Ask any skincare enthusiast to name the essential products one should have in their routine and moisturiser will probably be one of the first to come up. I have quite oily skin, which means I use the best gel moisturisers in my skincare routine more often than super nourishing, rich creams. But also, though summer has now passed and we're now in September, the weather is still pretty hot and humid. The last thing you feel like doing is applying a thick moisturiser in the heat, so they're also a good choice for most skin types when the temperature rises.
Google searches for the best dermatologist-recommended moisturisers for oily skin have seen an increase of 120% in the last three months, and they’re showing no signs of slowing down, though we’ve now reached autumn. Case in point: TikTok posts about skincare for oily skin have garnered 130.1 million views, because as those with oily skin will appreciate, lightweight hydration is welcome year-round, not just in the sweaty summer months.
Because of their lighter consistency, gel or water-based moisturisers are particularly good for oilier skin types that would be overloaded by any heaviness but still need nourishment. Don’t be fooled, though: these formulas still pack in great amounts of hydration and active ingredients to be a key player in your daily routine when worn underneath your best facial sunscreen.
They can be very beneficial in supercharging your skin's hydration levels—particularly when you pair them with hydrating serums including ingredients like hyaluronic acid. In the warmer months, even drier skin types may benefit from a thicker gel moisturiser over a cream during the day. I’ve tested lots of them in my time, so I’ve shared my thoughts on the ones I think are worth the money below.
Four of the gel moisturisers featured in this guide from The INKEY List, LANEIGE, Murad and Caudalie
How I tested the best water-based moisturisers
I have skin that's closer to oily than combination, meaning gel moisturisers are the formula type that my skin likes best, generally speaking. I have, therefore, tried quite a few of them over the years. To ensure that this guide was truly an edit of the very best on the market, I chose those that I knew performed well as well as testing new-to-me formulas for consideration. I also enlisted the help of MC UK's Junior Shopping Editor Valeza - who has sensitive, combination skin that's quite acne-prone to boot - for her top gel moisturiser picks.
Together, we looked at all of the following factors when deciding what makes a product one of the best gel moisturisers. (You can read more about how we test products at Marie Claire on the dedicated page.)
- Consistency of the formula
- How the skin looks and feels immediately after applying
- How my skin felt through the day after using
- Key skincare ingredients
- Price
- Packaging
The best gel moisturisers for lightweight skin nourishment
1. Caudalie VinoHydra Gel Moisturiser
"I’m a huge fan of Caudalie products and its new trio of moisturisers is well worth checking out. This one is the lightest of the three, designed for combination and sensitive skin, but still loaded with hyaluronic acid, glycerin and squalane to soften skin alongside soothing aloe vera. The consistency is lovely—instantly quenching, it’s genuinely enjoyable to apply and it feels like you’re flooding the skin with hydration. I've found it ideal on the days when the British summer seems to be behaving itself." - Lucy Abbersteen, Beauty Contributor
2. The INKEY List Omega Water Cream
"Promising to leave behind no greasiness (which I’ve verified on my own skin), affordable ingredient-led brand The INKEY List’s gel moisturiser is a great one for several reasons. Its omega ceramide complex works to improve skin’s elasticity and firmness while reducing water loss, keeping your skin looking and feeling nourished and healthy. Glycerin works to draw moisture into the skin, while niacinamide targets things like excess oil production and blemishes. All that in a nice little under-£10 tube." - Lucy Abbersteen, Beauty Contributor
3. Soho Skin Hydrating Gel-Cream
"I’ll be entirely honest - I’m not usually a fan of gel moisturisers, as I find they tend to not provide enough hydration, making my skin look dull as a result. So when I heard that Soho Skin - IMO, one of the chicest skincare brands around - had just released a hydrating gel-cream hybrid, I was keen to give it a try. Firstly, I love the consistency, which is lightweight and sinks in super quickly, but still feels incredibly hydrating.
This moisturiser leaves a slightly tacky finish for a few minutes before drying down completely - if wearing make-up, I would apply my base while the moisturiser was still slightly wet, as I feel foundation sits strangely for me on top of a super matte base. Saying that though, the first time I tried this face cream I wore it alone, without make-up, and it dried down to a beautiful matte - but not at all dry or flat - finish. My skin stayed hydrated and super soft throughout the day, my pores looked minimised and my texture evened. I love this stuff." - Valeza Bakolli, Junior Shopping Editor
4. Murad Nutrient Charged Water Gel
"Brilliantly plumping and hydrating, this excellent formula from Murad contains five vitamins, five minerals and five peptides, so there’s loads of good stuff for your skin. It’s completely non-greasy and a dream to apply, but the key need-to-know here is that it increases the skin’s moisture retention for up to five days. Ideal if your skin is very prone to dehydration, like mine." - Lucy Abbersteen, Beauty Contributor
5. CeraVe Oil Control Moisturising Gel-Cream
"This moisturiser features an oil-absorbing technology, making it great for very oily skin types. I’m a big fan of CeraVe’s skincare products, which are affordable, great for sensitive skin and highly efficacious, so I had high hopes for this new release. If it’s a super matte finish you’re after, you will not be disappointed. I found that though this took a little longer than some other gel formulas to work into my skin, once it was fully absorbed, it completely mattified my skin. If I predict a particularly sweaty day ahead, this is the gel moisturiser I’d reach for to ensure my make-up doesn’t slip and slide throughout the day." - Valeza Bakolli, Junior Shopping Editor
6. LANEIGE Water Bank Blue Hyaluronic Gel Moisturiser
"I’ve previously written about how much I like this water-based moisturiser from K-beauty brand LANEIGE (famous for its Lip Sleeping Mask). Here, hyaluronic acid is supercharged by undergoing a double fermentation process with algae to become blue hyaluronic acid, smaller molecules that deliver long-lasting hydration in the skin. A less techy explanation of what it’s actually like to use is that it feels like quenching the skin with water in a slightly more solid form. Hopefully that translates but, in short, it’s a gorgeous moisturiser." - - Lucy Abbersteen, Beauty Contributor
7. Beauty Pie Japanfusion Power Elixir Moisturiser
"This entire Japanfusion range from Beauty Pie is brilliant, designed to achieve well-hydrated, moisturised, dewy and plump skin, and the moisturiser is a great softening buy. Packed with polyphenols and antioxidants, which provide some environmental protection to the skin, it’s on the thicker side for a gel formula—perhaps more of a gel-cream. I therefore think it’d be a particularly good one for skin that’s prone to dryness or anybody who wants a moisturiser that’s thicker than some of the watery-consistency buys mentioned here." - Lucy Abbersteen, Beauty Contributor
