Find your new dry skin saviour
There are moisturisers and then there is the best moisturiser for dry skin – because yes, they differ from regular lotions, especially when it comes to the best moisturisers for oily skin. Packed with things like hyaluronic acid (which can hold 1,000 times its weight in water) and fortifying hydrators, moisturisers for dry skin don’t just inject your skin with the hydration it needs.
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.
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 like salicylic acid, then chemically or physically exfoliate to break down the bonds that hold those dead skin cells together. Then, when it comes to putting your moisturiser on, you know it’s going to sink in to your skin 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 face
Simple Kind To Skin Replenishing Rich Moisturiser, £4.29, Boots
Simple’s Kind To Skin Replenishing Rich Moisturiser wins hands down as our best budget dry skin product, not even breaking the £5 barrier. Simple does exactly what it promises, delivering a light, fragrance-free cream that gives intense moisture, without making skin greasy. Your skin will be smooth, soft and you can splash out on another beauty buy to boot, thanks to its cheap as chips price tag.
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Best moisturiser for dry skin on body
E45 Cream for Dry Skin & Eczema, £4.40, Boots
Not just for nappies, E45 has earned its place in every sensible person’s bathroom cupboard – and for good reason. Treating dryness, flakiness, eczema, itches, sunburn and psoriasis, it really does fix a myriad of skin woes.
Best moisturiser for dry skin on legs
Aveeno Moisturising Creamy Oil, £7.69, Boots
Aveeno’s ultra-rich formula injects a shot of moisture to any rough, scaly patches your pins might be affected with. Eczema-sufferers should also reach for this one; the colloidal oats soothe any inflammation and help repair broken skin.
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Best moisturiser for dry skin on hands
L’Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream, £19, John Lewis
This has won too many awards to keep count, really, and we have zero doubts as to why. Shea butter is heralded for its ability to nourish and cocoon dry skin, and the inclusion of it in this hero hand cream (along with honey, and almond and coconut oils) means that dry hands are a thing of the past. It really is one of the best hand creams, ever.
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Best moisturiser for dry ageing skin
Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream SPF 30, £82, Fabled
Elemis’ Pro-Collagen Marine Cream is backed by impressive scientific evidence which shows that after just two weeks of use, wrinkles can be reduced by up to 78%, thanks to its hero ingredient, the marine extract Padina Pavonica, which mimics the skin’s own function. We’re no scientists, but the light gel-like cream sinks in quickly, skin feels firmer and instantly more supple on application.
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Best moisturiser for dry sensitive skin
Hylamide Sensitive Fix Booster Serum, £18, Fabled
The combo of dry skin that also happens to be sensitive is a killer. This pared-down vial from cult-status brand Hylamide will not only fix dry, tired skin, but it’ll be sure to reduce redness and other indicators of sensitivity.
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Dry, sore skin? Be gone.
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Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Moisturiser, £12.99 from 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.
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24-Hour Replenishing Moisturiser, £45, ESPA
Good things come to those that wait - but thankfully you don't have to wait very long for these results. This cream locks in moisture and smells a treat with myrrh, frankincense, evening primrose and more on its list of ingredients.
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Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream, £70 from John Lewis
After using her secret ‘magic cream’ on the likes of Kate Moss for decades, Charlotte Tilbury finally shared it with the world - and we’re ever so grateful. It’s pricey, but with ingredients like camellia oil, peptides, frangipane extract and hyaluronic acid, it completely gives life to dry, lacklustre skin - especially if you take an extra couple of minutes to really massage it in.
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Tata Harper Créme Riche, £185 from Cult Beauty
Don’t mind the price tag - Tata’s latest cream is all you need to transform parched skin. Packed with 43 natural active ingredients like red maple bark to fight free radicals and winged kelp to tone, it’s literally fantastic skin in a jar. Warm up a tiny dab between your hands until it turns white and creamy, then massage into your skin and see the amazing difference.
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Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré Nourishing Moisturiser, £20 from 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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Fresh Rose Hydrating Gel Cream, £37 from John Lewis
Rosewater is a superhero ingredient for parched skin, but Fresh uses it in their formula to give a whole day’s worth of moisture while protecting it from external aggressors. It glides on with a cooling sensation, soothing chapped, thirsty skin instantly.
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Murad Hydro-Dynamic Ultimate Moisture
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.
