Our beauty team has tested hundreds of moisturisers – these are the 12 best (2023)

Ending your nighttime skincare routine with a hydrating cream will gradually feed your skin with moisture to ease dry patches and dehydration. Medik8 gives you the best of all worlds with this cosseting cream; peptides strengthen the barrier and fruit extracts gradually brighten, all while aiding hydration.

Plus, its delicate floral aroma makes your whole moisturising experience a real treat for your senses.

Elemis' glow-giving moisturiser is a great ally to have on hand for those mornings where you skin looks a little lifeless. The lightweight texture sinks in swiftly, while fermented extracts work to boost your skin barrier.

And as for the tint? Don't think of it as a foundation, but rather a light-reflecting veil that makes even the most sleep-deprived look bright and bushy.

This formula is so delicate that all skin types will get on with it, but it's especially good for those looking to soothe redness and irritation. Gentle ingredients, like ceramides and glycerin, help to keep your skin barrier content while promoting sustained hydration.

Free from any potential irritants (think: fragrance and parabens) it’s a reliable option that should see you through the summer season with ease.

Managing combination skin can be tricky – thicker creams may work great on those pesky dry patches but overwhelm the oily spots. Well, a gel-based formula may be the way to go. Clinique’s Dramatically Different Hydrating Jelly feels incredibly refreshing on the skin, thanks to hyaluronic acid and cooling cucumber.

The lightweight formula won’t clog your oily regions, but it sinks in fast so that you can apply another layer to those dry patches that need it the most.

The heavy glass jar and silver hardware are the first signs that Omorovicza’s Illuminating Moisturiser is a premium player in the skincare arena. Then, dip into its silky formula and you’ll quickly appreciate why it’s worth the luxe price tag.

The Budapest-based brand incorporates thermal spring waters into its formulas which, for centuries, have been used by Hungarians for their healing properties.

Enriched with these mineral springs to increase firmness and suppleness, the cream also contains reflective mineral particles which, yes, are just as fancy as they sound. Smooth over the formula and you’re guaranteed a seriously radiant complexion.

Any Glossier devotee will know exactly why this rich cream has a spot in this edit; it’s dubbed by the brand as a "puffer jacket" for your skin, and we can confirm that's true.

With nourishing cupuaçu butter as the star ingredient, the rich cream keeps moisture locked in for hours and adds a lit-from-within sheen to your complexion (top tip: it works beautifully under makeup, especially if you have extra dry skin).

After Baume feels rather dense straight from the jar, but when applied, it offers more slip than expected – so thankfully, it doesn’t sit heavy on your skin.

Member's price: £15

The upshot of this formula is that it gives you wonderfully radiant skin. The delicate cream is formulated with a powerful dose of vitamin C to brighten over time, alongside skin-softening shea butter to lock in hydration. It’s the ideal fresh-face moisturiser to upgrade your morning skincare routine.

Good news: Vichy’s cult Minèral 89 serum now comes as a lightweight cream. Just like the original fan-favourite, it's loaded with hyaluronic acid to drench dry patches in moisture, but this time, there’s squalane to amplify the hydration hit.

It absorbs instantly and feels like a cooling blanket on hot or irritated skin. Editor recommendation: try popping it in the fridge as an instant pick-me-up on groggy mornings.

If you’re on the hunt for a face cream that targets dry skin but prefer lightweight gels to thicker creams, this refreshing hydrator deserves a spot on your skincare shelf.

The silky consistency effortlessly glides across moisture-starved skin, feeding it with squalane and ginger root (an anti-inflammatory) to reduce inflammation and relieve flaky patches. There’s a spa-like mild herby aroma too.