Discover which face moisturiser best suits your skin with our pick of the best moisturisers, creams and lotions that offer the most hydration and protection
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The best moisturiser needs to tick a lot of boxes. It can’t be too greasy, it can’t be too thick.
It shouldn’t cost the earth but it needs to contain certain ingredients to do your skin justice.
We recently started a series on TikTok in a bid to find the best moisturisers, serums, toners and primers in the UK.
Below we’ve started listing the moisturisers we’ve tested as part of this series and we’ll be adding to this as the tests continue and as the scores and leaderboard change.
We’re also taking requests from followers about what products we should try next.
This skincare series is similar to our widescale foundation group test and you can read more about that on our best foundation makeup page.
If you’re interested to learn more about how we test moisturisers, jump straight to that section.
We’re also tracking the scores for each of these products on a spreadsheet which you can find here, or by clicking the button below.
GO TO THE SPREADSHEET
mamabella | mamabella If you don’t want to go through our full list, and just want to know what is the best face moisturiser that ticks all of the boxes, our current tried-and-tested favourite is:
***Purito Deep Sea Water Cream***
It’s suitable for dry and oily skin, is non-comedogenic and relatively affordable.
You can read more about this cream below, or you can read our full Purito Deep Sea Water Cream review here, or you can discover more of the best moisturisers for oily skin here.
This list is due to change and evolve as more tests are completed. These are the top 10 best moisturisers as of July 2024. You can see the full list of all products ranked on our spreadsheet, and we’ve also started listing the best serums, best toners, and best primers separately here. You can also discover our best moisturisers for oily skin and best moisturisers for dry skin here.
WANT TO KNOW MORE? Best BB cream | Best moisturiser | Best moisturisers for dry skin | Best moisturiser for oily skin and acne | Best tinted moisturiser | Best toner | Best primer | Best cleanser| Best eye cream| Best anti-ageing cream | Best hand cream| Best foot cream | Best face mask | Best face exfoliator | Best face oil| Best serum| Best night cream | Best SPF | Best Vitamin C serum | Men’s skincare routine| Best stretch mark cream
Below we’ve started reviewing the best face moisturisers we’ve tested as part of our skincare group test and we’ll be adding to this list as the tests continue and as the scores and leaderboard change.
£17.50 | Buy now (UK) | Buy now (US)
View the full TikTok video by clicking here
Purito After months of sitting at the top of our best moisturiser list, Simple’s Daily Hydrating Light Moisturiser has finally been usurped by Purito’s Deep Sea Water Cream.
In our hydration test, the Purito cream increased hydration on our hand by a staggering 13.2 points or 35%.
After an hour, this increase dropped slightly by 1.3 points but it still gave a total hydration increase of 11.9 points or 32.7%.
Even though it’s not as cheap as the Simple moisturiser – in fact, it costs £10.50 per 30ml versus just 55p for Simple’s version – this wasn’t enough to drop Purito’s overall score enough to stop it from taking the top spot.
Purito specialises in vegan, cruelty-free, and clean products, and in our Inci Decoder category, it achieved an INCI score of 10, an Irritation rating of 1, and a comedogenic rating of 3.
You can read more about what these scores mean by jumping to our how we test moisturisers section at the bottom of this page. You can also see how those scores compare to other moisturisers we’ve tested by going to the spreadsheet.
With a total score of 50.5 points, it wasn’t quite enough to be the most hydrating product we’ve tested. That accolade still goes to the Fenty Beauty Fat Water toner serum, which currently tops our best serum list.
Yet it is the most hydrating moisturiser we’ve used. It’s light on the skin, absorbs easily, and doesn’t feel greasy or heavy. We’re obsessed!
Read our full Purito Deep Sea Water Cream review here
What the Purito Deep Sea Water Cream reviews say:
“If I could give this moisturiser more stars, I would! It’s a perfect light moisturiser that hydrates perfectly. Great for summer and oily skin. Great under makeup too!” – Sarah
“I love this moisturiser, I have very dry skin so this is a product I use in the summer it’s not enough for me in the winter though.” – LZB
“This works really well for people with oily-combo skin. Its lightweight but still leaves the skin feeling moisturised.” – M
£3.45 | Buy now (UK) | Buy now (US)
View the full TikTok video
Read our full Simply Hydrating Light Moisturiser review
Simple Despite being an avid Simple skincare user as a teenager, it fell out of favour for other brands that were seemingly en vogue.
However, if our hydration test is anything to go by, we’ve been sleeping on the Simple brand for too long.
Over the course of five minutes, this Simple Daily Hydrating Moisturiser increased the hydration of our skin by 6.6 percentage points, which is equivalent to a 23.5% rise.
This isn’t the highest hydration increase of the moisturisers we’ve tested, however, when all the other factors are taken into consideration it caused this Simple lotion to jump into the top spot. These other factors include the fact it’s super affordable – £3.45 for 125ml – and is fully vegan and cruelty-free.
It’s even PETA-approved.
As you’d expect for such a hydrating moisturiser, this lotion feels light on the skin and it absorbed quickly without too much rubbing of the skin.
It’s fragrance-free, and has been designed to be suitable for all skin types. Including sensitive skin.
Given the level of hydration for such a light lotion, too, we’d think that this moisturiser would be great for oily skin as well as dry. Plus it’s light enough for mature skin, too.
An all-around great product that was the leader in our hunt for the best moisturiser for a long time until it got usurped by Purito.
Read our full Simply Hydrating Light Moisturiser review
What the Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser reviews say:
“This is my holy grail moisturiser. So calming and kind on my skin, not thick or gloopy, just the perfect consistency. Glides on my skin seamlessly. Most importantly great price for a great quality moisturiser. Highly recommend and will never switch!” – Freya
“Love this moisturiser. I use it during the summer underneath my SPF. I have Chronic Urticaria and Angioedema so my skin reacts to so much so finding skin care can be very difficult. But this along with the Rich version are brilliant. Very comfortable, non greasy and doesn’t break my acne out.” – KittyHawk
£35 | Buy now
View the full TikTok video
Read our full Clinique Hydrating Jelly review
mamabella | mamabella It takes a lot for a product to enter the top 10 in our best moisturiser list, let alone take a podium place. It’s even rarer when a product is on the pricey side yet Clinique has managed to do just that with its Dramatically Different Hydrating Jelly.
It increased the hydration of our skin by 12 points or 43.8% after five minutes. This is the second-highest increase of any moisturiser tested, and higher than any serum too.
What’s more, the Dramatically Different Hydrating Jelly continued to increase hydration by a further two points after an hour. Giving a total rise of 44.5%.
The reason it sits in third place in our best moisturiser list is because of its high price, and the fact it’s not a vegan brand.
Ingredient-wise, there are no “icky” ingredients in this moisturiser.
In fact, there are a couple of “superstar” and “goodie” ingredients in the form of glycerin, cucumber extract, and hyaluronic acid.
It also contains caffeine to bring dull skin to life and citric acid that acts as a gentle exfoliant to get rid of dead skin and debris.
This jelly is so lightweight, it feels closer to a serum in consistency than moisturiser and it feels cooling and soothing on our oily skin.
In summary, we’re huge fans of this moisturiser. It’s just a shame it costs so much.
Read our full Clinique Hydrating Jelly review here.
What the Clinique Hydrating Jelly reviews say:
“I love this gel, it does wonders for my skin. It goes on easily, is quickly absorbed and leaves my skin plumped up and smooth. This is not just my imagination, after I started using it a friend remarked on how well my skin was looking and wanted to know what I was using!” – Zerowhite
“Whilst I know this product is targeted as a moisturiser I find it best used as a hydrating serum after cleansing and using a splash of the Moisture Surge Hydrating Lotion and before other serums. It’s full of really nice hydrating ingredients but do feel it needs to be sealed in with a moisturiser with a little more oomph.” – George
FURTHER READING: Clinique Moisture Surge review | The best Clinique moisturiser for your skin type, budget and concerns
£27 | Buy now
View the full TikTok video by clicking here
Read our full COSRX Snail Mucin review here
COSRX COSRX’s Snail Mucin Essence topped our best face serum list for a long time and the All In One Cream from the same Snail Mucin range has jumped right up the leaderboard in our hunt for the best moisturiser.
In our test, the gel-like cream increased the hydration of our skin by more than 11 percentage points, which equates to a little over 30%.
At the time of writing, this is the highest percentage points increase of all of the products we’ve tested. It’s also the highest percentage increase in the moisturiser category.
Other products have scored higher, percentage-wise, but all of them have been serums or toner serums.
When all products are taken into consideration, the All In One Cream sits in fifth place overall.
The All In One Cream doesn’t quite take the top spot in our list of best moisturisers because it’s more expensive than the Simple Hydrating Lotion and it’s not fully vegan and cruelty-free.
Given the hydration and the lightweight nature of this cream, we’d say the All In One Cream would be particularly well-suited to oily skin as well as dry and mature skin.
A little also goes a long way so while it’s an expensive product, it could last you a while so it may end up being good value and a worthwhile investment.
Read our full COSRX Snail Mucin review here
FURTHER READING: The science of oily skin and how to get rid of it for good
£14 | Buy now
View the full TikTok video by clicking here
Read our full Versed Dew Point Moisturising Gel-Cream review here
mamabella The Versed Dew Point Gel Moisturiser has emerged as a significant contender in our search for the best face moisturiser.
In our hydration test, the Versed Dew Point Gel Moisturiser lived up to its promises of deep hydration.
Within just five minutes of application, it increased skin hydration by 7.5 percentage points, translating to a 20.8% rise in moisture levels.
Despite a slight decrease in hydration after one hour, the product still achieved an overall increase of 4.1 points, or 12.6%.
The moisturiser itself is lightweight and has a gel-like consistency.
It quickly absorbs into the skin without any greasy residue and this makes it great for people with oily or acne-prone skin, or during the winter months.
The key ingredients in this moisturiser include:
Elsewhere, the Versed Dew Point Gel Moisturiser is vegan and cruelty-free.
Versed recommends applying a peanut-sized amount of this gel-cream to the face and neck, either in the morning or evening, following cleansing and any serums.
Read our full Versed Dew Point Moisturising Gel-Cream review here
£6.80 | Buy now
View the full TikTok video by clicking here
The Ordinary The Hyaluronic Acid serum from The Ordinary scored admirably in our hunt for the best face serum and now the brand’s Natural Moisturising Factors + HA cream has lived up to these high expectations.
Its description claims that this cream “offers immediate hydration” and our tests confirm this.
Going straight into the top 10 of the hydration-only charts, this face moisturiser not only increased the hydration of our skin by 5.6 percentage points (18%), but its affordable price and the fact it’s vegan and cruelty-free also means it ranks high overall.
It’s not as cheap as the Simple lotion and didn’t hydrate quite as well as the COSRX Snail Mucin All-in-One cream.
However, judging by the fact so many people requested this as part of our best moisturiser group test, it suggests it will be a very popular, welcomed addition to the podium.
The cream itself feels this when it’s first applied but soon turns to a thin, almost lotion-style cream that is absorbed easily and quickly.
Leaving the skin feeling soft.
Deciem, the company that owns The Ordinary, describes Natural Moisturising Factors (NMF) as “elements that keep the outer layer of the skin protected and well-hydrated.”
This group consists of multiple amino acids, fatty acids, triglycerides, urea, ceramides, phospholipids, glycerin, saccharides, sodium PCA, hyaluronic acid and other compounds that are found naturally in the skin.
£15.99 | Buy now (UK)
View the full TikTok video by clicking here
Face & Base Face & Base is a new British brand on a mission to offer effective vegan, cruelty-free and clean skincare with “no BS.”
At the moment it sells just one product but, judging by our best moisturiser tests, it’s an incredible debut called the Gel Priming Moisturiser.
In our hydration test, this face moisturiser increased hydration by 7.9 percentage points (21.3%) after five minutes. An hour after application, this hydration dropped by 1.2 points but even with this reduction, hydration levels were still 18.6%.
It scored maximum points for being vegan and cruelty-free and at £16 RRP, or £9.59 for 30ml, it’s an affordable product, too.
Elsewhere, according to the INCI Decoder database, the Face & Base Gel Priming Moisturiser contains no “icky” ingredients.
In fact, the large majority of ingredients are labelled “goodies” or “superstars” and as a result, its ingredients have an Irritation rating of zero.
The Gel Priming Moisturiser does have a comedogenic rating of 2, due to the inclusion of the antioxidant olive oil (Olea Europaea) but we’ve not experienced any clogged pores or breakouts, on top of what we’d get normally with our adult acne, so we suggest taking this with a pinch of salt.
The ratings also depend on the amount of an ingredient used and without knowing the exact details, this is purely a guide.
And in terms of real-world use, this gel feels great on our oily skin. It absorbs easily and you only need a tiny amount to give your face a youthful glow that doesn’t feel greasy.
We’ve only been using it for two weeks, so we’re yet to see long-term differences yet but the brand has a lot of positive reviews so we’ll keep you posted.
BUY NOW
£16 | Buy now (UK) | Buy now (US)
View the full TikTok video by clicking here
mamabella | mamabella The Aveeno Calm and Restore serum didn’t even make it into our top 20 best face serums but its Oat Gel moisturiser performed significantly better, going straight in at number nine on our best moisturiser list.
We’re already big fans of this moisturiser and whenever our skin barrier gets damaged – from using too much retinol, or when we’ve accidentally over-exfoliated – we reach for this cream.
It’s so cooling on the skin, it’s as if it’s come straight from the fridge each time we use it and it’s lightweight. It doesn’t feel heavy on the skin and it absorbs almost immediately, taking all of its hydrating goodness deep inside.
In our hydration tests, this moisturiser increased levels by 6.7 points (25%) after five minutes, and – despite dropping ever so slightly after an hour – managed to keep hydration levels high at 24.7% overall.
Elsewhere, it’s affordable and its ingredients have a low risk of causing irritation and breakouts.
There are a couple of downsides.
We don’t love the packaging of this gel-like cream and, as is the case with all jar moisturisers, it’s best to use a skincare spatula to get the cream out of the pot.
Most pot moisturisers ship with small plastic spatulas but you can also buy reusable cosmetic spatulas separately on Amazon for around £8.
If you use your fingers, you run the risk of adding bacteria to the formula which can lead to skin breakouts, lessen the impact of the cream, and intefere with the delicate preservative systems that prevent your skincare from growing mould or similar.
Another downside is that while Aveeno, as a brand, is cruelty-free, it’s owned by Johnson and Johnson which does sell products in China, where animal testing is still used.
Read our full Aveeno Oat Gel moisturiser review here
£11 | Buy now (UK) | Buy now (US)
View the full TikTok video by clicking here
mamabella | mamabella In our best moisturiser test, the CeraVe Moisturising Lotion increased the hydration of our skin by 25%. That is, in just five minutes, the CeraVe lotion enhanced the hydration of the skin on our hand by a quarter.
Only serums and essences performed higher, which we’d expect because these are typically designed to penetrate deeper into your skin whereas moisturisers, instead, create a barrier to avoid hydration escaping.
Compared to the CeraVe Moisturising Cream, the lotion is thinner and absorbs more easily.
This makes it better suited as a daytime moisturiser, while the cream may better suit drier skin, or as an overnight moisturiser.
As you can read in our guide to the best CeraVe products, the brand was born out of a need to help repair the skin barrier – a key component in acne, eczema, psoriasis and other conditions.
It contains three essential ceramides, which are fatty acids and lipids found naturally in skin cells.
They’re important for retaining your skin’s moisture, and they help prevent the entry of germs into your body.
Although our skin generates ceramides naturally, their levels drop with age and can be impacted by environmental factors, leading to your skin suffering and deteriorating from a lack of protection.
Read our full CeraVe Moisturising Lotion review here
FURTHER READING: The best CeraVe products for all your skincare concerns – from acne, wrinkles, bumpy skin and eczema
£18 | Buy now
View the full TikTok video by clicking here
Illiyoon The Illiyoon Ceramide Ato Soothing Gel is great for anyone looking to soothe, strengthen, and hydrate their skin.
This gel boosted our skin’s moisture by a notable 6.7 percentage points, which is a substantial 20.2% increase.
This level of hydration is particularly impressive and speaks volumes about the quality of ingredients, as reflected in its excellent INCI score of 10.
It’s also an affordable option that doesn’t compromise on quality and contains ceramides and amino acids which help repair the skin barrier and nourish the skin.
These amino acids also boost collagen making this gel good for anyone looking to maintain youthful skin texture and elasticity.
Elsewhere, it’s made without mineral oils, parabens, artificial colourants, or artificial fragrances.
Additionally, it’s clinically tested and proven to be hypoallergenic, making it suitable for even sensitive skin types.
Buy now
£9.99 | Buy now
View the full TikTok video by clicking here
The Inkey List Further proof that you don’t need to spend a fortune on skincare to see results, the Omega Water Cream from The Inkey List increased our skin’s hydration by 11.7% in our best face moisturiser tests.
As you’d expect, given its name, this cream is runny and thin. This means it absorbs easily and doesn’t feel too heavy on the skin.
The Inkey List claims that its secret sauce is its ‘Omega Ceramide Complex’ which contains omegas 3, 6 and 9.
These work together to prevent water loss and boost the skin’s elasticity.
The hydration then comes from the fact it contains 5% glycerin.
Glycerin is a humectant or moisture magnet, that pulls hydration to the skin for the moisturiser to lock it in place.
This is why it’s important to apply this cream and others like it on damp or even wet skin.
This cream additionally contains niacinamide to help regulate oil production, reduce redness and prevent pimples.
You can read more about The Inkey List and see some of its other best products here.
FURTHER READING: Spotlight on The Inkey List: Affordable skincare and hair care that actually does as it promises
£79 | Buy now
Charlotte Tilbury Charlotte’s Magic Water Cream is the lighter, fragrance-free sibling of the original Charlotte’s Magic Cream.
The brand calls it a hydration saviour and it contains:
Charlotte Tilbury makes some bold claims about 48-hour hydration and, while we haven’t tested it for 48 hours yet, our early hydration tests suggest that these claims are pretty accurate.
It caused the hydration of our skin to rise by 17 points after just five minutes. This is the highest increase of any product we’ve tested.
This total hydration did drop slightly after an hour, but even with this drop, the total hour-long increase was 14.6 points – 56% higher than before we applied the cream.
What’s more, it feels super lightweight on our oily, sensitive skin and gives a dewy – but not greasy-looking – finish.
The cream doesn’t feature higher in the list, however, because it’s expensive and contains a couple of ingredients that could cause issues to very sensitive skin types.
All that considered though, it still enters our best moisturiser list in the top 20 and takes a top 10 spot in our best moisturiser for oily skin list, as well as our best moisturiser for dry skin list.
Buy now
£14 | Buy now
mamabella | mamabella If you’re a Stranger Things fan, you’ll be very familiar with Millie Bobby Brown.
Beyond being an amazing actress, she also has her own skincare line called Florence by Mills and our favourite product from her collection is the Dreamy Dew moisturiser.
It’s super lightweight on the skin and is designed to help control oil and leave the skin calm and refreshed. All while leaving it looking dewy, as the name suggests.
In our hydration test, this moisturiser increased the levels of our skin by a hugely impressive 7.6 points (20.3%) after just five minutes.
Even dropping 2.4 points after an hour, this still gave a total hydration increase of 5.2 points, or 14.9%. This is above average compared to all the entries in our best moisturiser list.
Ingredients-wise, it has a relatively low irritation and comedogenic rating so shouldn’t cause too many problems with sensitive skin, and it shouldn’t cause breakouts. We have adult acne and skin that’s prone to redness and we’ve not experienced any issues with this cream.
We should point out though that it does contain fragrance.
This fragrance is in very low amounts and smells subtle but if your skin doesn’t like perfumes, this could be a concern.
It’s also not the cheapest face moisturiser on our list. It’s far from the most expensive and a little goes a very long way but this might put it out of reach for some.
£12 | Buy now
e. e.l.f is one of the best cheap makeup brands around but it also sells great skincare, including its Holy Hydration range.
Within the wider range, it sells a Holy Hydration eye cream, cleanser and cleansing balm, sleeping and lip mask and, the product we’ve tested in our hunt for the best moisturiser, the e.l.f. Holy Hydration Face Cream.
We tested the SPF, fragranced version and it increased hydration by 6.4 points or 18% after five minutes.
This hydration continued to increase by another point after an hour, which took the total percentage rise to 20%. As a result, this moisturiser jumped straight into the top 10.
This is due to the fact this cream contains hyaluronic acid as well as squalene and Vitamin B5.
It also contains niacinamide and peptides to help promote collagen and brighten skin tone.
The cream is thicker than we thought it would be and took a while to massage into the skin but it left a soft finish and didn’t feel as heavy as its consistency would suggest.
The fragrance is very light but if fragranced products irritate your skin, you can buy a fragrance-free version.
£16.40 | Buy now
View the full TikTok video by clicking here
mamabella | mamabella Like with Etude House, we hadn’t heard of Isntree before a number of our TikTok followers asked to test the brand. And the most popular product request was the Hyaluronic Acid Aqua Gel Cream.
Isntree is a Korean beauty brand that specialises in using natural, functional ingredients that do as they promise in products that are manufactured and sold with sustainability at their core. In fact, its name is a portmanteau of “island”, “natural” and “tree.”
The Aqua Gel Cream contains five types of hyaluronic acid, which helps suck in moisture to the skin. It then has squalene from olive oil (to refine skin texture); aloe vera to soothe irritation, and sodium PCA to prevent the skin from drying out.
As the name suggests, this cream has a light, gel texture which makes it particularly good for oily and combination skin. After all, oily skin still needs to be hydrated to prevent it from producing even more sebum to overcompensate for the lack of moisture. It is also great for dry, and sensitive skin too. No mean feat.
In our hydration test, this gel cream increased the hydration levels of our skin by 4.6 percentage points (15.9%) after five minutes. It then rose a further 0.3 percentage points after an hour. This gave the gel a total hydration increase of 4.9 points or 14.5%.
This is a decent score, especially in our hunt for the best moisturiser, and it helped push the cream into the top 10. Knocking Etude House’s Soon Jung 2x Barrier Cream out of the top 10 for the first time.
The Isntree Aqua Gel Cream gained the same overall score as e.l.f’s Holy Hydration. The e.l.f version is slightly cheaper, and its hydration increase was slightly higher. It lost points for having a couple of “icky” ingredients on the INCI Decoder database.
It also contains Stearyl Heptanoate which has a comedogenic rating of 4. This means the ingredient has been linked with causing breakouts.
By comparison, Isntree’s gel has no “icky” ingredients, an irritation rating of 0, and a comedogenic rating of 1. These ratings apply to the ingredients rather than the formula as a whole, so they should be used as a guide only.
£14.99 | Buy now
View the full TikTok video by clicking here
mamabella | mamabella Etude House wasn’t a brand we’d heard of before we began our hunt for the best face moisturiser, yet after numerous people on TikTok requested its Soon Jung 2X Barrier Cream, we put it to the test.
It didn’t disappoint, jumping straight into the Top 10 and pushing one-time-leader Cetaphil Daily Hydration Lotion out of the leaderboard for the first time.
In our test, this Soon Jung cream increased the hydration of our skin by a very high 8.8 percentage points, or 24%, after five minutes. After an hour, this jumped a further point, giving a total rise of 9.8 points or 26%. It’s also affordable, coming in at £15.
Consistency-wise, it feels thick but is closer to a lotion than a cream. Plus it absorbs easily and doesn’t leave the skin feeling greasy or heavy.
In fact, our skin felt soft and looked glowy for hours after application. It’s also fragrance-free, which should reduce the chance of it irritating sensitive skin.
Despite all of these positives, the reason the Soon Jung Barrier Cream didn’t score higher is that it lost points for not being a fully vegan brand.
It also sells products in China, which means that while Etude House doesn’t test its products on animals directly, it allows the authorities it works with to do so. This means it also dropped points in the cruelty-free category.
We recently discovered a website called YesStyle that makes it easy, and cheap, to get hold of Japanese and Korean beauty in the UK, and the Soon Jung Barrier Cream is currently on offer for just a tenner.
Shipping takes about a week, which is less than ideal if you’re desperate for certain products but if you’re not, and can wait, we think it’s worth it. Plus, you can use the exclusive mamabella discount code: MAMABELLA to get 10% off your order.
£11.99 | Buy now
View the full TikTok video by clicking here
mamabella | mamabella Byoma only came to life during the 2020 lockdown and it’s already gained a cult following. This is due to its affordable, accessible skincare that helps repair the skin barrier.
We’ve tested two Byoma products as part of our TikTok skincare series. These are the Byoma Hydrating Serum and the Byoma Moisturising Gel-Cream.
Both performed well, entering the top 10 immediately but the Moisturising Gel-Cream scored particularly high.
It increased hydration by 4.7 points (14%) after five minutes.
It then continued to hydrate the skin after an hour, rising hydration levels another 4.7 points. This means it scored 9.3 points in total.
This means that after an hour, our skin was 25% more hydrated than before.
To put this into perspective, the average hour-long hydration rate currently sits at 8.4%.
This means Byoma tripled the performance of the average products on our best moisturisers list. It got extra points for its vegan and cruelty-free credentials.
The packaging is then made from fully recyclable 100% monomaterial plastic.
£18 | Buy now
View the full TikTok video by clicking here
mamabella | mamabella OK, so technically this is a hand cream but in all the test of the best moisturisers, it performed really well and having since applied this to my face, it works just as well as others in this list.
It’s designed to provide deep hydration and nourishment thanks to the inclusion of shea butter, known for its moisturising properties, and macadamia seed oil, which helps to soften and soothe the skin.
I had worried these ingredients would cause breakouts on my face, but I haven’t experienced any.
Additionally, because it contains aloe vera and its anti-inflammatory benefits, and squalane, which helps to maintain and repair the skin barrier, the skin on our face looks noticeably better and less red since using this cream.
In our hydration test, it increased hydration by 8.3 points, or 21.8% after five minutes.
This dropped by -3.3 points after an hour but still gave a total increase of 5 points, or 14.4%.
It scored full marks for being vegan and cruelty-free. The only thing that let it down slightly is that it’s not cheap.
For each best moisturiser test, we use a device called the Mili Pure to record the moisture level of the skin on our hands before washing them. We then apply each moisturiser, serum, and essence onto the damp skin.
After five minutes we take a second hydration reading. We then wait an hour and take a third and final reading.
The reason we do these tests on our hands is because we have adult acne. The oil and hydration levels on our face can vary significantly and this could skew the results. We’re aware this isn’t perfect, because the products are made for our face, however, given that the hydration levels of our hands are more consistent, we feel this is a fairer way to do the tests.
To determine a product’s total score, which determines where it sits on the leaderboard, we add together the points in the Vegan, Cruelty-Free, Hydration Percentage, and INCI Score categories. We then subtract the price per 30ml, and the Irritation and Comedone Rating scores.
Note: Please take the Irritation and Comedogenic ratings with a pinch of salt. The rating can change depending on the amount of that particular ingredient being used. For example, if an ingredient has an irritation rating of 5 but only features in trace amounts in the product in question, the chances of it causing irritation are lower than the rating would suggest. This should be used as a guide only. You can find out more about this here.
If you’re looking to save some money and don’t want to fork out for multiple products, there might be something of interest in our best tinted moisturiser list as a handful of our favourites tick all the boxes.
Below we answer some of the most frequently asked questions when it comes to moisturiser.
We go into more detail about how moisturisers work in our science of moisturiser article but moisturiser has a number of uses.
Depending on the moisturiser and its ingredients, it can:
Yes moisturiser, and moisturising, does work but you need to buy a moisturiser that suits your skin type for it to work as it should.
The main purpose of a moisturiser is hydrating the skin and it does this by trapping and holding water in the outer layer of the skin. In addition to hydration, moisturisers play a role in reinforcing the skin’s natural barrier.
This barrier is key to protecting your skin from environmental stressors, such as pollutants and UV rays.
Shutterstock Some dermatologists claim face moisturisers can make your skin “lazy.” According to this school of thought, constantly flooding the skin with moisture makes your fibroblast cells think they don’t have to work so hard, so they effectively slow down or give up.
These cells are also responsible for producing collagen and elastin meaning if they become lazy, it can also cause premature ageing because these are the building blocks of youthful skin.
Other dermatologists swear by moisturiser, while a third group say that it should be used sparingly or – if you have dry skin – you only need to use products like Vaseline or similar to lock moisture into the skin without making it lazy.
If you’re not seeing any difference from using a moisturiser, or you find your moisturiser is making your skin worse, it can’t do any harm to reduce its use to see if your skin improves. You could opt for only using moisturiser when your skin is particularly dry or damaged, from sunburn or similar, or opting only for an occlusive such as petroleum jelly.
Everyone’s skin is different so do what you think works best for you.
@victoria_woolly_web As an occlusive I didn’t expect this to increase hydration but that’s quite a hefty drop for something that’s meant to create a barrier and stop hydration escaping. It may be that the consistency blocks the moisturise reader from taking an accurate reading and of course it’s for soothing dry skin so still serves a purpose. It’s just interesting to see #mamabella #vaseline #hydration #lockedinhydration #hydrationtest #occlusive #occlusives #occlusiveskincare ♬ You Only Love Me – Rita Ora
Vaseline, or petroleum jelly, often gets a bad rep for use in skincare but the truth is, it’s been used as moisturiser by experts for years with some saying it’s the best moisturiser there is. This is because it’s great at sealing in moisture and it’s particularly beneficial for very dry, cracked, or irritated skin. Vaseline’s main benefits include:
However, Vaseline does hydrate on its own. It doesn’t draw moisture into the skin, instead it stops moisture evaporating. This means it’s most effective when applied to damp skin or layered over products that hydrate the skin.
It might also be less suitable for people with acne-prone or oily skin because it can feel heavy and potentially lead to clogged pores. It doesn’t cause problems on its own, but if it’s not removed properly or the skin beneath it is dirty, then it can lead to breakouts.
The Inkey List Below is our best moisturiser for oily skin and acne at the time of writing.
***The Inkey List Omega Water Cream***
This moisturiser is lightweight and hydrating making it perfect for oily skin. It contains glycerin, niacinamide and ceramides to help keep the skin barrier healthy and balanced.
It’s also one of the best cheap moisturisers for oily skin, too, making it a great all-rounder.
mamabella | mamabella Below is our best moisturiser for dry skin at the time of writing.
***Clinique Dramatically Different Hydrating Jelly***
This moisturising jelly is lightweight and hydrating making it ideal for dry skin. It contains glycerin to attract moisture, cucumber extract to soothe and calm dry, irritated skin, and hyaluronic acid to keep the skin plump and refreshed.
Read our full Clinique Hydrating Jelly review here
One question we’ve received a few times since launching our best moisturiser tests is which moisturiser is best for tattoos. The answer we usually give is either Vaseline or Bepanthen. Both help create a protective barrier over the tattoo and help with the skin’s natural healing process.
Having recently tried the Eucerin Urea Lotion Plus 10%, we’ve since been recommending this wonder cream.
mamabella ***Eucerin Urea Lotion Plus ***
The Eucerin lotion increased and maintained the hydration of our skin by 14.6% after an hour. This is above average.
It’s surprisingly lightweight and affordable, coming in at just £1.86 per 30ml, and £15.50 overall.
Its ingredients are ideal for sensitive skin, and the use of ceramides and natural moisturising factors (NMF) means this lotion can repair as well as nourish, making it great for tattoos.
Due to the huge number of moisturisers that are released each month, and the fact we don’t have time to review them all immediately, we’re going to start listing the new moisturiser releases below.
Once we’ve had the opportunity to buy and test each, we’ll add them to our spreadsheet and – if they score high enough – to the best moisturiser list above.
£35 | BUY NOW
Glow Recipe Glow Recipe recently introduced the £35 Cloudberry Bright Cream Moisturiser designed to provide “deep, long-lasting hydration” while brightening and evening out skin tone for a soft glow.
As its name suggests, key ingredients include cloudberry, a superfruit rich in vitamin C known for its brightening properties, and CoQ10, an antioxidant that helps protect the skin from environmental stressors.
The formula also features a peptide-lipid complex to enhance hydration and support the skin barrier.
Early reviews highlight the moisturiser’s rich, whipped texture and citrus scent. Some have reported noticeable improvements in skin brightness and hydration without a greasy feel, making it a good choice for different skin types. We also love the fact its refillable. Once we’ve had the chance to test this moisturiser properly, we’ll update this page.
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£29 | BUY NOW
Beauty Pie The Super Healthy Skin Ultimate Anti-Aging Cream is one of Beauty Pie’s most popular face creams since launching in 2017 and now it’s been reformulated to include more vitamins.
It now includes Vitamin C Complex (3%) to boost radiance and even out skin tone; Niacinamide B3 to restore the skin barrier and brighten the skin; the anti-ageing ingredient O-LIFT Complex; and Grape Stem Cells that are rich in antioxidants.
It’s suitable for all skin types, and in tests, 64% of users said it immediately boosted skin hydration, and 28% said it increased skin elasticity.
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£51 | BUY NOW
Ole Henriksen This night cream from Ole Henriksen contains 5% AHAs and edelweiss stem cell, both of which help hydrate the skin, smooth its texture, and even skin tone. It’s been designed work while you sleep – when your skin is restoration mode – and over time promises to reduce fine lines, wrinkles, and dark spots.
This is thanks to a blend of glycolic and lactic acids with shea butter.
In clinical studies, users said that it resurfaced their skin and left it feeling softer and smoother skin, while 97% agreed it brightens skin and renews skin overnight.
Because this cream contains alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), it can increase your skin’s sensitivity to the sun and the risk of sunburn so it’s important to do a patch test first, and make sure you’r weating sunscreen after use.
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£28 | BUY NOW
KraveBeauty KraveBeauty’s Oat So Simple Water Cream is a lightweight moisturiser designed to provide hydration. It is made with oatmeal extract – similar to the Aveeno moisturiser in our list above – to soothe sensitivity, redness, and stressed skin.
The cream includes plant-derived squalane and trehalose, both of which help maintain skin nourishment throughout the day by trapping water and locking in moisture.
This moisturiser also protects the skin’s barrier against environmental factors such as UV radiation and pollution.
It’s not the cheapest moisturiser, and you can only buy it from Cult Beauty, but it’s the latest in a growing list of water creams.
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£24.99 | BUY NOW
Embryolisse This protective nourishing cream from viral French brand, Embryolisse, is a boon for dry to very dry skin. Even if it’s sensitive and easily irritated.
It’s made using 99% natural ingredients and has been formulated to strengthen, protect, and soften the skin.
This protection comes from what the brand calls a “lipid-replenishing blend” that restores the skin’s protective barrier, reducing signs of dryness and discomfort.
The result is skin that feels immediately nourished, soothed, and supple, with a comforting creamy texture and a delicate almond scent.
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£21 | BUY NOW
Avon The new Anew Skin Renewal Power Cream is a day and night moisturiser that promises to visibly improve the appearance of wrinkles, and increase skin firmness, hydration and radiance in just seven days.
It contains Avon’s powerhouse ingredient, Protinol which is a more gentle alternative to retinol without losing any of the efficacy. It helps support collagen production, up to 10x more than other Anew moisturisers, and when used alongside niacinamide it helps renew the skin.
In fact, Avon claims the new Anew Skin Renewal Power Cream renews millions of skin cells in just one week.
Elsewhere, the dermatologist-developed cream claims to smooth, firm, strengthen, and improve skin resilience.
A pot usually costs £21 but as part of the new moisturiser’s launch, Avon is selling it for just £16 (for a limited time).
We’ve previously put Avon’s Anew Plumping Shots with Protinol to the test and were highly impressed, so we’re excited about this launch.
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£12 | BUY NOW
e.l.f It feels like everyone is releasing a water cream these days – The Inkey List, Tatcha, and the relatively new Charlotte Tilbury Water Cream – and now there is one from affordable skincare giant, e.l.f.
The e.l.f Blemish Breakthrough Calming Water Cream is a lightweight, oil-free moisturiser that’s been formulated to tackle oily and blemish-prone skin.
Its main active ingredient is salicylic acid, which helps to combat breakouts by unclogging pores and remove texture and bumps.
Niacinamide and tranexamic acid then soothe irritation and even skin tone, while glycerin and N-acetyl glucosamine hydrate the skin without leaving it feeling greasy.
Elsewhere, it’s fragrance-free, non-comedogenic and is vegan and cruelty-free.
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£85 | BUY NOW
La Mer La Mer is the epitome of luxury, premium skincare and its Moisturising Cream is beloved. Despite costing £85 for a small 15ml pot. The biggest downside to the cream, other than the price, is that it’s quite thick.
This makes it great for mature and dry skin, but not so much for oily or acne-prone skin.
To address this need, La Mer has now released a lighter version of its iconic cream, called the La Mer The Moisturising Fresh Cream.
The brand claims it helps “regulate sebum levels while delivering hydration where it is needed.”
It has the same MiracleBroth found in the original cream, which is a fermented blend of sea kelp, vitamins and minerals, while lime tea provides antioxidant protection.
It also costs the same as the original La Mer Cream – £85 (15ml); £165 (30ml); £305 (60ml) – which still makes it a pricey gamble.
However but if you’ve been looking for a luxury cream, or been crying out for a lighter version of the original, then it may be worth the investment.
We’ve ordered the new cream and will be putting it to the test as soon as it arrives.
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£32.50 | BUY NOW
Laneige Laneige is one of our favourite K-beauty brands and it’s earned a cult following online, especially for its Water Bank Blue range.
The range already features the standard Water Bank Blue moisturiser, the Water Bank Blue toner, cleanser, essence and more.
It’s now added a new cream to this collection, called the Laneige Water Bank Blue Hyaluronic Acid Intensive Cream.
Designed to be thicker and more nourishing than the current Water Bank Blue moisturiser, it contains hyaluronic acid that is fermented with deep sea algae which has a low molecular weight – this is where the range gets it blue colour from.
This new cream additionally contains squalane and the brand’s O-Mega Peptide Complex, which promises to protect the skin’s barrier; niacinamide to brighten and tone; Vitamin E; a probiotic version of the gentle chemical exfoliant, lactic acid and more.
We’ve ordered the new Laneige cream and will put it to the test, and compare it to the current Water Bank Blue moisturiser, once it arrives.
Alternatively you can buy it for yourself via the link below.
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£34 | BUY NOW
Laneige The Laneige Bouncy & Firm Sleeping Mask is technically a mask rather than a moisturiser, but it’s used more like a moisturiser so we’re including it for reference.
Designed to help improve your skin’s appearance while you sleep, the new Laneige mask targets dullness and wrinkles and helps to plump up and firm the skin.
The key ingredient in this mask is a 7.25% peony-collagen complex, which helps to hydrate the skin, make it more elastic, and protect it from damage.
Additionally, it contains Probiotic Lysate to boost your skin barrier, reduce inflammation, and soothe the skin, leaving it refreshed.
Probiotic skincare is a growing trend and it’s designed to balance the microbiome found on your face which can help reduce redness and texture.
Key ingredients:
This mask is suitable for all skin types and is intended to be used as the last step in your nighttime skincare routine.
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Victoria is founder and editor-in-chief of mamabella, freelance journalist and Mum. She has a passion for empowering people to feel beautiful whatever their age, size, skin type and budget
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