If you’ve read our November profile, you’d know that Denise Bidot is big on self-care. The chilly morning she welcomed the Emperifollá team to her home, she was already ready to face the cold winter winds that were just teasing us then. How so? She had her La Crème de la Mer on the counter ready to go. As a self-proclaimed La Mer girl would, of course.

Because not even Bidot is safe from winter’s dry skin grasp. And though this luxe moisturizer isn’t the only beauty product she splatters on her face in the AM (shout out to Biologique Recherche’s face wash and P50!), she vouches for a proper moisturizer to finish off her routine and keep her looking dewy.

Now, though we share the same winter woes when it comes to not being able to retain the moisture of our skin, we find it kind of hard to justify dropping La Mer money on a moisturizer. Luckily, Bidot has a dupe she also trusts and we have also searched for 5 other moisturizers that are just as good for your skin and budget.

All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

La Mer is known for its rich, hydrating formula. However, smothering just a dime size more than you actually need might as well be a sin considering its luxe price point. Cue Weleda’s Skin Food. Not only can you plaster this on your face and your body, but at only $11 you’re also getting an au natural formula.

If you were to compare Nivea’s and La Mer’s ingredients, you’d have an almost identical match. Sure, Nivea doesn’t have algae, but it’s still as moisturizing as its pricier counterpart. And that $7 you can even extend your beauty routine with the surplus of $$$.

Ah, Pond’s the beauty brand plenty of Latinx moms and tías swear by. Who needs to drop over $100 dollars to get the same glow that La Mer enthusiast love but with an under $25 product? Not us! We can hear the voice of our abuela saying, “La Mer ni que La Mer, úntate esto que es mejor.”

La Mer isn’t the only moisturizer that has seaweed as its main ingredient. Mario Badescu’s Seaweed Night Cream also has this start ingredient that softens and nourishes your skin while you sleep.

When Bidot doesn’t use La Mer she’s down for Olay’s Regenerist Night Recovery. ” If you put them next to each other they have similar consistencies”, she told Emperifollá.

If you just want a moisturizer that has the same cult following as La Mer but it’s slightly more affordable, Tatcha has you covered. Once you try their Dewy Skin Cream you’ll fall into the Tatcha hole and want to try out (and eventually love) all their other products, too. For example, their Dewy Skin Mist? Game changer!