We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article.
Best moisturiser for oily skin
Fjör Hydrolytic Moisturizer
Best moisturiser for oily skin
Fjör Hydrolytic Moisturizer
Burgeoning Swedish skincare brand Fjör is banking on hydrolytic enzymes: molecules that essentially work by controlling the diversity of your microbiome. In short, there are millions of bacteria living on the surface of your skin, and by stopping the trouble-making ones from dominating the party, you can keep 'abnormalities' such as irritation, inflammation and acne nicely at bay.
This clear gel moisturiser is one of just two products in the line (the other is a serum) and works especially well on oil-prone skin, delivering ample moisture without leading to shine.
Best moisturiser for dry skin
Aesop Camellia Nut Facial Hydrating Cream
Best moisturiser for dry skin
Aesop Camellia Nut Facial Hydrating Cream
If you only know Aesop for its style-signalling soap, you're really missing out. The brand's skincare line is brimming with forensically honed formulas based on tried-and-tested ingredients, rather than fleeting industry trends.
One of the best, the Camellia Nut facial cream is a luxuriously rich choice that makes light work of soothing extremely dry skin. With a nutty, sandalwood-steeped scent, it offers instant relief that lasts all day – as well as a little sink-side luxury.
Best SPF moisturiser
Horace Mattifying Face Moisturiser SPF30
Best SPF moisturiser
Horace Mattifying Face Moisturiser SPF30
Sunscreen is not just for summer: UV exposure is the number-one cause of premature skin ageing all year round, so it pays to wear SPF whether you're in the Seychelles or the brisk north of England.
A moisturiser with SPF is a smart choice as you won't need to layer an additional protector on top. This gentle yet effective option from Parisian favourite Horace will shield you from damaging rays without making your skin feel clammy or clogged up.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Best moisturiser for fine lines
Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream For Men
Best moisturiser for fine lines
Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream For Men
Now 20% Off
Amazon might not be the first place you head to for decent mens skincare, but there is one legitimately good deal to be had in the mega-retailer's Spring Sale. Elemis' long-loved moisturiser is one of the best in the game, with moisture-grabbing algae extracts and emollients to soften skin post-shave.
Best moisturiser for combination skin
Kiehl's Facial Fuel
Best moisturiser for combination skin
Kiehl's Facial Fuel
A Kiehl’s bestseller, this is the one to choose if you find most face creams too claggy — it’s lightweight and quick to absorb, yet the hydrating effects will last all day. (The matching Facial Fuel Gel Cleanser is equally effective, if you're after a one-two punch for better skin.)
Best moisturiser for eczema
Murad Daily Defense Cream
Best moisturiser for eczema
Murad Daily Defense Cream
Credit: lookfantasticIt's important to treat eczema-prone skin properly, yet products designed to do just that are few and far between. Murad's latest launch is a trio of products to cleanse, hydrate and SOS treat skin that's in the midst of a flare-up. The fragrance-free Daily Defense Cream contains colloidal oatmeal to mollify itching, alongside niacinamide to build up the skin barrier and shea butter for major hydration.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Best for rough texture
Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Daily Moisturiser
Best for rough texture
Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Daily Moisturiser
If your skin is starting to feel akin to sandpaper, it's time to become acquainted with exfoliating acids. Glycolic acid is the leader of the pack, working to reveal fresher skin by chemically dissolving the dull, dead cells that linger on your skin's surface, revealing the brighter youngsters beneath.
From the unofficial king of resurfacing acids, this moisturiser contains both glycolic and salicylic acids to brighten skin and nix breakouts.
Best value moisturiser
CeraVe Daily Facial Moisturiser Lotion for Normal to Dry Skin
Best value moisturiser
CeraVe Daily Facial Moisturiser Lotion for Normal to Dry Skin
Now 29% Off
We put our skin through a lot — shaving, stress, erratic UK weather, to name a few factors — which is where this cult classic can help.
Boring but brilliant, this ceramide-rich cream won't turn back the hands of time, but it will soften chronically dry skin, be it your face, your hands or your elbows. it's also a great one for using over a prescription acne treatment or retinoid cream.
Best retinol moisturiser
Medik8 Night Ritual Vitamin A™
Best retinol moisturiser
Medik8 Night Ritual Vitamin A™
Medik8 is largely known for its industry-leading retinol serums but the brand also makes a solid retinol moisturiser for those who don't want to layer multiple products each evening. This all-in-one treatment for fine lines, pigmentation and texture will set to work over the weeks that follow, leading to remarkable results after around a month of loyal use.
Retinol is effective yet eristic so work this one slowly into your routine (every other evening at first) to reap the rewards without the teething problems: namely ephemeral sensitivity and dryness. Don't use it by day either as the sun renders retinol inactive.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Best moisturiser for sensitive skin
The Nue Co. Barrier Culture Moisturiser
Best moisturiser for sensitive skin
The Nue Co. Barrier Culture Moisturiser
Your skin is teeming with bacteria — which is something you probably don't want to dwell on — but this ecosystem of microorganisms is important for keeping it healthy and functioning.
Many things, from cleansing to shaving, can upset the delicate balance of the biome, opening the door to irritation, sensitivity and dryness.
The Nue Co's lightweight moisturiser is designed to bring an unruly bacterial situation back into line using a three-course menu of pre, pro and postbiotics that feed the good ones, helping them to regain control. It's especially good for the rosacea and eczema-prone skin.
Best moisturiser for irritated and sore skin
Dermalogica Ultracalming Barrier Repair Moisturiser
Best moisturiser for irritated and sore skin
Dermalogica Ultracalming Barrier Repair Moisturiser
Whether it's a weekend on the slopes or a simply a few days spent bracing the great British weather, the cold can really wreck havoc with delicate skin. Once redness and irritation come to the fore, you need a calming, fragrance-free product designed to repair and fortify a compromised complexion. Dermalogica's clever gel hydrator ticks all the boxes.
Best moisturiser for rosacea-prone skin
Skinceuticals Phyto A+ Brightening Treatment
Best moisturiser for rosacea-prone skin
Skinceuticals Phyto A+ Brightening Treatment
Azelaic acid is widely recommended by dermatologists for skin prone to inflammation and redness, and it's the star ingredient in the latest addition to Skinceuticals' acclaimed Phyto A+ line.
This lightweight hydrator feels more akin to a gel than a cream, and soothes irritated skin both instantly and over time, working to even out blotchiness and brighten tone.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Best moisturiser for breakouts
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo+M: Anti-Blemish Corrective Gel Moisturiser
Best moisturiser for breakouts
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo+M: Anti-Blemish Corrective Gel Moisturiser
Now 23% Off
When you're dealing with acne-prone skin, it's not just active breakouts that can cause frustration: lingering post-acne pigmentation and erythema can drag the whole ordeal out for weeks
The latest addition to La Roche-Posay's dermatologist-approved Effaclar line, this multi-benefit moisturiser works to prevent spots by balancing the bacteria that causes them, and fade the marks that bed in after a breakout. With a lightweight gel texture, it'll gently mattify oily skin and stop shine from emerging throughout the day.
Best luxury moisturiser
Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream
Best luxury moisturiser
Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream
There's a lot of puffery in the men's skincare industry, but Augustinus Bader's cult cream is worth the hype. It's based around a patented 'Trigger Factor Complex' of vitamins, amino acids and minerals that feed the skin, encouraging it to repair and fortify itself. The result is a slow-burn (don't expect an overnight transformation) but one worth persevering for: over time, skin appears brighter, firmer and altogether happier.
The original Cream now comes in several iterations to keep all skin types happy, but most will appreciate the cosseting texture of The Rich Cream. Acne-prone? Pivot to The Light Cream.
Best moisturiser for oily skin
Dr. Sam's Flawless Moisturiser
Best moisturiser for oily skin
Dr. Sam's Flawless Moisturiser
Formulated by an actual doctor, this light face hydrator takes good care of a rebellious complexion, using sebum-regulating niacinamide to bring hyperactive pores back into line, preventing spots from developing in the first place.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Best sustainable moisturiser
Haeckels Eco Marine Face Cream
Best sustainable moisturiser
Haeckels Eco Marine Face Cream
Haeckels is one of few brands whose sustainability ethos actually stands up to scrutiny.
This richer-than-average cream is formulated with a heavy dose of antioxidant seaweed, which is harvested from the Margate shore, and blended with apricot kernel and raspberry seed oils to lock in hydration. The jar is made from Vivomer, a compostable bio-polymer that'll degrade naturally over time.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below