Find your new dry skin saviour with our pick of the latest and greatest
Dry skin is the worst. This is a fact of life that no one can argue. You get flaky bits appear out of nowhere, it can feel tight and if it’s really, really dry it can be painful and sore. Keeping dry skin moisturised is important, but using the best moisturiser for dry skin is vital. Any old cream just won’t cut it.
They differ from regular lotions, i.e. the best moisturisers for oily skin. The best moisturiser for dry skin is developed with ingredients like hyaluronic acid (which can hold 1,000 times its weight in water), fortifying hydrators and soothing ingredients.
These clever formulas also attract moisture from the environment and draw it deep into your dermis as well as defend your skin’s protective barrier against environmental aggressors such as pollution, which then works at locking in any moisture. ‘Choose a good quality light moisturiser that soaks in readily, rather than just sitting on the surface of the skin,’ advises Dr Ross Perry, cosmetic doctor and managing director of Cosmedics Skin Clinics.
‘Try a rich emollient cream as this will soften and smooth out any flakiness whilst adding in that much-needed moisture boost,’ adds consultant dermatologist Dr Anjali Mahto. ‘If in any doubt, speak to a dermatologist, GP or sales assistant to find the perfect moisturiser to suit your individual needs. There is no one size fits all when it comes to skincare.’
But there’s more to keeping your skin hydrated than simply applying moisturiser. One of the common causes of dry patches is due to dead cells adhering to your skin, so invest in a good face cleanser containing ingredients that gently exfoliate to break down the bonds that hold those dead skin cells together. Your moisturiser will then sink in to your skin better and be as effective as it can possibly be.
Finish off with one of the best foundations for dry skin and your complexion will stay healthy and glowing throughout the day.
Best moisturiser for dry skin on the face
Skinceuticals Emollience, £70, Lookfantastic
If you have dry skin, that mean’s the skin’s natural protection is weakened and vulnerable, making it super fragile. Nothing is more gentle and more hydrating on skin than this. It’s water-based, and rich in valuable lipids, natural extracts and essentials oils that will cocoon.
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Best moisturiser for dry sensitive skin
Cerave Moisturising Cream, £8.50, Lookfantastic
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CeraVe might not have the sexiest packaging, but boy do the insides make up for that. This purse-friendly cream is rich and nourishing, but not greasy at all. It uses this clever thing called MVE Delivery Technology, which means that it will release the much-needed ingredients throughout the day when you need them. It’s also a great, gentle cream for dry or itchy skin conditions like eczema.
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Best moisturiser for dry skin on body
Ameliorate Transforming Body Lotion, from £9, Cult Beauty
Containing their specially formed LaH6 hydration complex and alpha-hydroxy acids, this exfoliating lotion is a great buy if you’re looking for all-round smoother skin or, more specifically, to minimise the appearance of keratosis pilaris.
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See more of our fave moisturisers for dry skin below. Dry, sore skin be gone.
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Curél Intensive Moisture Facial Cream, £14.62, Boots
One of Japan's best-selling brands has finally landed on UK shores, and we're obsessed. Although it's described as an intensive cream and is lovely and thick, it importantly doesn't feel greasy on your skin, supporting your skin barrier with a thick dose of hydration. It's nothing short of excellent.
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Dr Hauschka Tinted Day Cream, £28.50, John Lewis
You COULD just get the Rose Day Cream, but this tinted version is so much better. Be warned, it is thick, but your dry skin will love it.
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Kiehl’s Skin Rescuer, £29.50, John Lewis
This does EXACTLY what it says on the tin. It rescues your skin. It's aimed to minimise the effects of stress on the skin, which in some cases is dehydration and dryness. It's like a superhero that swoops in, sorts your skin out and then leaves again. Keep it in your cupboard for those days when your skin is so angry and dry, then go back to your normal day cream once skin has been rescued.
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Murad Hydro-Dynamic Ultimate Moisture, £60, Fabled
Keeping your skin's mosuture levels up for 8 hours, the non greasy formula doesn't leave a layer of greasy, oiliness behind and keeps skin soft, smooth and comfortable.
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Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré Nourishing Moisturiser, £20, Beauty Expert
You can find a tube of this hero cream inside the kits of pretty much every famed makeup artist. Rich in vitamins and fatty acids, it preps the skin for makeup beautifully, and also works wonders as a flash moisture mask, makeup remover, razor bump remedy, and for your everyday moisturiser.
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Sisley Velvet Nourishing Cream, £143, John Lewis
If you have £143 to spend on a day cream, then you should do it. Sisley know how to create a beautiful moisturiser and this one is no different. This cream can be used day and night and eases tightness, calms redness, soothes discomfort. This cream is all about making your skin feel comfortable and that's thanks to the Saffron flower extract.
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Sunday Riley Tidal Brightening Enzyme Water Cream, £60, Space NK
Dry skin beware. Tidal combines hyaluronic acid to hydrate and papaya enzymes to nibble away at the dry dead skin cells that linger on the skin's surface. Be sure to use an SPF afterwards.
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Avène Hydrance Optimale UV Rich Hydrating Cream, £15.50, Boots
When skin is so dry that it feels tight and sore, this soothes and prevents further moisture-loss. Works particularly well in Winter when skin needs an extra boost.
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Weleda Skin Food, £12.95, Lookfantastic
This cream is not for the faint-hearted. It is so thick and rich that it can be used all over the body, but some people think it makes the best moisturiser for dry skin on the face too. You have been warned.
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Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Moisturiser, £12.99, Boots
If you’re after lightweight hydration rather than creamy nourishment, then Neutrogena’s gel moisturiser is an absolute dream. This one’s all about its hyaluronic acid, which draws in water and essentially locks it to your skin cells, meaning all-day hydration without any greasiness.
