FACE VALUE
Louise Whitbread on the top moisturisers for every skin type
The holy trinity of any good skincare routine is a cleanser, moisturiser and SPF. The first removes make-up and will keep your complexion clean, and suncream is a no-brainer for preventing sunburn and pigmentation.
Typically, the purpose of a moisturiser is to hydrate the skin, restore its barrier function and leave it looking and feeling
supple and plump. However, now there’s a face cream with a host of additional benefits to tackle every skincare need, across every budget.
A good moisturiser can do many things; soothe dryness, balance oiliness, lock in moisture, combat acne-prone complexions, improve texture and fine lines, brighten or leave behind a radiant glow. Not to mention, they’re one of the most effective tools at creating a perfectly prepped canvas for applying makeup.
When choosing the right one, use your skin type as a guide; if you’re prone to dryness, a richer cream will be instantly soothing, whereas a lightweight, oil-free gel will suit oilier skin types best. After all, nobody wants a greasy residue left behind that takes ages to rub in and even longer to see results.
Those with a gel-cream texture can be applied morning and evening onto cleansed skin, while others boasting thicker textures can work wonderfully in your nighttime regime. There’s even multi-tasking moisturisers that will add a gradual tan to skin too.
How we tested
Given the many moisturisers on the market, finding the right one can be no easy feat. We’ve spent weeks putting many to the test to narrow it down to the top-performing products. Spanning luxury, mid-range and budget-friendly buys, we considered texture, consistency, absorption, effectiveness and value for money.
La Roche-Posay dermallago night £20.00, Cultbeauty.co.uk
This soothing cream is designed for sensitive skin prone to irritation, dryness and itchiness. Its gel-cream texture is fast absorbing and just a couple pumps is enough to apply across the whole face. We found this worked wonders on soothing rosacea flare-ups on our cheeks and calmed hormonal acne on our chin. It’s a brilliant fuss-free moisturiser that does exactly what it promises, quickly absorbs and doesn’t leave your skin feeling greasy – we’d argue it’s a skincare staple.
Buy now
Weleda skin food light £13.50, Boots.com
Weleda’s original skin food is a rich cream that layers beautifully beneath make-up and is well loved by MUAs and celebrities like Hailey Bieber for red carpets. Its thick consistency makes it fantastic for very dry skin, but if you want to enjoy its moisturising benefits with a lighter texture, the Weleda skin food light is an underrated gem. It’s a lovely lightweight creamy texture for dry skin, infused with organic sunflower oil, wild pansy, chamomile and calendula to help clear up dry patches fostered by cold weather. It can also be used on the body too and is particularly great for dry hands and elbows.
Buy now
Naturium multi-peptide moisturizer £21.00, Spacenk.com
Naturium is a newer brand in the UK, having entered the beauty scene in late 2022. It’s the brainchild of influencer and skincare expert Susan Yara and driven by the belief that skincare should be effective and affordable. For just over £20, its multi-peptide moisturizer is not the cheapest, but for a mid-range moisturiser, it’s a worthwhile investment. We loved the creamy, smoothing consistency of this immediately and it was quick to improve texture and add plumpness back to sallow skin.
Buy now
Clinique anti redness treatment £45.00, Boots.com
If you’re battling rosacea, this green coloured cream is fantastic as a daily treatment to reduce redness. The creamy texture is hydrating but not heavy, and is made with lactobacillus extract, a probiotic that calms irritated skin. Upon application, there’s an immediate reduction in redness, especially on our cheeks which always flare up when the weather gets cold. It’s great for oily skin types too, with no greasy residue, thanks to the oil-free formula. A little goes a long way, so while this is an investment, it will last you ages and is fast-acting on redness-prone skin.
Buy now
Kate Somerville delikate recovery cream £68.90, Sephora.co.uk
This perfectly toes the line between a luxury rich cream and a soothing balm for irritated skin. Despite its thick texture, it’s not greasy in the slightest and worked well even on our oily skinned reviewer. It leaves skin immediately softer and smoother, and sat well beneath make-up, however we loved applying a generous layer before bed to wake up to a soothed complexion in the morning. It’s particularly useful during winter, when dryness on the nose and cheeks are common.
Buy now
Charlotte Tilbury magic cream night £35.00, Cultbeauty.co.uk
Charlotte Tilbury’s magic cream has long been a cult favourite among make-up lovers, for its skin-smoothing properties which make your application easier and last longer. However if you’re prone to dryness and are in need of something richer, this balmy night cream does just the job. As it’s a thicker cream, it’s designed only for use in the evening and will help wake you up with a luminous, softer complexion. It’s not a fast-absorbing formula, but take your time to apply it and your skin will thank you for it. It’s functional and luxurious all in one.
Buy now
Tan-Luxe the cream £39.00, Spacenk.com
This multi-tasking moisturiser is both a hydrating cream and gradual self-tanner, and manages to do both very well. It’s a cocktail of lipids, squalane, antioxidants and amino acids which combined, add and retain moisture, along with plumpness and suppleness too.
Packaged in a chic aluminium tube, it’s fast absorbing, doesn’t have the classic overpowering fake tan scent, nor does it transfer colour onto your pillowcase or pyjama collar. Best of all, it’s a gentle gradual tanner which adds an overnight glow and is customisable – the more you apply, the deeper your tan will be. However, it won’t leave your skin looking orange or patchy, and a pea-sized amount evens out skin tone beautifully.
Buy now
Farmacy beauty daily greens oil-free gel moisturizer £30.64, Sephora.co.uk
This cooling gel moisturiser has a bouncy texture that’s instantly refreshing on skin in need of a hydration boost. It’s lightweight and a mix of hyaluronic acid and polyglutamic acid, two humectants which attract and retain moisture, along with niacinamide to combat excess oiliness and a shiny T-zone. It’s a lovely texture beneath make-up too. Lastly, it’s also fragrancefree, which is a common skin irritant, so is ideal for sensitive skin types too.
Buy now
Aesop seeking silence facial hydrator £43.00, Selfridges.com
Luxury bodycare brand Aesop may be best known for its chic hand washes, but its skincare is well worth your money too, if you’re shopping with a bigger budget. This lightweight botanical-based lotion is fast-absorbing, housed in an apothecary-style glass jar. Designed with sensitive skin in mind prone to irritation and redness, we think this is a lovely option for combination skin, when you need intense moisture without feeling greasy. While its blend of squalane, ginger root and bisabol are effective, the added touch of its signature woody aroma only amplifies its luxury appeal.
Buy now
Indie Lee brightening cream £39.00, Indielee.uk
For lacklustre skin, try this brightening cream for size. Founded by Indie Lee, her eponymous skincare line is made with plantderived ingredients with many of its products – including this moisturiser – featuring squalane, a lightweight, non-greasy oil that helps reduce water loss and maintain suppleness. This cream is also packed with strawberry leaf extract, safflower oil, mango seed butter and centella asiatica, which boosts radiance. It’s a lightweight texture that glides onto skin without feeling greasy or heavy, and after a week of use, we saw a brighter, glowy complexion.
Buy now
The verdict
We can’t fault the fast-acting effectiveness of La Roche-Posay dermallago night which tackles multiple concerns, from dryness, itchiness and overall sensitivity. It’s lightweight, nongreasy texture leaves skin feeling soothed.
For a fantastic affordable option, the Weleda skin food light ticks every box for hydrating dry skin and is a great base for applying make-up.
Want your views to be included in The Independent Daily Edition letters page? Email us by tapping here letters@independent.co.uk. Please include your address