One important thing to remember - plain moisturizers only provide temporary improvement in wrinkles. If you want to moisturize your skin and get permanent results, then it would be best to choose a moisturizing formula with a fair concentration of an anti-aging ingredient, such as Vitamin C, Retinol, or Alpha hydroxy acids. For those of you with very dry skin - go ahead and use a good, normal moisturizer afterwards. The most effective moisturizing emollient available for dry skin is petrolatum or Vaseline, which provides a coating over the skin through which water cannot escape. Unfortunately, because it is greasy, not many people like to use it.
Ointments are usually like petrolatum, since most have an oily base.
They are also very greasy and are usually used at bedtime rather than during the day. Moisturizing creams contain more oil than water and, as a result, are also very effective. These also may feel a little greasy, but less so than ointments or petrolatum. Lotions are the most popular moisturizer, but because they contain more water than oil, they are not as effective. Humectants are a class of moisturizers which do not contain oil and may be classified as oil-free.