Naomi Jamieson
Most people will nod along in agreement that moisturiser is one of the key foundational steps to a good skincare routine. But the best moisturisers for dry skin have to go past mid-tier nourishment to really quench, soften and smooth drier complexions. If you fall into the camp of regularly having sandpaper-like skin, this tried and tested guide to the creams that'll deeply re-nourish it is for you.
Until a year or so ago, I would never have described myself as having dry skin. Having always battled with hormone-fuelled breakouts and an ongoing fight to get even the best foundation to stay on my oily T-zone past lunchtime, the idea of my skin being dry felt a little silly. That was until little flaking patches and the tingle of irritation when I washed my face forced me to admit otherwise and re-examine my skincare routine.
While our skin can feel tight and somewhat dry when it’s dehydrated and lacking in water, but this is to do with its condition; dry skin is a type and long-term concern caused by having less oil. To pinpoint the very best creams to help it stay as nourished as possible, we put a host of moisturisers for dry skin through our rigorous testing process (and revisited some longstanding favourites) for this detailed guide to the top buys on the market.
The best moisturisers for dry skin, reviewed by a beauty editor
Reviewed by: Naomi Jamieson
RRP: £67 for 50ml | Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, algae, fermented superfood complex
Loved for its luxe texture, comfortable feel and undeniably glowy results, Tatcha's Dewy Skin Cream is mega-popular for a reason (several, actually). It's a particular favourite of our Digital Beauty Writer, Naomi Jamieson. "My skin is stubbornly dry; for years, no matter what I used, the flaky and textured patches around my nose and cheeks remained annoyingly loyal, until the day I added Dewy Cream to my daily rotation. With its luxuriously thick consistency, it glides onto the skin and not only imparts the most glorious dewy finish (as its name promises), but also deeply hydrates my temperamental complexion.
"Despite its thickness, a little goes a long way, with its blend of algae, hyaluronic acid and Japanese purple rice instantly soothing, plumping and locking moisture into skin. It leaves mine looking so radiant and fresh – a finish that even shines through my makeup – warding off any tightness, while my dry patches look and feel noticeably reduced. It's seriously like a glass of water for tired and lacklustre skin." A glowing review for a glowing cream. Our Beauty eComm Editor, Aleesha Badkar, is similarly hooked, which is why it's our best overall pick.
Reasons to buy: Gorgeous texture, leaves skin dewy not greasy
Reasons to avoid: Requires a bigger budget to repurchase
Reviewed by: Jess Beech
RRP: £25.25 for 50ml | Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, vitamin E
In my opnion, the Avène Hydrance AQUA-GEL is a perfect everyday moisturiser with a 3-in-1 caring formula. It's fresh and lightweight, meaning my puffy morning face loves it when I slather this on.
Don’t let the thinness of this formula fool you, however. This is seriously hydrating, with a formula that incorporates thermal spring water and vitamin E to leave skin soft and comfortable. It sinks in nice and quickly, meaning I found I didn’t have to wait long before applying my make-up over the top of it. This also makes it great for dry–combination skin.
Reasons to buy: You want something lightweight and quick absorbing
Reasons to avoid: Your skin isn't combination and you need richer nourishment for extremely dry skin
Reviewed by: Jess Beech
RRP: £42 for 50ml | Key ingredients: Vitamin C, rose of winter
A reformulation of the brand's best-selling vitamin C moisturiser, this one also incorporates shea butter to really nourish skin – something I can attest to.
This indulgently rich cream applies like silk to instantly illuminate and deliver an energising burst of moisture. Gliding on beautifully, this is a treat to use, making my skin look instantly perkier thanks to the illuminating peachy-hue.
But the real attraction here is the vitamin C, working hard to even out skin tone and deliver glow. Proving you don’t have to compromise on other skincare concerns when dryness strikes.
Reasons to buy: You want a silky cream that helps to boost radiance
Reasons to avoid: Your skin isn't particularly dull; you have other concerns alongside dryness
Reviewed by: Jess Beech
RRP: £75 for 50ml | Key ingredients: 20+ seed oils, hyaluronic acid
Votary’s very first cream is aimed at fragile and sensitive skin. Thankfully finding itself on my desk during a cold spell when I first tested, this has quickly become a dry skin saviour for me.
Texture-wise, it's creamy enough to feel luxe but not so heavy that my makeup slides off with time. Forming a barrier on skin, it shields from both cold or dry air, locking in moisture.
All Votary products are nice and gentle, with a focus on natural ingredients, making them suitable for stressed-out, sensitive and acne prone skin.
Reasons to buy: You want something thick and nourishing but not greasy
Reasons to avoid: You don't have a big budget for repeat buys; it's pricey for the size
Reviewed by: Jess Beech
RRP: £8.95 for 30ml | Key ingredients: Sunflower oil, extracts of chamomile, calendula and pansy
A cult classic skincare buy, Skin Food Light brings immediate comfort to dry skin. Loved by everyone from Victoria Beckham to Rosie Huntington-Whitely (as well as woman&home team members), it’s easy to see how Weleda’s Original Skin Food gained cult status.
If, however, you find that too heavy for use on your face, give the light version a whirl. I found it absorbs faster than its predecessor but still harnesses the same skin-soothing power thanks to calendula and chamomile extracts. I'd recommend using it as your daily moisturiser or as a mask for a quick fix.
Reasons to buy: You want something affordable, fuss-free and effective
Reasons to avoid: You'd prefer the richer original version
Reviewed by: Jess Beech
RRP: £67 for 10ml | Key ingredients: Vitamin A, peptides, antioxidants
Environ’s Vita Peptide Eye Gel is technically advanced and fast-absorbing to assist in improving the appearance of fine lines around the eyes. Not strictly a moisturiser, but as the skin around our eyes is so thin, it needs a little extra TLC.
In my opinion, this is everything you want an eye cream to be – cooling, plumping and light enough that I found it didn't disrupt any eye makeup I applied afterwards. It’s backed by impressive science too, with a formula that incorporates vitamins, antioxidants and peptides to hydrate.
Reasons to buy: You want a cooling, lightweight-yet-nourishing eye cream for dry skin
Reasons to avoid: Very expensive for the price; not one for small budgets
How we tested the best moisturisers for dry skin
To ensure we had picks that truly reflected the best moisturisers for dry skin on the market, our dry-complexioned testers revisited some long-standing favourites and trialled newer launches before writing their reviews of the best. These are some of the factors that were taken into account when making their selections.
- Price: This is more about value for money. Was a more luxuriously-priced cream worth the extra spend? Did a bargain buy outdo expectations?
- Packaging: Needs to be functional and easy to use, while a chic design got bonus points.
- How it felt on the skin: Was skin left feeling greasy or heavy, or comfortably cushioned and soft?
- How it wore through the day: Did the cream sit well under makeup and keep skin nourished with time?
- Key ingredients: Shea butter, ceramides, peptides, hyaluronic acid, squalane and others all get ticks in our book for their abilities to moisturiser and hydrate skin.
- USPs: Was any interesting or unique-to-the-brand technology at play? Was the cream formulated with any innovative ingredients?
Key ingredients found in best moisturisers for dry skin
Not sure what you should be looking out for on the ingredients list? We’ve made decoding the back of the pack easy with some of the key players for dry skin.
- Ceramides: Essential fats that naturally make up 50% of our skin. They work a little bit like cement, holding skin cells together to form a protective barrier. When compromised, moisture can sneak out, and external aggressors can get in, so it's useful to support natural reserves.
- Lanolin: Naturally secreted from the sebaceous glands of sheep – but stick with us. As an emollient, its purpose is to protect wool by locking in moisture. Carrying the same function into skincare, it keeps skin moisturised without clogging pores.
- Niacinamide: Having long played a supporting role in skincare, also known as vitamin B, it has many perks, including reducing the look of pores and restoring the glow to lacklustre skins. It can even help replenish our natural stock of ceramides, too. But one of its biggest benefits is its compatibility with other ingredients – especially important if you’re a lover of acids or retinol.
- Hyaluronic acid: A hero hydrator with the ability to hold up to 1,000 times its own weight in water, HA works by drawing in moisture from the atmosphere. Sitting on the surface layers of skin, it works quickly to plump and rehydrate thirsty complexions.
Our expert panel
Jess Beech is an experienced fashion and beauty editor with more than 10 years of experience in the publishing industry, having written for woman&home, GoodtoKnow, Now, Woman, Woman’s Weekly, Woman’s Own and Chat. Though her skin has been fairly oily in the past, a sudden change to become more dry made her the perfect person to serve as the main tester for this guide.
Naomi is Digital Beauty Writer at woman&home, where she covers everything from skincare to makeup but specialises in fragrance and nail trends – sharing her expertise on the latest beauty buys and must-have manicure styles. Another dry-skinned team member, she also shared some testing insights for this guide.