Whether you have oily, dry or combination skin, it’s a well-known fact that it needs regular hydration on top of a thorough cleanse. With this in mind, you can almost guarantee that there’s a facial moisturiser in pretty much everyone’s beauty kit. However, it’s tricky to know whether you’re using the right one and which to choose if you decide to change, thanks to new technology, hype over new ingredients and one-off gimmicks that show promise but don’t deliver the goods. Will a cream texture be too heavy? Do gel formulas provide enough moisture? Can certain ingredients irritate certain skin types? Skin hydration is such a broad area and there are so many options to choose from, so it’s important to get it right. Read on for our picks of the best moisturisers out there and find the right one for you once and for all.
Buying guide: How to find the best moisturiser for you
How do you choose your moisturiser?
A moisturiser should do just that – moisturise. Hydration is its prime purpose, but you’ll want to get more benefits out of it at the same time. With so many avenues to go down – lifting, calming, repairing, mattifying and so on – it’s best to think simply. Determine your skin type and then decide on two or three things you want from your moisturiser. Once you’ve narrowed it down to a handful of options, you can then make a final decision based on price or ease of use.
Do I need to spend three figures to get results?
It’s easy to decide you need to spend a fortune on skincare – after all, your skin shows the telltale signs of how much sleep you’ve had and how young or old you look. Why wouldn’t you be tempted to invest in a £400 face cream containing a rare mineral that promises to erase every wrinkle or get rid of oily skin in a heartbeat? Yes, the more expensive the moisturiser, the more technology and research goes onto your skin – however, that’s not to say that low-end moisturisers don’t perform well or just as efficiently. There are excellent moisturisers available in all price brackets.
What’s the difference between a day and night cream?
Night creams are usually richer in texture and contain harder-working ingredients in order to penetrate the skin as it regenerates during sleep. Typically, a day cream is lighter in texture so that it can be worn under makeup and contains things such as SPF to protect from UV rays and antioxidants to fend off the day’s pollution. Whether or not you invest in both depends on your budget and how you approach your skincare regime, but if it’s a toss-up between the two, opt for a day cream as this can be applied in the evening too.
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The best moisturisers you can buy in 2017 from £15
1. Olay Total Effects 7-in-1 Anti-Ageing Day Moisturiser with SPF: The best anti-ageing moisturiser for under £20
Price when reviewed: £15
It might seem impossible to find a cheap moisturiser that does seven age-defying things at once. Even if you were lucky enough to come across one, how much would you be willing to believe the hype? Cast cynicism aside for this one, however, despite its low price tag. Its main attribute, aside from being developed by a well-established skincare brand, is its gentle exfoliating properties. These provide skin with an instant smoothness after application that isn’t greasy or heavy and provides just a subtle radiance. The tone of your skin is balanced, lines and pores are slightly blurred – although not completely – and skin feels nicely supple for most of the day. It’s packed with SPF 15 and antioxidants and, most importantly, hydrates to the max. Overall, don’t expect a facelift, but do enjoy having comfortably moisturised skin with more than a few extra benefits on the side – and all for an incredibly reasonable price.
2. Clarins Multi Active Night: The best night cream for under £45
Price when reviewed: £44
You can’t beat a night cream that you know won’t make your skin look or feel greasy when you wake up in the morning. This plant-based medium-to thick cream feels like a treat on application, especially when layered over a serum. It promises to lessen signs of ageing, deliver on radiance and hydrate the skin while you sleep. Although like many other moisturisers, you have to persevere to see results on fine lines and wrinkles, it’s got hydration and glowy skin down to a tee from day one. One downside is the narrow opening to the pot – it’s slender at the top and gets wider towards the bottom, meaning that when you’re running out of product, it’s tricky to scoop the remaining bits out with your finger. It’s so impressive, though, that you’d even consider breaking it open to avoid wasting a drop.
3. Estee Lauder Re Nutriv Replenishing Comfort Crème: The best anti-ageing moisturiser for under £120
Price when reviewed: £115 (50ml)
Probably the hardest-working one of the lot where moisture is concerned, this deluxe cream also promises to strengthen delicate skin and plump fine lines. And plumped it certainly feels – no kidding – which is apparently down to the brand’s multi-patented molecules that aim to cleverly restore the skin. The advice is to use it both morning and evening but, because of its super-thick texture, it really depends on your age and skin type. For example, it would be sensible to only apply it once a day on younger, oily skin but dry, more mature skin types would reap the benefits of using it twice daily. The pot is a touch weighty – not the most practical for travelling with – but at that price, you’d want to feel it in your bag at all times.
4. La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo+: The best moisturiser for oily and blemish-prone skin
Price when reviewed: £16
Rumour has it that this little tube is favoured by catwalk models worldwide who regularly suffer from acne and skin irritation. The sheer gel formula is a godsend for oily and spot-prone skin, and amazingly promises to deliver clearer skin in four weeks thanks to salicylic acid, which declogs pores. It doesn’t disappoint and, despite being super lightweight, it sinks in quickly and you don’t feel deprived of essential moisture throughout the day. Plus, a little goes a long way (meaning the same for your money). The packaging is somewhat clinical, so you’d expect the smell to be as well, but it’s actually a pleasant, clean scent that doesn’t overpower. The skinny nozzle also helps control how much product you squeeze out of the tube for minimal wastage. Not bad for a low-end, high-street moisturiser that also acts as a more than decent spot treatment.
5. La Mer The Moisturising Gel Cream: The best luxury moisturiser
Price when reviewed: £215 (60ml)
La Mer moisturisers have a tendency to be beautifully sumptuous but slightly on the heavy side, so this combination of cream and lightweight gel is the perfect compromise for normal to dry skin. The cooling formula contains the brand’s signature sea-kelp elixir, which helps to renew skin, calm redness and deliver luxuriously smooth and hydrated skin at its best. Okay, so the price is somewhat (read: very) eye-watering but, as well as how it makes skin feel, you can’t beat marine-based ingredients, the need for very little product in one application and a soft, comforting scent. Perfect for those wanting that “new skin” feel, a velvety-smooth finish and a touch of radiance.
