fit

Is it right for your skin?

Good fit

Oily Skin

The base is largely silicone, so it hydrates without adding oil and dries almost matte. Niacinamide also lowers how much oil the skin makes. For skin that finds most moisturizers heavy under sunscreen, that is the whole appeal.

Good fit

Sensitive Skin

Fragrance-free and dye-free, with no acid, no retinoid and no essential oil. Allantoin, a plain soothing ingredient, sits in the middle of the list. A quiet formula, which is what reactive skin wants from a daytime layer.

Hyperpigmentation

Niacinamide slows the handoff of pigment from the cells that make melanin to the surface cells that carry it up. That evens tone gradually rather than lightening a spot. The effect is mild, and it only holds if sunscreen goes over the top, which this lotion does not contain.

Texture

What it feels like on skin.

Lotion

A sheer, silicone-based lotion. It disappears rather than sitting on the skin, and dries down almost matte. Fragrance-free and dye-free, so there is no scent. Sunscreen and makeup go over it cleanly, which is the main reason to choose a silicone base for daytime. It spreads much further than it looks like it will, so a pea-sized amount covers the face. Too much of it will pill under sunscreen.

Alternatives

If this isn’t the right product for you

Recommended more

CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion

Fragrance-free, light, with niacinamide fourth on the list, at $6–7 an ounce. Drugstore niacinamide costs a quarter of $48.

Recommended more

The Inkey List Omega Water Cream

Niacinamide at 5%, the dose the studies used, in a fragrance-free, oil-free gel-cream for $15. Too light for dry skin.

Recommended equally

Vanicream Facial Moisturizer SPF 30

If you expected sun protection, a fragrance-free mineral sunscreen with 19.5% zinc oxide and ceramides for $13–16. It leaves a white cast.

Ingredients · Interactive

What’s in it, and where each ingredient works.

Full ingredient list · 23 ingredients, in label order. Click one.

CyclopentasiloxaneEthylhexyl IsononanoateNiacinamideLauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl DimethiconeSalix Alba Bark ExtractSodium ChlorideButylene GlycolDimethicone/PEG-10/15 CrosspolymerAllantoinCapryloyl GlycineUndecylenoyl GlycineCaffeineSalicornia Herbacea ExtractSodium HydroxideAscorbyl Palmitate
Holds waterSeals and softensKeeps the product working

  1. The base the other ingredients are dissolved in. Most of it evaporates soon after the product goes on.

  2. A silicone that smooths the surface and adds to the protective film.

  3. A light oil made from coconut oil and glycerin. It smooths and softens the surface.

  4. The preservative. It stops bacteria and mold from growing in the product.

  5. A small humectant. It moves into the outer layer of skin and holds water there.

  6. Binds minerals in the water so the preservative works better and the formula stays stable.

  7. A form of hyaluronic acid. Its molecule is large, so it stays on the surface and holds water there.

  8. Vitamin E, an antioxidant. Here it mainly keeps the oils in the product from going rancid.

What it does
Where it worksSurface
SurfaceBarrierEpidermisDermis

How to use it

How to use it.

Every day

How to apply it

  1. How muchA pea-sized amount for the whole face. It is sheer and goes a long way.
  2. CarefulThis lotion has no SPF. The AM means morning, not sun protection. A separate sunscreen goes over it every day.
Over time

What to expect

  1. What to expectSkin feels smoother the same day. Niacinamide works slowly, so redness, oil and uneven tone take a couple of months to shift, if they shift at all.

Questions

Common questions.

Does EltaMD AM Restore Moisturizer have SPF?

No. It has no UV filters. You still need sunscreen.

Is EltaMD AM Restore Moisturizer fragrance-free?

Yes. It is fragrance-free, dye-free, and oil-free.

Is EltaMD AM Restore Moisturizer good for oily skin?

Yes. The sheer, silicone-based texture suits oily and combination skin.

Was EltaMD AM Restore Moisturizer renamed?

Yes. It was previously called AM Therapy Facial Moisturizer. Same product.

Is EltaMD AM Restore Moisturizer worth the price?

Niacinamide is a great ingredient, but drugstore versions cost much less.

References

Sources.

  1. 1. Nicotinamide increases biosynthesis of ceramides as well as other stratum corneum lipids to improve the epidermal permeability barrier (https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2133.2000.03705.x) — Backs the claim that niacinamide supports the skin barrier: topical nicotinamide raised stratum corneum ceramides and free fatty acids and lowered transepidermal water loss. Link
  2. 2. The effect of 2% niacinamide on facial sebum production (https://doi.org/10.1080/14764170600717704) — Backs the oil-control claim: a double-blind trial showed topical 2% niacinamide significantly reduced facial sebum excretion/casual sebum levels. Link
  3. 3. The effect of niacinamide on reducing cutaneous pigmentation and suppression of melanosome transfer (https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2133.2002.04834.x) — Backs the pigmentation claim: a clinical trial showed niacinamide significantly reduced facial hyperpigmentation by inhibiting melanosome transfer to keratinocytes. Link
  4. 4. Cosmeceutical Aptitudes of Niacinamide: A Review (https://doi.org/10.2174/2772434416666211129105629) — Supports the general claim that niacinamide is a well-evidenced dermatology ingredient with barrier, anti-pigmentation, and sebum/acne benefits. Link
  5. 5. EltaMD AM Restore Moisturizer (https://eltamd.com/products/am-therapy-facial-moisturizer) — Confirms product-specific facts: contains niacinamide, is oil-free and fragrance-free, has no SPF/UV filters (directs users to follow with a sunscreen), and reflects the AM Therapy to AM Restore name change. Link