Best Moringa Oleifera Powders
Best Day Moisturisers
You’d think the difference between day moisturiser and night moisturiser would be as clear as night and day. Unfortunately, not quite! Although they generally have the same aim, there are some pretty big differences. Day moisturisers are generally multitasking products that moisturise skin, wear well under makeup, and sometimes contain SPF. Since you’re more exposed to the sun during the day, they sometimes exclude active ingredients like retinol, glycolic acid, or alpha hydroxy acids, which can all irritate the skin when exposed to the sun. If you’re looking for anti-ageing night creams with those magic ingredients, we’ve got you covered in our list of best night creams.
Day moisturisers are important because they also serve to protect your skin from the daily barrage of dirt, pollutants and UV. Of course, finding the right moisturiser for you is crucial as everyone’s skin is different, and so needs a different balance. But with so many on the market, where on earth do you start? Luckily, we’ve tested dozens of products for you. We’ve explained the ingredients and found products for every skin type. Read on to see our top picks!
1. Dermalogica Age Smart Dynamic Skin Recovery SPF50
Dermalogica Age Smart Dynamic Skin Recovery SPF50 is a powerful moisturiser that helps effectively combat causes of skin ageing. It’s also the only good quality moisturiser with a substantial SPF that we’ve been able to find on the market. As much as we love the sun, it’s the key environmental aggressor that determines how well or badly your skin will age. Daily sun protection is essential, as it should be for every person that cares about their skin.
A reformulated version of Dermalogica’s best-selling Dynamic Skin Recovery SPF30, this new, higher SPF50 helps minimise triggers of skin-aging while remaining a medium-weight, emollient daily moisturiser. Dermalogica did more than bump up the SPF in this reformulation. The new formula is packed with anti-aging powerhouses like Antioxidants and Collagen Peptides to keep skin healthy, smooth, and protected all day long. It doesn’t have the tacky finish you find with some other sunscreen moisturisers, and we think it looks great beneath makeup.
In our experience, despite the SPF we saw minimal flashback in photos. This is a prime concern for me when buying moisturisers with sun protection, but they seem to have minimised this which is great! It is also reasonably kind to your pores. It’s definitely aimed at people with more mature skin, but is also ideal for normal-to-dry younger skin, especially if you spend a lot of time in the sun. We’d say this moisturiser benefits normal-to-dry skin types most, but it’s a good all-rounder – those with oilier skin might want to avoid on hotter days. It’s not ideal for those with heavy acne or very sensitive skin, but it’s great for almost everyone else, to protect their skin against the sun and to reverse existing damage.
2. Lancome Renergie Multi-Lift Day Cream Light
Lancome’s famous skin cream is somewhat of a cult. And for good reason: its transformative effects on skin are well documented! The internet is overflowing with incredible reviews, and considering the price, this speaks volumes: it’s apparently worth every penny. We’ve been using this on and off for about two years, and we can confirm the hype is true.
Not only does my skin look beautiful, if you’re concerned about the size of your pores, lines or any other skin damage issue, this is the healing balm that will fix it. Even if it seems like a lot we can guarantee it will be money well spent! Of course, if your skin concerns are more severe, you may need to turn to a serum. But this is worth a spin first: you may be as surprised as we were at the power of this cream.
This product only works properly if you apply a decent amount. If you skimp, you won’t get the full benefits. The cream needs to be warmed for a few seconds between the fingers until it becomes translucent, then pressed gently into the skin.
It sits beautifully under makeup and we find you can use it most days, although perhaps when the temperature really shoots up, you might want to swap it out for another cream containing SPF just to be safe. This is perfect for those looking for a lighter cream in hotter weather.
However, and despite the price, this is my top pick for general use, with its light formula.
Best for: Damaged skin, dry skin, normal skin, ageing skin, and even oily skin.
3. La Roche-Posay Toleriane Light
For people with sensitive skin, acne, and oily skin this is an absolute godsend. It’s so good you can use to soothe facial rashes, although of course, we advise you to consult your doctor too (as for some conditions cream will only help to spread!). If you have a skin condition and if you’ve had a bad bout recently though, this is perfect to help soothe and help your skin back to its normal healthy glow. We especially appreciate its power to heal damaged skin quickly, which is why I keep some handy just in case. I’ve never found a cream which is so useful for this, so if you have allergies this could also be a great back up.
For others, this might not be ideal as it doesn’t contain many anti-ageing ingredients (boo!), as these can occasionally inflame sensitive skin. It also doesn’t contain an SPF, so on hotter days even those with sensitive skin might want to swap it out for another day moisturiser.
For those who struggle to find a cream as their skin is sensitive and / or oily, this is the perfect solution. Also, if you occasionally suffer rashes or mild allergic reactions, we’d recommend keeping this in your cupboard as you’ll be amazed at its restorative power!
Best for: All skin types – especially sensitive skin.
4. Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturising Lotion
Many people’s favourite moisturiser during their teenage years, this is a staple for younger people for a reason. But it still has many benefits for those a little more advanced in years! It helps strengthen the skin’s natural defences and increases your skins ability to retain moisture by over 50%. We’re talking moisture today after all, so that’s not a stat to be scoffed at. Neither is its ability to stop the cold, wind and sun from drying your skin out, or removing its natural nutrients.
The reason I and so many others used this as a student is its ability to keep your skin looking healthy when your crazy lifestyle might not be so healthy otherwise! Especially for me, I found that no matter how busy I was, how much running around town I did at uni, this would always do the job. The fact that it’s reasonably light weight and didn’t cause or worsen any teenage outbreaks or acne was a huge plus.
Definitely, for people who live busy lifestyles, and who maybe aren’t too fussy but just need a cream that gets the job done, this is a brilliant option. Although it doesn’t contain any anti-aging elements, it’s appeal is heightened by its affordability. It’s one of the cheapest and yet most powerful protective cream we’ve featured here, so for those with a little less time to dedicate to their skincare, this is perfect.
5. Trilogy Age Proof Line Smoothing Day Cream
For many, this product is like the holy grail of anti-ageing day moisturisers! Why? It’s got lots of plant-derived hyaluronic acid for plumpness and hydration, fatty acids to protect the moisture barrier of the skin and to nourish, and melon extract to help strengthen the skin. But that’s not everything.
The most important difference is that they haven’t included anti-aging ingredients like retinol, which are made ineffective by sunlight, or make your skin sun-sensitive. This is why effective, anti-ageing day moisturisers are quite hard to find – as the active anti-aging elements just don’t work in daylight. It’s also why most anti-aging moisturisers are designed for night time use.
Trilogy Age Proof Line Smoothing Day Cream, however, is a day moisturiser that still packs an anti-aging punch. In place of Retinol, the key and ageing ingredient used is hydroxyproline.
Sounds scary, but this is an amino acid that helps stabilise collagen, which is a huge plus for healthy skin.
If your skin is damaged, it can help retain damaged its elasticity and texture: which is why this same ingredient is often found in stretch mark creams. This combination of ingredients makes Trilogy’s Day Cream a great anti-ageing option that won’t cause sun sensitivity. Like most anti-aging products, it’s not the best option for very oily skin, but for normal or dry skin it’s perfect.
Best for: Dry skin, combination skin, normal skin and ageing skin.
6. The Ordinary Natural Moisturising Factors
The Ordinary is so named because it only uses ingredients that are already naturally occurring in the skin. So if you’re looking for a natural, low fuss, but high-quality day moisturiser, and one that won’t inflame sensitive skin, this is another great choice.
There are many compounds that occur naturally in your skin that keep your complexion hydrated, moisturised and nourished. These natural moisturising factors including things like hyaluronic acid, amino acids and fatty acids. By boosting the levels of these elements in your skin, The Ordinary Natural Moisturising Factors aims to boost the health of your skin without adding any irritants.
Wind, sun, day to day life, pollutants if you live in the city, and even stress: all of these aggressors will reduce not only the moisture in your skin, but strip it of its natural defences. Which is where The Ordinary’s cream comes in: it is specifically designed to address the depletion of these elements and keep your skin healthy, glowing and natural. So you can use this to designed to give your skin a little boost in anything it may be lacking naturally or have lost. And the results are quick. If you have dry skin in the morning, it will be plump and bright again within the hour. Combined with serums this can form part of a more comprehensive skincare regime, and there’s no need to worry about any different elements combining to create an unwanted reaction.
And the results are quick. If you have dry skin in the morning, apply this and your skin will show a noticeable improvement within an hour. It’s a great option for those searching for something simple without too much fuss.
Good for: dry skin, all skin types.
7. Ahava Time to Revitalize Extreme Day Cream
Ahava stands out from the other products on this list as they take a completely unique approach to skincare. Their cream concentrates on protecting your skin from environmental ageing as Ahava believes the disruption of the skin’s natural protective barrier are the root cause of most skin problems. Most dermatologists (and therefore skin creams) view breakouts as a cause of excess oil, and rashes as a cause of dryness. Ahava, however, views these as a disruption in the skin’s protective barrier and use powerful natural extracts to neutralise free radical damage. If your skin isn’t protected from the effects of environmental ageing, you are far more likely to suffer from congestion, dryness, lumps, flaking and other issues. It also includes ingredients from the Himalayas and Dead Sea, which helps smooth and offer antioxidant protection.
Lack of environmental protection in people’s skin is surprisingly common and probably far more people suffer from this than are actually aware. Even sitting in an air-conditioned office is enough to affect the acid mantle and natural protections of your skin. So by supporting the skin’s natural barrier and protecting it, Ahava will help you maintain wrinkle-free and smooth skin all day long.
Really this cream made from natural extracts is best for those that find, even when using products formulated especially for sensitive skin, they still experience minor problems. An excellent product for those with sensitive skin, dryness, irritation and congestion.
Best for: Problematic skin, sensitive skin.
8. Medik8 Advanced Day Total Protect 50ml
You’ll receive full environmental protection with Medik8’s sun protection, blue light protection and a pollution shield.
Now, given these impressive properties, you might not be surprised to hear it’s a little on the expensive side. With patented technology and proven results, Medik8’s Advanced Day Total Protect™ includes Pollution Shield, anti-infrared, anti-blue light and anti-A.G.E technology, not to mention sun protection and 5 star UVA protection all in a single moisturiser.
There is a lot of evidence to show that it does indeed work, and it does give your skin an instant lift with its deep hydration. It’s the sort of cream you can keep in the cupboard and whip out ahead of a party or wedding or anywhere there’s likely to be a lot of cameras about – it’s not only total defense for your skin, but also great for the reduction of fine lines and wrinkles.
Basically, if you can afford this, get it! You won’t regret it. For everyday use, when you need to have full protection for your skin all day, we’ve found nothing better.
Best for: Dry skin, normal skin, combination skin, ageing skin.
9. Skin O2 Multi-Vit Cream
If you are in the market for a great anti-ageing product, Skin O2 Multi-Vit Cream is a great choice. Your skin will benefit from the Vitamin A and rosehip oil, which encourages skin renewal, and from the natural organics, which nourish and protect. It’s a really good option for those partial to zero-fuss, all-natural products that still provide an anti-ageing benefit.
Although most people may find they get greater anti-ageing results from a targeted serum, for those who don’t want too much fuss this is perfect as a light moisturiser and treatment serum in one. Also perfect for those who spend a lot of time outside in the sun, and need something light that wouldn’t be too sweaty or hot. It’s also strong enough to protect your skin from sun damage and moisture loss, and will give noticeable improvement of scarring in 4 weeks for new scars and 3-6 months for old scars. In fact, Skin O2 has omitted a host of potential irritants: parabens, phthalates, silicones and all those other ingredients that can trigger sensitive skin.
This brand is non-comedogenic, very gentle, and perfect for those looking for a combined moisturizer as well as treatment serum to address scarring and anti-ageing.
Best for: Normal skin, combination skin, oily skin, scarring, ageing skin and sensitive skin.
10. Dr. Hauschka Revitalising Day Cream 100ml
Moisturisers are so hard to choose because, as great as they are, everyone’s skin is different, and many people have problems with their product. Step up, Dr. Hauschka Revitalising Day Cream: a cult product which is the answer to many problems that people experience. People who find they get heaviness, greasiness, poor penetration, shiny skin, and lack of hydration could find this wonder cream is the answer they’ve been searching for.
Its formula is packed full of ingredients that add water to your skin, and enlivens your skin. As it was designed for dry and normal skin conditions, it also works to refine and tighten pores, for smooth, blemish-free skin. For those with dry skin, they have added some oils, which can help to hydrate skin for a smooth, plump effect.
Very often, moisturisers with oils can have major drawbacks for some, and are too oily for blemish-prone skin. This cream, however, solves all of these problems. For those with dry skin who still want a light yet hydrating and hard-working product, this is a fantastic moisturiser.
11. Trilogy Balancing Face Lotion
A bit more specialised, but also a product that takes a slightly different scientific approach to the others on our list, Trilogy Balancing face lotion is designed for those with oily skin. Unlike most skins aimed at people with oily or greasy skin, instead of trying to dry the skin out, it goes a little deeper and aims to rebalance oil production in the skin. This is crucial because too many creams dry your skin out completely, leaving you to rebalance with another moisturiser. And besides, a bit of natural oil in your skin will actually increase the protection from the environment. By settling the oil production of your skin and calming it down, rather than removing and stripping the existing oils, your skin feels much healthier, and you retain your natural defences.
Even though it’s for oily skin particularly, the moisturiser does also include Trilogy’s trademarked calming aloe, Rosapene formula, anti-inflammatory ginkgo and antioxidant-rich green tea, so there are still many anti-ageing and nourishing benefits aside from making your skin appear less oily.
It’s really light, sits well under makeup and will prevent skin getting shiny in hotter weather, and we think it’s perfect for summer, particularly during the evening.
Best for: Oily skin, combination skin.