Morning moisturisers are specifically formulated to hydrate your skin without leaving sticky or oily residues. The right facial cream makes for the perfect base for makeup or sun protection. You’ll want a hydrating, yet fast absorbing formula that doesn’t flake or pill.
A surefire way to ensure a smooth base for makeup is to use a moisturiser with SPF so you can avoid layering opposing skincare textures. Moreover, creams with SPF help prevent UV damage – the number one cause of premature skin ageing.
Explore some of our adored skincare creams for all skin types and learn how to choose the right product for you.
Click on the links below to jump to that section:
- How to Choose a Daily Moisturiser
- Our Holy Grail Moisturisers for Everyday Wear
- Moisturisers with SPF
- Anti-ageing Day Creams to Fight Wrinkles
- Day Creams for Sensitive Skin
- Our Face Cream Recommendations Based on Your Skin Concern and Type
How to choose a daily moisturiser
With the huge variety of creams and moisturiser available, it can be challenging to choose the right moisturiser formula and ingredients for your skin type and skincare goals. We aim to make it easier for you to select a daily cream for all your skincare needs.
You’ll want to select creams with useful active ingredients and some of the best ingredients to include in your day cream for all skin types are detailed in the table below:
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Hyaluronic acid, Glycerin, Sunscreen, Squalane |
Colloidal oatmeal, Shea butter, Beta glucans, Ceramides |
Niacinamide, Salicylic acid, Rosehip oil, Botanical extracts, Aloe vera |
Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Botanical extracts, Peptides, Resveratrol |
Colloidal oatmeal, Panthenol, Jojoba, Probiotics, Aloe vera |
How important is a moisturiser with SPF?
Some people prefer to use a moisturiser with SPF because it reduces the number of products you need in the morning. Moreover, you don’t have to worry about layering your skincare. However, high protection moisturisers with sunscreen can make the skin feel greasy and layering underneath makeup can be more challenging.
Pros and cons of moisturisers with SPF
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What Moisturisers are Best for Each Skin Type?
Choosing the right day cream formula for your skin type is crucial. Heavier creams can make oily or acne-prone skin worse. Meanwhile, weightless creams may sound appealing but aren’t rich enough for healing dry patches or flaky skin. Finally, mature skin requires a slightly different approach – higher lipid content and rich hydrators are essential.
Choosing day creams for dry skin
- Look for rich textures
- Look for ingredients like colloidal oatmeal and shea butter
- Read reviews and check the product is suitable for dry skin
Choose day creams for oily skin
- Look for lightweight textures
- Look for water-based moisturises with hyaluronic acid or glycerin
- Choose non-comedogenic emollients and occlusives
- Include niacinamide and skincare acids
Read our guide to non-comedogenic moisturisers
Choosing day creams for mature skin
- Include essential fatty acids (look for plant-based oils and moisturising balms)
- Botanical extracts help fight the signs of ageing naturally
- Prioritise moisturisers with vitamin C or vitamin E for antioxidant benefits
- Include hyaluronic acid
Our Holy Grail Moisturisers for Everyday Wear
Explore some of our all-time favourite day creams and cult classics to include in your morning skincare routine. We discuss (in our opinion) the best face moisturisers with SPF, the most effective anti-wrinkle creams and the best soothing moisturisers for sensitive skin. We also compare Clarins day creams to help you decide on the perfect multi-benefit treatment for you.
Moisturisers with SPF
Benefit from ultra-high and broad-spectrum sun protection as part of your hydration routine. Our recommendations cater to all skin types including sensitive and oily skin.
La Roche-Posay Anthelios Age Correct SPF50 Cream
The La Roche Posay Anthelios Age Correct day cream is both moisturising and age-defying, with high sun protection for preventing further photodamage. This all-round anti-ageing cream brightens dark spots, boosts skin plumpness and fights the number one cause of skin ageing.
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Perfect For: over 30s including sensitive skin, oily skin types may find the formula heavy, and it could clog pores.
Anti-Ageing Day Creams to Fight Wrinkles
Tackle the first signs of ageing and reduce the effects of environmental aggressors with our favourite anti-wrinkle creams for daytime use.
Vichy LiftActiv Collagen Specialist Day Cream
A silky-smooth collagen-boosting day cream which contains antioxidants such as vitamin E, stabilised vitamin C, peptides, plant extracts and glycerin. Suitable for all skin types, Vichy’s day cream quickly rehydrates tired skin and fights the first signs of ageing.
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Perfect For: normal to dry, ageing skin
Enjoyed it? Try the Vichy Collagen Specialist Night Cream
Caudalie Resveratrol Lift Firming Cashmere Day Cream
One of our bestselling night creams now offers a silky soft daytime formula. This luxurious firming cream is enriched with phospholipids, resveratrol, hyaluronic acid and vegan collagen peptides for juicy and youthful skin.
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Perfect For: all skin types, especially dry or mature skin
Vichy Neovadiol Menopause Day Cream
Mature skin requires specific treatment to supplement lost density, elasticity, firmness and hydration. Vichy has formulated a range of day creams for various skin types including normal to combination skin and dry, menopausal skin.
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Perfect For: mature, dry and combination skin in need of a radiance boost.
Day Creams for Sensitive Skin
Sensitive skin can react to some common irritants in skincare products. We have chosen some of the most gentle creams which calm irritation, boost skin barrier function, contain natural ingredients and minimal fragrance.
Kinvara Active Rosehip Day Cream
If you’re looking for a natural skincare option for sensitive skin, look no further than the Kinvara Active Rosehip Day Cream. It combines rosehip extract for a smooth and radiant complexion, hyaluronic acid, for deep, all-day hydration, vitamin E and omega-rich oils for a lustrous glow.
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Perfect For: Sensitive, combination, or dry skin
Biofresh Probiotic Day Cream
Biofresh Prebiotic Day Cream is a lightweight formula which supports your skin barrier and contains a natural UV filter which protects against photodamage. The day cream is formulated with rose oil and other natural extracts to hydrate, brighten and nourish the skin and reduce the appearance of wrinkles. This collagen cream has been proven to reduce cellular damage by up to 50% and activate renewal by 70%.
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Perfect For: mature, sensitive skin
Clarins Day Creams for All Skin Types
When it comes to day creams, Clarins offers a huge range of products for all skin types. You can benefit from their most popular products no matter your complexion. Clarins also offer versions with SPF for those who want to opt in or out of full-spectrum skincare.
Clarins Super Restorative Day Cream
Try this deeply nourishing and anti-ageing cream targeting tired or mature skin. They have an SPF 15 Restorative Day Cream or a standard version.
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Perfect For: dry and mature skin
Clarins Multi-Active Day Cream
Rejuvenate tired and lackluster skin with this multi-active day cream. Fight fine lines, dullness and pigmentation. Try the day cream with SPF 15 or the standalone Clarins moisturiser. A little goes a long way with Clarins facial moisturisers.
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Perfect For: oily, acne and clog-prone skin showing the first signs of ageing
Clarins Extra-Firming Day Cream
Your ‘does it all’ anti-ageing cream might be the Clarins Extra-Firming Day Cream. It contains hydrating hyaluronic acid, oat kernel extract and botanical extracts to lift, firm and plump your skin while soothing irritation and inflammation. Choose the dry skin formula or use SPF 15 for greater protection against the damaging effects of UV radiation.
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Perfect For: dry skin showing the first signs of skin ageing or environmental damage.
Our Day Cream Recommendations Based on Your Skin Concerns and Type
For Sensitive Skin: Kinvara Active Rosehip Day Cream or Biofresh Probiotic Cream would be best for avoiding irritation while providing hydration and anti-ageing benefits.
For Anti-Aging with SPF: La Roche-Posay Anthelios Age Correct SPF50 offers both high sun protection and anti-aging benefits.
For Fighting Wrinkles and Mature Skin: Caudalie Resveratrol Lift Firming Cashmere Day Cream. This magic cream would be ideal for those focusing on fine lines and skin firmness.
For Daily Moisturisation with SPF: Hello Sunday The Everyday One SPF50 is lightweight cream and easy to wear daily for combination to normal skin.
For Dry Skin: Clarins Super Restorative Day Cream or Clarins Extra-Firming Day Cream contain rich hydrating factors in addition to antioxidants and barrier-boosting ingredients for supple skin all day-long.
For Oily Skin: Clarins Multi-Active Day Cream or the Vichy Neovadiol Menopause Day Cream, these are incredibly lightweight yet hydrating with anti-acne and pore-reducing ingredients to provide radiant skin without excessive greasiness.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between day and night cream?
Day creams are usually more lightweight than night creams and contain fast-absorbing hydrator as well as brightening, tightening and pore-reducing ingredients that work immediately to boost radiance. Night creams on the other hand benefit from being richer, fattier and contain active ingredients that work slowly while you sleep.
Should you change your day cream seasonally?
Skin can get drier over the winter months and oilier over summer. Combination complexions may want to have a summer and a winter day cream, or you can use a hydrating serum in the winter and a clarifying serum in the summer to combat the excessive dryness/greasiness.
