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Discover the top things to consider when purchasing your next face moisturiser, as well as the best, most nourishing products for your skin type.

As with any makeup or skincare product, when it comes to choosing the right face moisturiser it can be an overwhelming experience.

How do you decide between brands, let alone have any idea what skin type you have, or what ingredients might complement it?

We’ve done the legwork and have the lowdown on the key factors to consider when making your moisturiser purchase, as well as the best moisturisers on the market for each skin type.

Read more: How to choose the best coverage foundation for your skin type

Feeling overwhelmed? Unsure where to begin? We get it. Read on for the key factors to consider before making your next face moisturiser purchase.

In short — yes! To maintain a healthy and hydrated barrier between your skin and the environment, you should moisturise your face daily. This applies to both men and women!

While they may seem similar to the uninitiated, there is a crucial difference between a face cream and a face moisturiser: moisturisers consist of hydrating ingredients specifically included to maintain and restore moisture to the skin. Moisturisers don’t add moisture to the skin’s exterior, but instead, work to maintain existing water within your skin to keep it hydrated and nourished.

Creams, however, are usually oil-based and act more as a lubricant to avoid any friction against the skin.

The most common skin types are dry, oily and combination — however, it’s possible to have dry skin with oilier patches and vice versa. And then there are people who suffer from sensitivities, eczema, and/or have more mature skin. So, identifying your skin type can be tricky!

We suggest assessing your skin, looking for traces of dryness, scaliness or rough patches. If you do have these, you’ve likely got dry skin.

If you constantly find yourself using blotting pads, needing to touch up powdered foundations, or experiencing breakouts, you’re likely to have an excess of sebum (a natural oily, waxy substance found on your skin) which leads to an oily complexion.

If you’re somewhere in the middle (which is most common) and tend to have drier cheeks and forehead with an oily T-zone, then you’re likely a part of the combination skin club.

Still unsure which skin type you are? Try talking to a skin and beauty expert at your local department store for clarification.

Depending on your skin type, you’ll need to look for different strengths of moisturiser. But don’t be fooled — ALL skin types need moisturising! Even those with a lot of natural oils require assistance in maintaining a healthy moisture barrier.

That said, the requirements in the strength of moisturiser and their other active ingredients will differ based on whether you experience regular dryness, breakouts or sensitivities.

There is an extremely wide price range when it comes to face moisturisers. Coming in anywhere from a couple of pounds to over £100, it’s easy to think the bigger the price tag, the better the product. Whilst in some instances this may be the case — it’s not always.

Great, hydrating, nourishing moisturisers made from quality ingredients can be found at affordable prices, and we’ll highlight some of these for you below.

Whether you’ve got dry, sensitive, oily, combination or mature skin, these are our top moisturiser picks for each skin type — as well as our favourite tinted and SPF options!

Purposefully made for those with dry to very dry skin, this lush hydrating cream provides instant relief, with moisture that lasts up to 24 hours. Featuring three key ingredients including Cohederm™, which is considered to be more effective than even hyaluronic acid at restoring hydration levels, thermal spring water to help skin feel smooth and supple and shea butter, known for its nourishing properties, Avène is recommended by dermatologists around the world.

Though gentle in nature, this cream effectively penetrates the skin to inject instant hydration, whilst minimising the appearance of fine lines, leaving skin with a radiant, youthful glow. What’s not to love about that?

Combat oily skin with this hypoallergenic, mattifying moisturiser from Bioderma. Designed to control shine, reduce the size of pores and even out skin texture, this oil-free moisturiser offers up to eight hours of matte finish — and won’t block your pores while it does so.

You can say goodbye to those blotting pads and hello to balanced skin, thanks to this innovative moisturiser.

Looking for hydration without adding to your oily areas? Versed Dew Point is for you. Containing sodium hyaluronate for hydration and tea tree extract for its soothing properties that fight inflammation and oxidants, this super lightweight jelly-like formula won’t clog your pores and is a must-have for all combination guys and gals out there.

Fun fact: One Dew Point Moisturising Gel Cream is sold every two minutes — so Versed has got to be doing something right!

Hyaluronic acid has taken the beauty and skincare world by storm. Now an almost-compulsory ingredient in nourishing face moisturisers, it’s crucial to the hydration and elasticity of your skin. That’s why we’re obsessed with this face cream from Beauty Pie.

Offering three times the average dose of hyaluronic acid, this super lightweight yet deeply moisturising cream is well-suited to all skin types: It provides hydration for those with sensitive, dry skin, whilst plumping and providing a glowy finish to those with other skin types.

Best of all? While this miracle product usually retails for £60, by joining the Beauty Pie club you can pocket it for just £17 — as well as receiving major discounts on a whole host of other products. Please excuse us while we sign up…

A go-to for anyone with sensitive skin, Cetaphil products are dermatologically tested and fragrance-free. Lightweight and non-greasy, this moisturising lotion is specially formulated from natural avocado oil, panthenol, niacinamide and glycerin to hydrate, nourish, restore and soothe even the most sensitive, dry, eczema-prone skin.

Added bonus? It’s a two-in-one: This moisturiser can be used on both your face and body, making it a steal at pharmacy prices.

A trusted brand within the skincare industry, La Roche-Posay has done it again with its brilliant gel moisturiser, designed for those with sensitive, blemish-prone skin. This moisturiser works on three distinct levels: the active ingredient of niacinamide helps to minimise the appearance of acne, spots and blackheads, whilst the gel also reduces the appearance of any red or brown marks left on the skin by breakouts and provides 24-hour hydration to boot.

This lightweight, nourishing face moisturiser is a game-changer: no more self-conscious days spent covering irritated skin with products that ultimately make acne worse.

Broad spectrum UVA and UVB protection that moisturises and soothes skin? Sign us up! This dermatologically-developed moisturiser offers SPF 50 sun protection and is suitable for most skin types. Fragrance-free and non-comedogenic (meaning it won’t block pores), it’s a lightweight lotion perfect for daily wear. Add to your basket now — keeping your skin hydrated and protected just got a whole lot easier.

Tinted moisturiser is a must-have for anyone who wears makeup. And Rare Beauty’s lightweight, hydrating tinted moisturiser is the cream of the crop. Available in a whopping 24 shades, with built-in SPF 20 protection and vitamin E for extra hydration and nourishment — we’re obsessed.

Achieve a natural, glowy finish without the need to apply any foundation. It’s the perfect product for summer days and winter getaways when you’d like a little more coverage than going completely au naturel. Plus, it reduces the appearance of pores, wrinkles and fine lines. Need we say more?

After a day out in the world, exposing our skin to aggressors like wind, cold, dust and UV rays, it’s essential to use our nights to restore the hydration and replenish the protective barriers of our skin.

While this night cream by L’Oreal is developed specifically for dry skin, using it will benefit those of all skin types. Rich in essential fatty acids, such as Omega 3 and 6, this effective nighttime moisturiser works to enhance the skin’s natural protective barrier and elasticity. Offering 24-hour hydration, skin will feel more smooth, supple and comfortable through using this lightweight, non-greasy and impressively affordable moisturiser.

All it takes is identifying your skin type and asking the right questions to determine your perfect face moisturiser. And once you’ve done so, you can say goodbye to dry flaky patches, T-zone oiliness and breakouts — and hello to happy, healthy and hydrated skin.

While each of our selected products is carefully formulated and features top-notch ingredients at affordable prices, we do have a few absolute favourites…

Super hydrating, and with a convenient subscription option, Beauty Pie’s Triple Hyaluronic Acid Deep Moisture Miracle Cream takes the cake overall. That said, we’re all about protecting our faces from harmful sun rays so can’t go past Cerave’s extraordinary SPF 50 moisturiser, nor can we walk away from L’Oreal’s epically affordable Triple Active Night Hydrating Night Moisturiser.

The information presented above is accurate as of 02/09/2022. We are not responsible for any changes to the prices. The 'Best Buys featured' badge indicates sponsored content, and we may earn a commission when you make a purchase.

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