# Skin Smoothing Cream vs Intensive Moisture

**Question answered:** Should I choose Dermalogica Skin Smoothing Cream or Intensive Moisture Balance?

**Short answer:** Choose Skin Smoothing Cream if your skin is normal, dry or combination and you want a non-greasy daily cream with hyaluronic acid and botanicals. Choose Intensive Moisture Balance if your skin is normal to dry, feels depleted, and you want a richer lipid formula with ceramide NP and no essential oils on the label. Skin Smoothing Cream lists ylang ylang oil and fragrance allergens.

By Nora Ellison. Published 2026-10-28. Data is taken from manufacturer labels; the products have not been tested.

## What this means for you

### Start with what you notice

Both are everyday Dermalogica face creams. Combination skin and a lighter feel point to Skin Smoothing Cream; dry, tight skin points to Intensive Moisture Balance.

### The ingredient names, translated

Skin Smoothing Cream combines hyaluronic acid with plant extracts and a little urea. Intensive Moisture Balance leans on emollients, fatty acids, phytosterols and ceramide NP to help skin hold onto moisture. Dermalogica says it doesn't use artificial fragrance, but Skin Smoothing Cream lists ylang ylang oil, which carries a scent.

### How to decide

- Combination skin, or you want a non-greasy cream? Skin Smoothing Cream.
- Dry, tight or depleted-feeling skin? Intensive Moisture Balance.
- Avoiding essential oils? Intensive Moisture Balance; its recorded list has none.

### What to expect

Either should make skin feel softer and less tight. Neither will erase lines or treat a skin condition. We haven't tested either product.

General guidance, not a test of these products: [AAD: dermatologists' tips to relieve dry skin](https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-basics/dry/dermatologists-tips-relieve-dry-skin); [FDA: fragrances in cosmetics](https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/cosmetic-ingredients/fragrances-cosmetics). Each product's label source is linked on its product page.

## Skin type and label extras decide it

[Dermalogica Skin Smoothing Cream Moisturizer](product:dermalogica-skin-smoothing-cream-moisturizer) is recommended for normal, dry and combination skin. Its 63-ingredient list includes sodium hyaluronate, aloe, grape seed, cucumber, arnica, mallow, [urea](/ingredients/urea/) and ylang ylang flower oil. Dermalogica claims up to 48 hours of hydration from what it calls Active HydraMesh Technology.

[Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance Moisturizer](product:dermalogica-intensive-moisture-balance-moisturizer) is a richer cream for normal to dry skin. Its 38-ingredient list includes several emollient esters, sodium hyaluronate, chlorella extract, ceramide NP, phytosterols, [centella asiatica](/ingredients/centella-asiatica/), echinacea and fatty acids.

> **Skin Realist check:** "intensive" and "smoothing" are mood words. Your skin type and scent tolerance are the real filters here.

## Label differences worth knowing

Skin Smoothing Cream lists ylang ylang oil and several fragrance allergens; Dermalogica suggests patch testing for sensitive skin. Intensive Moisture Balance lists rose flower extract but no essential oils. See our [moisturizer by skin type guide](/articles/moisturizer-for-your-skin-type/).

## Manufacturer sources

- [Dermalogica Skin Smoothing Cream](https://www.dermalogica.com/products/skin-smoothing-cream)
- [Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance](https://www.dermalogica.com/products/intensive-moisture-balance)

Sources and label-check dates are recorded on the product pages.

| Product | Key ingredients | Skin types | Fragrance | Flagged ingredients | Size | Source | Buy |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Dermalogica Skin Smoothing Cream Moisturizer](https://dermalguide.com/products/dermalogica-skin-smoothing-cream-moisturizer/) | Active HydraMesh Technology, hyaluronic acid complex, mallow, cucumber, arnica, grape seed extract, vitamins C and E | normal, dry, combination | Scent ingredients flagged | Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Linalool | Brand doesn't list it | [Manufacturer label](https://www.dermalogica.com/products/skin-smoothing-cream), checked 2026-10-11 | [Amazon (affiliate)](https://amzn.to/479scIT) |
| [Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance Moisturizer](https://dermalguide.com/products/dermalogica-intensive-moisture-balance-moisturizer/) | BioReplenish Complex, hyaluronic acid, chlorella algae, echinacea, centella asiatica, aloe vera | normal, dry | No scent flags recorded in our glossary | No flags recorded; not a safety guarantee | Brand doesn't list it | [Manufacturer label](https://www.dermalogica.com/products/intensive-moisture-balance), checked 2026-10-11 | [Amazon (affiliate)](https://amzn.to/4yjo9F0) |

## Which to choose

Consider Dermalogica Skin Smoothing Cream Moisturizer when: Your skin is normal, dry or combination and you want a non-greasy cream; You want hyaluronic acid with mallow, cucumber and arnica.

Consider Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance Moisturizer when: Your skin is normal to dry and feels depleted or tight; You want ceramide NP and no essential oils on the label.


## Questions

### Which lists essential oils?

Skin Smoothing Cream lists Cananga odorata (ylang ylang) flower oil plus benzyl benzoate, benzyl salicylate and linalool. Intensive Moisture Balance's recorded list has no essential oils.

### Which has ceramides?

Intensive Moisture Balance lists ceramide NP. Skin Smoothing Cream's recorded list doesn't.

### Do they contain acids?

Intensive Moisture Balance lists lactic acid low on the list, and both list fatty acids. Neither is positioned as an exfoliant.