It’s the last step of your skin routine and therefore, the most important. Moisturising your face doesn’t just give it that dewy and quenched glow, it can help support acne treatments, reduce the appearance fine lines and target a host of other skincare concerns. With this in mind, the best face moisturiser is one that suits all your skincare concerns and needs.
Even if you don’t subscribe to the whole ’10-step skincare regime’, having the right moisturiser for your skin type is still important.
What are the benefits of moisturising?
You should be moisturising both day and night. It’s generally the last step in your skincare regime – unless of course you’re going in with SPF afterwards. There are many benefits to a good moisturiser, beyond just hydrating the skin.
“When selecting a moisturiser it’s best to consider both the ingredient profile and the texture of the formulation. Those with dry skin may opt for rich and creamy formulas that provide intense hydration and replenish the lipid barrier. Ingredients to look for include ceramides, glycerine, and vitamin E, among many other beneficial vitamins and oils that support the regulation and health of the skin,” explains MECCA Skincare Education Manager & Dermal Clinician, Giorgi Strachan.
The best face moisturiser will be able to target skincare concerns too as well as:
- Reduce sebum production for oily skin
- Help to reduce acne and blemishes
- Target sensitive skin
- Improve appearance of makeup by priming the skin
What do moisturisers do?
“A moisturiser is an essential product in any routine, serving as a must-have to achieve healthy and balanced skin,” Giorgi explains. “In essence, moisturisers are a topical product designed to provide hydration and nourishment to the skin. They come in various forms – from creams, lotions and gels to oils and balms, catering to different skin types and textural preferences.”
Here are all the best face moisturisers to suit any budget and any skin type.
2024’s best face moisturiser
- Skinstitut Moisture Defence, $41.30, Adore Beauty
- Hada Labo Absolute Smoothing & Moisturising Cream, $35.95, Priceline
- Crème de la Mer, $175, La Mer
The best moisturisers for 2024
01
Clinique Moisture Surge
from $22 at Clinique
Best for: Dry to very dry skin
Key features:
The Clinique Moisture Surge is one of the most beloved moisturisers since 1988 and it’s easy to see why. The water-based gel cream is like giving your skin a big drink of water. The gel-based cream contains hyaluronic acid, activated aloe water and aloe bio-ferment to leave skin looking plump and dewy. The best part is that as of February 2024, the Moisture Surge cream is now more affordable than ever, starting at just $22.
- Gel-based
- Nourishing ingredients
- Hydrating for dry skin
Available at:
- $115 (125ml) from Adore Beauty
- $22 from Sephora
- $62 (50ml) from Myer
02
Paula’s Choice Invisible Finish Moisture Gel
from $45 at Paula’s Choice
Best for: Oily skin
Finding the right moisturiser for oily skin can be tricky. Whilst we all know how important moisturising is, when you have oily skin – shopping for a moisturiser is not as easy as just plucking one off the shelf. Those who struggle with excessive oiliness should always gravitate towards a moisturiser that has been created with oily skin in mind.
The Paula’s Choice Invisible Finish Moisture Gel contains oily skin-approved ingredients such as niacinamide. Oily skin is a result of an overproduction of sebum and niacinamide’s anti-pore clogging properties help to target this.
Key features:
- Hydrating
- Oily skin-friendly ingredients such as niacinamide
- Lightweight gel formula
Available at:
- $45 from Amazon Australia
03
La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo+ M Moisturiser
from $37.95 at La Roche-Posay
Best for: Acne-prone skin
La Roche-Posay are renowned for their sunscreens and skincare products – but if you struggle with acne-prone skin there is one particular product you need in your beauty bag. The Effaclar Duo+ M Moisturiser is hailed as a blemish-busting skincare all-rounder. This moisturiser contains salicylic acid which works to rid the skin of dead skin cells which can reduce the appearance of blemishes and acne.
Key features:
- Contains salicylic acid and other ingredients to target acne-prone skin.
- Targets acne-prone and oily-combination skin types, but broadly suitable for all skin types.
Available at:
- $37 from Adore Beauty
- $34 from Amazon Australia
- $33 from Chemist Warehouse
04
Drunk Elephant Bora Barrier Repair Cream
from $118 at MECCA
The Drunk Elephant Bora Barrier Repair Cream is a moisturiser all-rounder. With an ability to tackle chronically dry skin, a compromised barrier, or mature skin, this cream will deliver powerful, deep moisture.
Key features:
- Contains ingredients like 6-Butterlipid Complex and Zinc + Copper Gluconate to target dryness, redness and firmness.
- Delivers clinically proven 24-hour moisture to chronically dry, compromised or mature skin.
05
No7 Protect & Perfect Intense ADVANCED Day Cream
from $34.99 (on sale) at Priceline
The perils of having sensitive skin means that you find yourself scouring the ingredients list on all products before putting it on your face. The No7 Protect & Perfect Intense ADVANCED Day Cream is sensitive skin-friendly. The moisturiser ingredients includes Ginseng Extract – a natural ingredient that targets redness and puffiness and is loved by K-Beauty enthusiasts.
Key features:
- Ginseng Extract to target redness and puffiness
- Hyaluronic acid to boost moisture
- Includes SPF 15+
